The Bishop of Gozo has warned that unless society helped rehabilitated drug addicts to integrate, it would risk being the one to push such people back to drugs.

Speaking at the end of a drug rehabilitation programme organised by the Oasi Foundation for a number of former addicts, Mgr Mario Grech insisted that society needed to do all it could to ensure that these people did not become victims of drugs once more.

Drug pushers were like vultures over these people because of their perceived weakness, he said.

He therefore wished to appeal to the public and private sectors to offer jobs to rehabilitated former drug addicts at the end of their programme. A society which failed to destroy the market for drugs had a duty to at least come up with measures for the social reintegration of its victims.

Mgr Grech called for a greater sense of confidence in these people, so that they would not be sidelined once more. The fact that they made a mistake once did not mean they could not lead a normal life.

On the other hand, victims of drugs should also assume responsibility for their actions and be worthy of trust, Mgr Grech said.