PN leader Bernard Grech has just gone on a full meltdown in Parliament, vouching he would be at the forefront of a “war on drugs.” But while Grech and his colleagues publicly vow to fight the drug trade, their approach towards the legalisation of recreational cannabis is confused, and that’s putting in nicely.

Since 2021, cannabis has been legal in Malta for recreational use, though it remains heavily regulated. Citizens are permitted to grow a small number of plants, or join cannabis associations to purchase it. The law, hailed by most experts as a progressive step towards a more balanced and compassionate approach to drug use, still carries strict controls to prevent abuse.

Yet despite the PN’s rhetoric about the need to combat drug-related crime, and despite all their scaremongering portraying Malta as some drug-infested abyss, the PN’s position is that they would, after all not repeal this law.

What? If it’s that bad, why not fix it, if they had the power? They’re saying that they would instead optinstead to initiate a “national review” if they were to form a government. This review has already been carried out. PN sadly failed to participate in the public consultation process.

They need to answer a very simple question:

If the Nationalist Party truly believes that the current drug laws are contributing to a surge in drug abuse and availability, why not take decisive action to reverse the legalisation of cannabis if they had the power to do it?

We can’t understand their logic. They acknowledge that cannabis is legally regulated and tightly controlled, yet continue to present it as part of a wider drug crisis. They refuse to categorically state that cannabis should be made illegal again, but they imply it, but then they also state that they won’t be the ones to make it illegal.

In essence, the PN is dilly dallying between appealing to public concern about drug use and maintaining a position that protects the legal status of cannabis. Quite frankly, that’s called populism.

Until they clarify their position and confront the inconsistencies in their rhetoric, it is difficult to take their “war on drugs” tantrum seriously.

Where do they stand?

The Maltese public deserves a consistent approach to drug policy.