Last year, Malta became the first European nation to fully legalize cannabis. Now, it looks like the small Mediterranean nation is forging ahead to open its first-ever cannabis associations, essentially NGOs that can grow cannabis on behalf of signed-up members, according to a Lovin Malta report.
Parliamentary Secretary for Reforms Rebecca Buttigieg told the publication that her office is working to open these associations by the end of the year, a timeline provided by Mariella Dimech, chairperson of the Authority for the Responsible Use of Cannabis (ARUC).
Buttigieg points to Malta’s “courageous” efforts last year to pass cannabis reform, adding, “It was a huge step forward that many thought would never arrive and yet here we are, the first EU member state to take this step.”
In December 2021 when the law was passed, the Nationalist Party criticized the move, saying it was normalizing drug use. Equality Minister Owen Bonnici outlined his plans for “strong and robust reform,” citing that the government would still invest in prevention programs for all substance use.
“At the same time, the government believes that it should respond to the realities in society and terminate the constant and unjust hardship and humiliation which the criminalisation of adults who choose to make responsible use of cannabis brings about through their arrests or arraignments in front of tribunals or courts,” Bonnici said.
Buttigieg said Malta is now at the stage where the authority for cannabis regulation is being set up “to effectively implement the law and ensure it is used responsibly.”
The cannabis associations will be regulated by ARUC and are required to abide by the following criteria in order to obtain a license: clean police conduct; business plan; training certification for all employees, including cultivation, storage, dispensation and delivery from point a to point b; no connection to criminal organizations; insurance; no record of cannabis license revocations or suspensions; Malta residency; commitment to supply all necessary data to a centralized collection system and no previous promotion or commercialization of the user of cannabis.
Applicants must also provide a clear path of action for their business, including plans for cultivation, storage, deliveries and dispensation.
While some of these regulatory conversations are still a bit early, with the process slated to start six months from now, Buttigieg said it’s important for Malta cannabis professionals and citizens to take things step by step. She noted that residents can already grow and smoke cannabis at home and expunge any criminal records for cannabis possession, and cannabis associations; building the regulatory structure is simply the next step.
There has also been some confusion surrounding the legal status of CBD, though Buttigieg’s predecessor Owen Bonnici said previously that CBD products would be completely legalized once the law passes
“The law has passed, which is a huge milestone that sometimes I feel we forget about,” Buttigieg said. “We are six months down the line and making sure the spirit of the law is respected and that the authority has the necessary resources to implement these promises. I think our track record speaks for itself… We deliver on our promises.”
As the country ramps up its legal cannabis industry, another conversation surrounding psychedelic reform and access has also made huge strides over the last several years. The former Malta Prime Minister, Joseph Muscat, called for the regulation of psychedelics that can be used in medical settings and said that at least two investors were already interested in pursuing this conversation.
When Buttigieg was asked about the future of Malta and psychedelic reform, she pointed out that the subject wasn’t included in th Labour Party’s 2022 Manifesto. However, she still indicated she was open to suggestions from the public regarding the future of psychedelics in the country.
“At the end of the day we’re a government of the people and if there are any relevant suggestions, I invite people to come forward,” she said.
