The Church Wants Members of the Malta Cannabis Association Psychologically Tested and Recorded Home Culture
Hours before the Maltese Parliament begins discussing an important law on cannabis reform, 22 organizations – mostly Church organizations but also some independent ones – stressed that the bill should include far more restrictions for associations. cannabis proposals.
“The possibility of cannabis clubs growing in every town and village is a real one,” warned religious groups published by the Church. “We are therefore calling on the government to stop the bill pending a serious, independent and researched study on the social impact of the proposals in the bill.”
In addition to describing the Head of 500 club members as “excessive,” religious groups also insisted on more membership restrictions to ban people suffering from certain mental health issues from signing up.
“In this regard, the draft should require the need for a medical or psychological assessment prior to the approval of the partnership,” they insisted.
In addition, Church groups have called for specific safeguards to prevent tourists from becoming short-term members of cannabis associations, which they say risks risking reputational damage to the tourism industry. Malta.
They also urged the government to keep a register of people who choose to grow weeds at home (a maximum of four plants per household), arguing that Uruguay has done something similar.
“How can this bill clause be regulated and controlled if the regulatory authority and government do not have oversight over who is growing cannabis at home?” they asked.
Similar to the Nationalist Party, religious groups have argued that while they oppose the criminalization and stigmatization of cannabis users, the proposed law will “normalize” cannabis use.
This, they argued, will “directly or indirectly promote its use among the most vulnerable members of our society, particularly children and young people”.
Their full position paper can be read here.
In addition to cannabis and home-growing associations, a bill on cannabis reform proposes that people be able to carry up to seven grams of cannabis on their person with the police unable to arrest or interrogate them unless they have a reasonable suspicion of being involved in trafficking.
A new Responsible Cannabis Use Authority will be set up and people convicted of non-criminal cannabis-related offenses will be able to remove these details from their criminal record.
The long-awaited parliamentary discussion on the bill will begin at 4:30 pm.
Photo: Archdiocese of Malta
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