Substance abuse is not a personal choice and the war on drugs should not be abandoned, PN leadership hopeful Adrian Delia said this afternoon.
Addressing a press conference, Dr Delia told reporters that he disagreed with Health Minister Chris Fearne that drug use was a personal decision, saying it affected all those around them.
“The decision to use drugs affects family, friends, and wider society too. It has an impact on so many around the user, so I don’t agree that it is purely a personal choice,” Dr Delia said.
Asked if he agreed, however, that the war on drugs had failed, given the body of research backing this position, the political newcomer said there was plenty of research showing that drug use was harmful.
The way to wage the war on drugs is the question parties should be looking at a debating
“I think that as politicians we need to be responsible. The way to wage the war on drugs is the question parties should be looking at a debating, and not in a partisan way, but in the best interests of people,” he said.
The theme of this afternoon’s press conference was youths and sport.
Dr Delia said investing is sports was a sure way to keep young people off the streets and off gadgets.
“As opposition leader I would want to build on what has already been achieved in promoting sports, but also look at where we have gone wrong and seriously address the problems there,” he said.
Dr Delia said youths were not exercising enough, and were turning to gangs, or other poor life choices as a result.
Asked what he proposed for those who were not sports inclined, the former football club president said he wanted to give the same importance to culture, the arts, and other avenues of expression for young people.
He referred to a recent incident in which a 12 year old boy was assaulted by a group of youths in Bugibba, and said he knew their child’s parents personally.
He was concerned about the efforts being made to keep adolescents on the right track, and said this had to start from the earliest age possible.
During the press conference, Dr Delia fended off a number of questions about allegations that he had once been involved in a London-based prostitution racket. He said the claims were falsehoods, as were others that he had been part of any financial irregularities, or that he was a Free Mason.
“And for anyone who is interested I don’t have and chalet in Switzerland either,” he volunteered.