Justice minister acknowledges ‘broad consensus’ on decriminalising drugs

Reply to a parliamentary question put to him by Labour MP Silvio Parnis, justice minister Chris Said said last night that while acknowledging a broad consensus in favour of decriminalising certain drugs, he added that "with decriminalisation one understands that while the drug remains illegal, the crime will not be punishable by jail, so who is addicted would be sent for rehabilitation and not incarceration."

Chris Said said that despite keeping up with the fight against drugs over the past 30 years, importation, trafficking and consumption of drugs continued to increase, and also left its toll in human lives, with people dying of overdoses.

"But when one looks back at the so called 'war on drugs' and on whether we have had any success or not, one must also take into account how many social problems and further deaths would have plagued the nation should drugs be made legal."

Said added that if one looks at alcohol abuse, one can understand what serious damage a substance made legal can do to society.

He concluded that from the recentrly published Drug Commission Report and the Portughese experience, those involved in the sector are faced with tough decisions, and are contemplating on issues related to decriminalising drugs and its effects on society.