The former boss of the cannabis watchdog said on Saturday she was naive to think she could take on such a role without some form of political alliance. 

Psychotherapist Mariella Dimech, who in 2022 was sacked from her position as executive chairperson of the authority after just 10 months, was speaking to radio host Andrew Azzopardi.

Dimech was the first person to lead the Authority on the Responsible Use of Cannabis (ARUC) after Malta legalised the cultivation and possession of cannabis at the end of 2021.

On Saturday, she told Azzopardi on RTK103 that when it comes to cannabis, the biggest local issue was the lack of information among the public.

"People listen only to politicians. Labourites will listen to the PL and Nationalists will listen to the PN. That is not the only way you can get information: we need to build a society where professionals and people with experience are the ones who feel free to give their opinions.

"I don't speak on behalf of any [politicians], and I was very naive to think that I could enter this role [without any alliance].

"I cannot believe that, at my age, I could be so naive. I am not a person who understands politics. Although I'm resilient, assertive and confident, the [personal] attacks broke me."

An emotional Dimech told Azzopardi she could not understand how people would not believe that money was not a priority for a person who had spent 30 years helping people impacted by drug consumption.

Before heading the cannabis authority, Dimech had worked with drug rehabilitation service Caritas for 21 years, 10 of which saw her work as coordinator of Tama Ġdida radio programmes and services.

As coordinator, she was responsible for the creation of clinical programs for all the organisation's services. For six years, she ran the San Blas Therapeutic Community. She specialised in psychotherapy and ran a private clinic for 12 years.

Her contract as executive chair of the cannabis authority was worth up to €82,000-a-year and her term was meant to last three years.

The Shift was provided information about her remuneration through a Freedom of Information request, referring to Dimech as "Saviour Balzan's sister". Balzan is the owner of competitor media house Malta Today. 

Earlier this week The Shift reported that Dimech was advising the government on drug use prevention.

'Yes, you are hurting me, well done'

"If The Shift wanted to hurt me, they managed. I know that the reason why The Shift report about me is not in the interest of the country, any political party or society.

"They want to hurt and to get back at not just me, but also my brother. They will not manage to get much revenge on my brother... But me yes, you are hurting me, well done," she said.

Dimech denied she was providing consultancy services: "I'm not a consultant. I am carrying out research I started in 2009 under a PN [administration]... I must be a real floater," she remarked.

She said the research she is carrying out (also known as an 'outcome study') needs to be done through the government as it is a national study.

"It’s my dream to close the chapter on addictions and have a tool that can evaluate - in an objective manner - the effectiveness of rehabilitation in Malta."

When she was sacked as head of the cannabis authority, Dimech had said that for 10 months she had worked with "no functional office, no staff, no budget and a political strategy and decision strategy I disagreed with".

On Saturday, she said she had not been given a reason for her dismissal.

She said she believes several things had created a ripple effect and led to her dismissal. “I never imagined it would be such a difficult experience on several levels. I never imagined there would be articles and emphasis on me as a person,” she said.

While she believes there was “a lot of enthusiasm” for the new cannabis law, not much groundwork had been carried out. The consequences of lack of preparation could be felt to date when the illegal use of cannabis had not dropped, she added.

Fielding questions about the government's proposal to revise limits on the amount of drugs a person can be caught with and still be tried in drug court she warned against a repeat of the lack of preparation for the new cannabis law.

"Let's not hurry: there is a big problem of drug consumption, mental health, depression, anxiety, and suicides and we are not keeping up.

"Let’s stop and evaluate the consequences on mental health. Will the changes motivate a user or an addict to stop consuming drugs?"