Alternattiva Demokratika officials today presented the party's position on drug policy to the Justice Minister Owen Bonnici.

AD chairman Arnold Cassola said Malta needed to move towards a more humane policy on drug use and addiction, not only because it was morally the right thing to do but also because it was more successful.

AD is proposing the Portuguese model because through the introduction of decriminalisation for personal use, hard drug use, crime and transmitted diseases had significantly decreased in Portugal.

Carmel Cacopardo, AD deputy chairman, said that through decriminalisation Malta should shift its energies from applying punishment to drug users to tracking and punishing traffickers as well as applying more resources to prevention, harm reduction and treatment. 

In Portugal, when a person is caught with drugs for personal use in Portugal, all he is obliged to do is to accept to be interviewed by a Commission for the Dissuasion of Drug Addiction which consists of a social worker, a psychiatrist and an attorney.

Although the Commission does have limited powers (including imposing
a fine of up to €150 if a person refuses treatment, its main aim is to give advice and if need be invite people to seek further help.

See policy document on pdf below.