Caritas, employers slam deal linking cannabis authority to children’s football

Updated 2.10 pm with children's commissioner statement

Caritas Malta and leading employers’ bodies have joined in the chorus of disapproval of a controversial agreement between the Authority for the Responsible Use of Cannabis and the Malta Football Association.

The agreement, which sees the cannabis regulator supporting children's football initiatives, was previously defended by the MFA as a social investment aimed at increasing access to sport.

However, in separate statements issued on Monday, both Caritas Malta and employers' associations within the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development warned that the partnership risks sending mixed and potentially harmful messages to children.

Caritas Malta said it supports investment in youth development and inclusive access to sport, describing football nurseries as a noble social investment.

But it raised concerns about the symbolism of the agreement, arguing that the regulator's very name creates ambiguity when linked to programmes involving minors.

“The concept of ‘responsible use’ in relation to cannabis creates ambiguity in messaging,” the organisation said, warning that such framing could undermine prevention efforts among young people.

It likened the situation to promoting road safety under an authority titled “responsible over-speeding”, arguing that the contradiction could confuse children at a formative stage.

Caritas also pointed to wider concerns about cannabis policy, including what it described as weak enforcement of rules on public consumption and the lack of clear regulation on low-THC cannabis products.

Calls for immediate withdrawal

Meanwhile, employers’ associations within the MCESD, including the Malta Chamber, the Malta Employers’ Association, the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association and the Chamber of SMEs called for the sponsorship to be scrapped altogether.

They described the agreement as a “serious error of judgment” and said children's sport should never be linked, directly or indirectly, to cannabis.

“Sport must inspire young people to choose healthy lifestyles, not create associations that risk weakening that message,” the organisations said.

They argued that years of effort had gone into removing links between sport and substances such as tobacco and alcohol, and that the same principle should apply in this case.

“There can be no double standards,” they said, insisting that football and cannabis “should never be placed in the same space, especially where children are involved”.

The groups called for the sponsorship to be replaced with backing from entities that reflect “the true values of youth sport and responsible social leadership”.

In a statement the children's commissioner said children should not be exposed to unhealthy habits such as cigarettes, alcohol, or illicit substances. 

"Protecting children’s well-being is a shared responsibility, we must work together to prevent any direct or indirect reference and association to unhealthy habits including cannabis and related products so as to ensure safe environments where children are empowered to thrive and make positive choices for their future," they said.

The MFA and ARUC have defended the agreement, arguing that it was focused on social inclusion and expanding opportunities for children through sport.

Around 160 children from families facing social and financial difficulties are set to benefit from funding to attend football nurseries across Malta, following the agreement between ARUC and the MFA.

The scheme covers up to €250 per child, with ARUC providing 75% of the cost and the MFA covering the remaining 25%.

ARUC serves as the country’s regulator for recreational cannabis outlets, collecting licence fees from cannabis associations and overseeing their operations and output.