Caritas said today it does not agree with the decriminalisation of cannabis as proposed in the White Paper presented yesterday.

In a statement this afternoon, Caritas, which has provided rehabilitation programmes for drug addicts for many years, also insisted on the need for a Drug Court.

Among other measures, the White Paper proposes that cannabis users appear before a commissioner who would be empowered to issue warnings and administrative fines.

The White Paper says these transgressions would not be noted in a criminal record, though more severe action may be taken in “exceptional cases”. The White Paper also proposes the depenalisation of simple possession of all drugs for first-time offenders.

Caritas said it agreed that drug laws in Malta needed to be reformed and appreciated the government’s initiative.

It said it believed that drugs should continue to be seen as bad, that the law should not distinguish between soft and hard drugs, and agreed that simple possession should be depenalised for certain possession to receive an assessment from a rehabilitation agency and get the required treatment and care.

It insisted that traffickers should be penalised according to abuse and stressed the need for the setting up of a Drug Court.

This would help shorten criminal processes and a team of professionals would establish the grade of responsibility of the person committing the crime.

Caritas said it would give a more detailed reaction at a later stage.