The NGO ReLeaf has slammed the government’s decision to introduce random roadside alcohol and drug testing, pointing out that cannabis can remain in the body for hours “without causing impairment”.
While the decision to introduce tougher drink and drug laws was welcomed by the opposition and industry stakeholders, Releaf Malta didn’t share the same sentiment.
“The amendments introducing roadside testing for cannabis without an ‘impairment assessment’ will create injustice for over 60,000 cannabis users. We remind that the presence of drugs in saliva does not mean impairment or that the person is dangerous,” Releaf Malta president Andrew Bonello said in a video on Tuesday evening.
Prime Minister Robert Abela and Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri announced the proposed changes on Tuesday, in the wake of pressure from several professionals and lobby groups following a spate of horrifying road accidents this summer.
The proposed changes, which Camilleri said come as police road checks have surged to unprecedented levels, focus on strengthening penalties and introducing new testing methods.
Camilleri did not clarify what drugs would be tested.
Bonello said cannabis can be detected hours after last use, but he argued it does not mean the person is dangerous and unable to drive.
He said breathalysers work differently and indicate when a driver is not in a fit state to drive.
He also pointed out that several requests for meetings with the prime minister had not been addressed.
“Dialogue with us as you do with insurance companies and lawyers who have an economic interest in these measures passing. We remind that across Europe there are hundreds of court cases challenging unfair technologies like these,” Bonello said.
Malta became the first EU country to legalise recreational cannabis use in 2021.
Under current legislation, adults are allowed to possess up to seven grams of cannabis and grow up to four plants at home. Consumption remains limited to private spaces and is prohibited in public or near minors.