Sedqa’s Operations Director Jesmond Schembri told the House Public Accounts Committee today that there had been a shift in the type of drugs which were being used in Malta – from opiates (such as heroin) to stimulants and cocaine.
Sedqa, he said, was suggesting a de-criminalisation for first time drug abusers and channelling these persons into a programme leading to full rehabilitation.
The PAC meeting was discussing a National Audit Office report on tackling drug use in Malta.
Mr Schembri said the shift from opiates to stimulants meant that the services to be given might need to shift in tandem. One of the features of this shift was that these users were normally more heavily hooked before seeking help.
He said that there was also the problem of having a tainted Police Conduct sheet and this could only drive the former drug abusers into the Black Economy.
He said the while clients were generally satisfied with the drug rehabilitation services the NAO observed that the aspect of help for re-integration in society, particularly employment, was weak and needed to be addressed.
Claudio Grech (PN) observed more needed to be done on the preventive level.
Family Minister Marie Louise Coleiro Preca agreed, saying the whole situation of drug services needed to be reviewed and this discussion was indeed taking place at ministerial level. She said that a policy on positive parenting, aimed at creating an appropriate familial ambiance, was being developed.
PAC Chairman Tonio Fenech (PN) asked what was being suggested in terms of overcoming the problems created by a tainted police record. He remarked that the perception that ‘synthetic’ drugs were less harmful was real and needed to be tackled.
Mr Schembri said that another suggestion was that the legislator would enact laws against the drug components rather than the drug itself so that minor chemical changes to an unlawful drug would not make the drug legal. He said that ‘harm-reduction strategies’ also need to be employed.
There needed to be a whole culture change but enforcement and education needed to play an equal part.