Amendments to Bill No 241 entitled “Authority on the Responsible Use of Cannabis”
Date petition closes for signatures
The House of Representatives is presently concluding the debate on Bill No 241 entitled “Authority on the Responsible Use of Cannabis”. Despite numerous reasonable and balanced amendments proposed by the 52 organisations and individuals represented by this petition, the Government side has refused to consider any of these suggestions and remained adamant to pass a very weak regulatory framework which risks leaving a massive negative impact on our society, especially among children, youths and the most vulnerable.
Wherefore I/we respectfully request the House of Representatives to
amend the afore mentioned Bill No 241 to take into consideration the following points which will create a stronger regulatory framework and mitigate the possible risks to society this law may bring about:
• increase the age when consuming cannabis would be made legal through the Bill from 18 to 25;
• increase the distance of cannabis clubs from schools, youth centres and post-secondary institutions from a mere 250 metres to 1 kilometre;
• double the fines for smoking cannabis in front of children and in public;
• remove the possibility allowed in the law for cannabis to be grown in residences adjacent to schools;
• regulate the amount of THC allowed in cannabis;
• remove the reference to educational campaigns mentioned in the Bill to retain clearly the present situation whereby Government campaigns on drug use focus exclusively on prevention measures explaining the risks of cannabis use.
Throughout the public debate surrounding this law, Government listened only to one pro-cannabis organisation and ignored the many organisations, constituted bodies, medical experts , professionals from the psycho-social field, academics , organisations with years of experience in the drug prevention field, former drug users and many others who have all expressed their serious concerns about this proposed law.
At this late stage in the parliamentary debate, the undersigned 52 associations and individuals, representing thousands of stakeholders, are making a strong appeal to Members of Parliament side to reflect on the far reaching negative repercussion this law may bring on our society and to introduce these mitigating amendments.