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Malta: MAPHM against government plans to legalise recreational cannabis
The Independent Malta Saturday 14 Jul 2018 Cannabis has already been legalised for medical use earlier this year. The MAPHM said it was invited to discuss the government’s plans on the use of cannabis for non-medical purposes with Julia Farrugia Portelli MP, Parliamentary Secretary for Reforms, Citizenship and Simplification of Administrative Processes. Given the potential adverse effects of cannabis use, its addictive potential and the paucity of research and evidence on the health and social effects of recreational cannabis legalisation, the MAPHM is against the legalisation of cannabis for recreational use. Only very few countries namely Uruguay, some states in the United States and recently Canada have legalised recreational cannabis use. Since the relationship between legalisation and prevalence of use is not yet clear, there is a risk that increased availability and access to cannabis due to its legalisation could potentially lead to a decrease in risk perception, an increase in prevalence and/or frequency of use, and a consequent rise in adverse health effects attributed to cannabis, the association said. In places where cannabis has been legalised, several public health issues have become increasingly relevant and are the subject of ongoing research and surveillance. These include: the effects of different methods of cannabis use, amounts consumed, and time since using on the ability to drive and on rates of motor vehicle accidents; unintentional ingestion of cannabis products by children; and the relationship between cannabis use and use of other drugs. However, should Government decide to proceed with legalization in spite of the above concerns, as a minimum MAPHM strongly advises the adoption of a harm reduction approach that focuses on prevention, education, treatment and the implementation of a robust regulatory framework to ensure public safety and protection. These measures are especially important to prevent uptake for those aged under 21 years since individuals with ongoing brain development are more at risk of adverse effects from cannabis use. All this requires the allocation of adequate financial and human resources with relevant expertise to implement, monitor and evaluate the regulatory framework, as well as monitor and evaluate the impact of the legislation MAPHM’s position against legalisation of recreational cannabis is in line with the position of other international Medical Associations including the American Medical Association (AMA) and the World Medical Association (WMA) who oppose the legalisation of recreational cannabis due to its serious adverse health effects. http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2018-07-14/local-news/MAPHM-against-government-plans-to-legalise-recreational-cannabis-6736193419
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