(Re)thinking drug policy

I love the new Malta. We’re no longer afraid of discussing controversial issues. We’re no longer willing to lag 20 years behind the rest of the world before addressing an injustice.

We are connected like never before and it’s showing in our younger generations, who are growing up to be open-minded critical thinkers with knowledge at their fingertips. I want us to be courageous and not held back by outdated science or misinformed taboos. I want Malta to be a pioneer, not a follower.

Just a few days ago, we witnessed a celebration of diversity and understanding. I say this because St. George’s Square following the civil union vote was filled not only with members of the LGBTI community, who were celebrating equality, but with family and friends who suddenly felt that their views were more in line with that of the government and that they were proud to live in a socially tolerant country.

The government is taking the same progressive attitude when it comes to drug reform, which has up till now been a taboo within the political realm. Just like Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, I too feel proud to belong to a party that is acting as an agent of change.

The war on drugs has failed. Kofi Annan and his drug policy commission made this amply clear in their study of drug laws and their effects around the world. Prohibition does not work because it does not eradicate demand. Instead, it takes supply underground and leaves it in the hands of criminals while demand continues to soar. As a consequence, police resources are used up on tracing these criminal networks. They start with small prey, frightening kids into giving them information about their dealers. But while real traffickers often remain undetected, everyone underneath them is processed through the judicial system, which is often being detrimental to their future prospects.

Addicts who get caught sometimes use the opportunity to change their ways. But since the problem is handled by the justice sector rather than the health sector, rehabilitation is often superficial and only intended as a ‘get out of jail free’ card instead of a true commitment towards long-term reform.

If marijuana is decriminalised, abuse can be tackled like it is with alcohol and other legal substances. Family members or friends would highlight the problem, addicts could seek professional advice and the country’s resources can be spent helping such victims instead of treating them like criminals. Moreover, we can focus on regulation and education, making sure kids do not touch the substance until they are mature enough to take informed decisions with fewer consequences.

It is a strongly held belief of mine that when people are empowered to make choices, they more often than not make the right ones. Conservative people tend to think people will inevitably do the wrong thing unless they are guided on the right path by their all-knowing legislators. That is not the experience of the many states that have already relaxed their drug laws.

I am not calling for the legalisation, sale and promotion of all prohibited drugs. That is an extreme position that brings with it too many inherent risks. But we are currently on the opposite extreme of the spectrum, where all drugs are illegal and treated equally yet are still widely available.

Years of inaction and fear under the previous administration have led to a situation that is less than desirable. All I’m saying is that we should rethink our current approach because it is misguided and causing more harm than good.    

I’m also saying our first step should be decriminalising cannabis, just as many forward-thinking countries have done before us, because it is arguably the least dangerous drug with the most potential for positive results. We can then use the results of this experience to see how best to tackle more harmful substances.

This, after all, is precisely what Kofi Annan’s Global Commission on Drug Policy has been recommending since 2011. “Getting drug policy right is not a matter for theoretical or intellectual debate – it is one of the key policy challenges of our time,” his report said.

This debate will undoubtedly create controversy, however I am proud to be living in a society that has matured and is ready and willing to debate challenging issues, even when they are not popular ones.