Justice Minister Owen Bonnici this evening promised action so that society could help recovering drug addicts and not push them deeper into trouble.

Speaking in Parliament, Dr Bonnici read an e-mail he had received from a young man who on Friday was condemned to a six-month jail term by a court and fined after a nine-year process.

During that period, this young man had been off drugs and drink for five years. He had held down a job and was also working part-time with the Oasi Foundation, helping other recovering addicts. He was also a member of Alcoholics Anonymous. He was in a relationship and had a baby on the way. 

Despite all this positive movement, Dr Bonnici said, this man had been condemned to an effective jail term, a sentence he would appeal from. 

Dr Bonnici said this young man had appealed to him to do something about such court delays and also called for other actions to help recovering drug addicts. 

Dr Bonnici said this young man had told him in his e-mail that he started taking drugs at 16 because of low self esteem. He was placed on probation twice and after being caught with a gram of heroin was also accused of trafficking.

The young man acknowledged that punishment for his actions was deserved, but that was years ago and people who were reforming themselves should be helped  by the courts, not jailed. 

Dr Bonnici said the government would imminently issue a white paper on drugs. True this was controversial sector and it might not be politically correct for the government to involve itself. But it would forge ahead. It would propose stronger action against drug traffickers and a softer touch for persons such as this who fell victims of drugs but had recovered.

What this young men wrote about should strike at the collective conscience of the nation.

Dr Bonnici said he wished to apologise to this young men because society had not helped him pull back before he got involved in drugs, and he would now end up in prison when he was trying to find his feet.

The questions society should ask were: why had it failed this man? and what would it gain by jailing him for six months?

Dr Bonnici said he hoped that in a few months he would be able to write back to this young men telling him that parliament had unanimously agreed to help him and other people in a similar predicament, not push them deeper in their troubles.