Caritas director sends out warning over ‘liberal’ decriminalisation

The director of Caritas Malta has flagged concerns over the rising ages of problem drug users, saying the indications are of prolonged recreational use of cannabis and cocaine.

Evidence that cannabis and cocaine are becoming recreational drugs of choice were referenced in a speech by Caritas director Fr. Karm Farrugia, who said heroin use had decreased by 25% among Caritas clients since 2004, compared to an increase of 24% in cocaine use.

He also said clients were now older, aged over 27, compared to teenagers that formed the majority of Caritas clients in 2004.

“The recreational use of cocaine and cannabis is fooling many into admitting late in the day that they have a problem. The excessive use of alcohol and other substances is imperiling youths and their mental health, not to mention new synthetic drugs that are introducing new chemicals,” Farrugia said.

But Farrugia warned against solutions to drug use that would “accommodate the fashion of the day”, in a reference to proposals to decriminalise first-time drug use.

“Let us not measure our progress in terms of economic development and liberal ways. They could blind us and make us forgot that every human needs an environment in which they must learn to appreciate and love themselves, to become more responsible. It would be dangerous to expect a person can learn to live a balanced life, on their own,” Farrugia said.

Farrugia said the White Paper to reform drug laws would give an opportunity to reflect on what steps the country will take to help those fighting drug vices, and also their families and the rest of society.

“We believe punishment in itself does little to heal, especially when this means prison time. We understand there is a need for a chance inthe application of the law, and that more compassion is needed to give opportunities for personal reform. But every drug is bad, and society cannot allow a situation where no deterrent exists, or that a limited use of drugs is allowed. This is no excuse and [decriminalisation] will not kill the black market.”

Farrugia called instead for a specialised drugs court that could hear court cases faster, and suggest better ways of rehabilitation for convicted drug users.

In corresponding statement by Archbishop Paul Cremona, the Maltese Catholic archdiocese said that the drugs debate could not depart from the premise that certain drugs were less harmful.

“Drugs are bad not because they are illegal, but they are illegal because they have bad effects. There should be incentives for users to kick the habit. The danger is that just because cannabis does not mean you end up in court, people forgot the bad effects of the drug. A study in the United States said drug use increased since it became legal,” the Church said in a statement, without citing the study.

“People are forgetting its effects. While helping drug victims, we must keep fighting traffickers and improve drug prevention campaigns in schools.”

Caritas statistics

During 2013, Caritas Malta assisted 653 problem users – a 26% increase from 2004.

The most common age of problem users seeking help are 27-34, when before 2007, the most common age was 19-22.

Men – 556 or 85% of the 2013 intake – were more likely to seek help. Of the 97 women, Caritas said that many of them pass through great emotional, mental and physical abuse before turning to help.

Farrugia also said that 39% of clients had come forward of their own volition to Caritas, while 33% were brought by their families. In terms of employment, 48% were unemployed, while 7% were students. Five per cent were ‘unemployable’.

Farrugia quoted Caritas statistics showing yet more decreases in heroin, down 25% from 2004 for problem users using Caritas’s services. He said a corresponding 24% increase in cocaine use was evidencet since 2004.

Cocaine remained a secondary problem drug to heroin, used by 32% of Caritas clients, while cannabis was used by 30% as a secondary drug, and heroin was used as a secondary drug by 12%.