Drug victims should be helped not criminalized – AD

Alternattiva Demokratika reiterated its position in favour of the classification and decriminalisation - but not legislation - of personal drug use.

The Green Party also welcomed the appeal made by President George Abela and Caritas for the reconsideration of drug legislation in order to help drug users rather than throwing them in jail.

AD's spokesman for social policy Angele Deguara said "it was encouraging to hear that President George Abela and Caritas have also endorsed the appeal to reconsider our drug laws and to treat people who fall victim to drugs as people who need help and not as criminals."

She said in such cases, it would be more beneficial to give support and help them rehabilitate, rather than sending them to prison where their drug problem might get worse.

"We have to distinguish between drug dealers who are the real criminals and their victims," Deguara said.

AD's chairperson Michael Briguglio, said imprisonment of drug victims only aggravates problems for themselves and their loved ones.

"Unfortunately both the Nationalist and Labour Parties prefer resorting to populist rhetoric and cheap scaremongering, rather than calling a spade a spade and proposing constructive measures to avoid the criminalization of drug victims," Briguglio said.