85% agree with clemency for first time users

Nine out of every 10 respondents agree with the proposal made by the government under which drug users carrying small amounts of drugs for personal use will not face proceedings in court. 

Moreover slightly more than half agree with the proposed decriminalisation of cannabis use.

This emerges from a survey held among 400 respondents contacted by telephone over the past week.

The white paper issued by Justice Minister Owen Bonnici proposes that people caught in possession of drugs intended for their own personal use for the first time, should not be prosecuted in court. 

The law also proposes that those caught for a second time are referred to a social board which would include experts such as social workers. 

Only those who breach the conditions imposed by the board will be prosecuted in court. 

The proposed law also makes a distinction between cannabis and other drugs, in a way that cannabis smokers will never be prosecuted in court but could face warnings issued by the Justice commissioner.

The MaltaToday survey reveals a generational change in attitudes towards cannabis. 

While 70% of under-35-year-olds agree with the proposal to exempt cannabis smokers from court proceedings, a majority of over-35-year-olds are opposed to this aspect of the reform.  

Respondents were also asked whether they knew any cannabis smokers themselves. Only 1 in every 5 said that they did but this figure rose to 35% among 16-34-year-olds and to 34% among University-educated respondents.

Read the full survey in MaltaToday