Medical organisations on Thursday welcomed the proposed decriminalisation of cannabis and applauded the government’s commitment to direct users to treatment rather than criminal justice.
But their endorsement also included a list of warnings about regular use of the drug.
According to the proposed reform, cannabis users will be allowed to grow their own plants at home and legally carry up to seven grams of the drug for personal use.
In a position paper, the Maltese Association of Psychiatry (MAP) warned that early regular use is associated with symptoms of psychosis and bipolar disorder in younger people.
It noted that cannabis is the most commonly used illicit substance among Maltese youths and it said it can affect brain maturation in a negative way.
Regular cannabis use in youth and young adults, it said, can affect aspects of cognition, including attention, memory, processing speed, and overall intelligence.
Early and regular use also increased the risk of a primary psychotic illness in vulnerable individuals and although vulnerability factors are not currently clear, they may include childhood trauma and genetics, it said.
In young adults who developed psychosis, continued cannabis use worsened long-term symptom and functional outcomes and may increase the risk of depression. It also increased the potential for adult dependence and may be associated with increased progression to other illicit drug use, MAP said.
The position was endorsed by the Association of Anaesthesiologists of Malta, the Malta College of Pathologists, the Association of Surgeons of Malta, the Malta Association of Osteopaths, the Malta Paediatric Association, the Maltese Association of Radiologists and Nuclear Medicine Physicians, the Malta College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, the Malta Association of Public Health Medicine, the Geriatic Medicine Society of Malta, the Malta Association of Otolaryngologists and Head and Neck Surgeons, and the Malta College of Family Doctors.
Quick-fix solution of a 'high' prioritised over mental wellbeing
In another statement, the Malta Association of Family Therapy and Systemic Practice stressed the importance of a distinction between medicinal and recreational use of cannabis saying that while medical use relied on professional assessment and monitoring, recreational use is unrestrained.
Responsible use of cannabis or any other substance, it said, required maturity to prevent the risk of misuse.
It expressed concern that the proposed law encouraged a culture whereby seeking a “high” from the use of substances is necessary for one to cope with life’s challenges and have fun. On the other hand, services entrusted with preventive and therapeutic work seriously lacked resources.
“In this context, the quick-fix solution of a high is being prioritised over mental wellbeing.”
Welcoming the decriminalisation aspect of the proposed law, it said that, to limit misuse, there had to be, however, a greater emphasis on and clear solutions for harm reduction.
It asked how were minors be protected against the exposure of cannabis use in private residences and called for regulation of use for pregnant and breastfeeding women.
The association also called for timely services for parents and families where there is concern over the frequent use of the drug as a coping strategy. It noted that introducing such a law in the current context of a pandemic may inadvertently be promoting the use of cannabis over healthier ways of dealing with stress.
It also asked how was the potency of home-grown cannabis to be monitored noting that higher THC levels, significantly increased the risk of addiction and mental health problems.