MALTA. Malta is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, 93 km south of Sicily and 288 km.Presentation on theme: "MALTA. Malta is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, 93 km south of Sicily and 288 km."— Presentation transcript:Palace in town of Mdina, Malta Malta is a southern European country in the Mediterranean Sea 80 km 50 mi south of Sicily
Malta is the 1st European country to have a law allowing the cultivation and recreational use of marijuana
The Parliament of Malta, an island country in the Mediterranean Sea, approved, this Tuesday (14), the personal cultivation and recreational use of marijuana, becoming the first European country to ratify such legislation. The text was approved by 36 to 27 votes, with all government supporters (of the center-left) voting in favor of the measure, contrary to the opposition.
Several countries in the European Union have already decriminalized consumption and have drug-tolerant models, but the laws are still considered unclear.
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In the Netherlands, for example, about 150 coffee shops are licensed to sell the substance, even though the sale of marijuana is banned in the country — the apparent contradiction is explained by the “tolerance policy” adopted by Amsterdam for at least four decades.
There, so-called coffeeshops must sell a maximum of 5 grams of marijuana per person, never to minors, and cannot have more than 500 grams in the establishment.
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In Portugal, the possession and consumption of Cannabis and other drugs were decriminalized in 2001. It is only considered a crime if the person has more than ten doses of the substance. Spain, in turn, allows production for personal consumption, but commerce and consumption in public are prohibited.
Luxembourg had already announced in October its intention to authorize the cultivation of marijuana at home and its use in the private sphere, but parliament has yet to approve the measure. Added to the European efforts is the desire of the new German government to legalize recreational use.
In Malta, the expectation is that the text approved by Parliament will be ratified by President George Vella, who is a doctor. When it goes into effect, people over 18 will be allowed to have a maximum of 7 grams of marijuana and grow up to four plants, regardless of the number of residents in the property.
From the crops, however, no more than 50 grams of marijuana can be generated. Failure to comply will result in a fine of 100 euros (BRL 640).
In addition, smoking in public will continue to be illegal, and anyone caught using the drug in front of a minor under 18 will have to pay fines ranging from 300 to 500 euros (R$1,918 to R$3,197). The legal age for drinking alcohol in the country, that is, is 17 years old.
The new legislation also provides for the creation of non-profit associations that allow the production and sale of Cannabis to its affiliates. In practice, the groups will be responsible for distributing the drug or seeds for cultivation.
Also according to the text, will be allowed the sale of up to 7 grams of marijuana in a single day to an affiliate. The monthly amount, however, cannot exceed 50 grams. Furthermore, it will only be allowed to distribute a maximum of 20 seeds per month for each member.
The groups can have a maximum of 500 members each, authorized to participate in only one association. The law also prohibits advertisements and commercials from the activities of the licensed location. The facilities must also be at least 250 meters away from schools, clubs or youth centers.
Finally, the text also allows anyone with a criminal record of marijuana possession under the law to request the nullification of records.
The approval of this Tuesday was the target of great debate among the Maltese. The bill was promoted by Equality Minister Owen Bonnici, who says Malta has taken a “harm reduction approach” with the establishment of an authority to regulate the sale of Cannabis for personal use.
On the other hand, lawmakers came under pressure from the centre-right opposition and medical associations to vote against the bill.
The Catholic Church was also one of the engines in the fight against approval. The country is one of the most Catholic in the world, with more than 90% of its population claiming to practice the religion.
The opposition’s main argument is that the approval could mean a state incentive for drug use on the island. Bonnici, however, rejected the idea. “The government is in no way urging adults to resort to cannabis use. The government is always urging people to make healthier choices,” the minister wrote in a local newspaper.
After the Parliament’s decision, social media profiles posted videos of pro-legalization activists celebrating at the door of Parliament in Valletta, the country’s capital.
Malta’s prime minister, Robert Abela, also urged his party’s deputies to vote in favor of the initiative, linking the passage of the text to an attempt to fight the black market.
Abela also highlighted that she wants to avoid the “trauma” for parents of seeing their children appear in court for having smoked a marijuana cigarette. “Drug trafficking will remain illegal.”
Malta, a traditionally conservative country, had already decriminalized the possession of small amounts of marijuana in 2015 and, three years later, adopted a legal framework, with the aim of becoming a center for the production of marijuana. Cannabis for therapeutic purposes.
Ukraine: Is a European country spiralling into civil war?
The world watch in a mixture of hope and horror as the Arab Spring revolts broke out across much of North Africa and further afield.
The West and Europe intervened to help civilians in Libya topple the dictator Muammar Gaddafi. Then the people of Syria rose up. The west branded Al Assad as a war criminal who was using weapons against his own people, yet this time we stood by idle. More than two years later, the conflict has escalated into full blown civil war. Still, Assad kills with impunity, as do rebel groups.
We sit and watch helplessly as men, women and children die every day. But it is still far away, it is in the Middle East and therefore, our concern is not as raw as it could be.
But now a European country risks the same fate. Russia intervened and annexed the largely Russia speaking Crimean peninsula after the people there decided in a referendum that they wanted to be part of Russia. The country has been deeply divided for months over whether it should look west towards the EU or East towards Russia.
Now, the issue has flared up and shows no sign of abating in the east of the country. Donetsk has declared its self styled independence and armed groups have taken control of various government and official buildings. There is no doubt that pro Russian militants have provoked some of the flare ups, using violent methods to get their point across. But there is also a large number of ordinary folk that feel the same – they are peacefully demanding that they should be allowed to affiliate with Russia.
In response to all this, the Ukraine sent in its army to deal with the ‘terrorists’. The result was a massacre in the southern city of Odessa which left over 40 people dead. The Prime Minister has blamed the security forces, but it is becoming more and more clear that the country is now heading towards full blown civil war, and there seems like there is nothing there to stop it from doing so. Some six years ago, Russia had marched into Georgia and stopped only a few kilometres away from its capital Tblisi when a regional flare up resulted in two provinces declaring their independence. The same could happen again.
EU Commission Presidential hopeful Jean Claude Juncker said that Europe does not want to go to war, but Russia cannot do as it pleases. Well, right now, it seems to be doing just that – just as it pleases.
This crisis is only going to get worse. Tensions are running high, but we have to ask the question. Is this not a case of two weights and two measures? State security officials have killed people and pro Russian militants have also killed people. Is it all that different from the situation in Syria? No, it is not. And it is also closer to the heart of the continent.
