The government aims to be “expeditious” in its approach to establish a new authority that will act as a regulator for the cannabis sector, but will at the same time respect the principles of good governance, reforms minister Owen Bonnici has told The Malta Independent on Sunday.
A Bill that decriminalised the personal possession of cannabis came into force earlier this month, but the government has been criticised by some quarters for ushering in the reform before the actual establishment of the regulator. Some have said that this will lead to a vacuum in enforcement and other aspects until the authority is set up. Others have argued that the reform was rushed so as to be passed before the upcoming general election. The government was also criticised by the Opposition and several NGOs, who say that amendments put forward by experts, particularly those related to the safeguarding of minors, were ignored.
