Government discusses recreational cannabis use with International Narcotics Control Board

The Maltese Government is currently discussing a regulatory model for the use of non-medicinal cannabis being applied in Malta, with the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB).

A delegation led by Parliamentary Secretary for Reforms Rebecca Buttigieg in Vienna, explained in detail the principles of the regulatory model in place, prioritising the principles of harm and risk reduction, social justice and public health.

The Maltese Parliament partially legalised the recreational use of cannabis in December 2021, allowing the possession of up to seven grams of cannabis and the growing of four plants at home.

Last February, the Authority for the Responsible Use of Cannabis (ARUC) started accepting applications from people interested in setting up a non-profit cannabis clubs.

The government said that the meeting with the INCB was cordial, with a significant focus on its ongoing contact with the Responsible Use of Cannabis Authority (ARUC), the Cannabis Harm Reduction Associations and Malta's commitment to ensuring that the regulatory model remains flexible to achieve its objectives, in particular to strengthen the fight against drug trafficking in the illicit market.

Buttigieg said that the Government is committed to continue promoting a regulatory model for the use of non-medicinal cannabis, which is based on the principles of social justice and public health.

"We are very pleased to have opened this dialogue with the International Narcotics Control Board to discuss how our model can serve as a positive example for other countries. Through the ARUC, we are working to ensure that human rights continue to be safeguarded, while our efforts focus more on education and security for a community, rather than on punitive measures," Buttigieg said.

ARUC CEO Leonid McKay stressed on the importance of decriminalisation, with a regulatory framework aiming to provide a sector that protects those adults who want to use cannabis responsibly and in a safe environment.

'The Authority has been mandated to reduce the damage caused by the illicit market and implement the necessary preventive measures. This will be done through a robust regulatory framework, put in place in recent weeks, to monitor the personal use of cannabis by adults, with a non-profit approach that aims to put people and the community at the centre of government policy," McKay said.

Apart from the meeting with the INCB, the Maltese delegation also met with representatives from other countries who are also exploring regulatory models on the non-medicinal use of cannabis.

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