Bishop Mario Grech denounced rampant drug trafficking at village feasts, calling it humiliating and diabolical.
In a homily during Mass in Victoria on the feast of the Assumption of Our Lady, Mgr Grech drew comparisons with the apocalyptic reference to the dragon, which he said changed its appearance but was still a devastating threat.
“One of the contemporary dragons is drug trafficking. Drugs are a serious wound on Gozo. Several people told me there is a wide net that is catching not just youths but also underage children,” he said.
While drug trafficking was of concern wherever it took place, it was truly humiliating and diabolical that traffickers were pushing drugs even during village feasts.
Is it true that during the feasts, the price of cocaine sachets explodes, drying up not only the minds but also the pockets?- "
“Some have remarked that the consumption of alcohol has decreased during feasts – which is a good thing – but if this is the case, how come we see so many intoxicated people after the band marches? How do we explain the drop in alcohol consumption and the increase in the sale of water?
“Is it true that during the feasts, the price of cocaine sachets explodes, drying up not only the minds but also the pockets?” Mgr Grech asked.
The bishop expressed concern that if the “dragon” continued to be protected, Gozo would end up a cemetery of psychologically and socially dead people.
Drug slaves do anything to keep up with their dependence, and Mgr Grech said he knew of impoverished families whose children had been caught in drug nets.
Others had descended to the criminal route after being introduced to illicit substances, he noted.
Saying the feast of Santa Marija was a fight against this “dragon”, Mgr Grech indirectly appealed to the authorities to avoid fighting drugs by using other substances, including so-called ‘soft’ ones.
Mgr Grech insisted that there should not be any compromise where drug use was concerned and expressed his support to the Oasi Foundation in its stand against the legalisation of recreational drugs.
His appeal comes as a debate on the recreational use of cannabis, an electoral pledge from Labour, is slowly picking up steam.