Finding affordable accommodation has become a huge stumbling block for some of those who complete Caritas’ drug rehabilitation programme, director Leonid McKay warned on Wednesday evening.

“Rent prices have skyrocketed… Having decent and affordable accommodation is a right, not a commodity and the state needs to ensure that this right is safeguarded for every individual,” Mr McKay said.

He was speaking in San Blas, at the graduation of seven men and three women, aged between 23 and 53, from Caritas’ rehabilitation programme.

Recovery was a lifelong journey, and Caritas was especially focusing on aftercare in the two years after the programme, he said.

“Completing the residential programme does not mean that your problems have come to an end. I will mention only one of the biggest obstacles – especially for those who do not have a house to return to or need to avoid their previous negative environment.

“Finding affordable accommodation once a person starts reintegrating within society has become a huge obstacle.”

Caritas Malta’s director commended the investment in social housing, adding he looked forward to proposals about the rental market.

Damage of Cannabis outweighs benefits  

In his address, Mr McKay referred to the national debate about the recreational use of cannabis, whose damage outweighed the benefits, he said.

Over the past year, Caritas has made its stand on cannabis known in two position papers. While agreeing on accessibility to medical cannabis to people with specific conditions, it was against legalising its recreational use.

Read: Legalising cannabis would be waving a white flag

Mr McKay expressed satisfaction about a widespread consensus that cannabis did not have any recreational value, and was being recognised as a drug.

Caritas acknowledged that most of those who consumed cannabis did not develop a dependence, however, we could not pass on the wrong message - that it was not dangerous, irrespective of whether it was provided legally or not, Mr McKay said.

Legalising cannabis would increase its popularity, accessibility, and therefore consumption, abuse and dependence.

Those more susceptible to developing mental health issues or a dependency (around 10 per cent of the population), those recovering from abuse, and adolescents were the most vulnerable, he noted. Instead, rehabilitation should be encouraged.

He commended the decriminalisation of cannabis, referring to Drug Offenders Rehabilitation Board data showing that 24 out of 102 people completed the rehabilitation programme, while another 66 were still in the process. 

Those present for the graduation remembered Charles Miceli, former head of Caritas prison inmates’ programme, who passed away aged 68 in March.

Starting from scratch’ – a testimonial of a former addict

Graziella*, who has been clean for 16 years, compared the transition from the rehabilitation programme to society, to that of a caterpillar. Settling down was extremely difficult for the former addict, who soon realised that she needed to be willing to let go of her previous lifestyle.

If a rehabilitated person embarked on a path of lies, this could take them back to the disillusioned state that had originally led them to drug abuse. 

Once she completed the programme, Graziella had to start from scratch and even returned to school in order to have the appropriate qualifications to find a job and start settling down. She was able to reintegrate with the help of her relatives and Caritas staff.

Anthony Gatt, Caritas Drug Rehabilitation Services, noted that completing the programme was not the end of the road for former addicts. Some residents have actually admitted that although they initially feel that the rehabilitation programme was difficult, they soon realised that the biggest challenge was returning to their community.

*Name has been changed

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