Malta won’t see a bill that introduces a path to clearing simple drug convictions from people’s criminal records until sometime next year.

A spokesperson for the ministry of equality and reforms said that a public consultation would be “kickstarted in the coming months, with the aim of presenting legislative amendments next year”.

Last year, parliament approved a sweeping cannabis reform, which, along with decriminalising cannabis for personal use, allowed anyone with a criminal record for cannabis possession to have it struck off.

In June, Prime Minister Robert Abela said the government was seeking to consult with stakeholders on the possibility of extending that forgiveness to any person with a simple drug possession conviction. 

Earlier this month, the justice ministry together with the reforms ministry held a consultation meeting with stakeholders who discussed the difficulties reformed drug users experience due to their past convictions on their criminal record. This ranges from finding and keeping a job to opening a bank account.

“The aim behind this reform is to provide a second chance to those individuals who have served their sentence, reformed themselves and have put in the work to start a new chapter in their life,” the spokesperson said.

“Victims, who are also an important part of this reform, will be given the opportunity to participate in this public consultation so as to make sure that the new legislative amendments, while giving a second chance to convicts, respect the victims of such crimes.

“While the discussion will mainly focus on simple drug possession, it will also delve into considering other related crimes.”

However, no set dates or timelines of when such consultation could be expected were provided. In 2021, Times of Malta reported that cannabis possession accounts for six in every 10 drug tribunal prosecutions, with the majority being first-time offenders. Cannabis reform has been slow-moving, with the Authority on the Responsible Use of Cannabis yet to issue any licences to associations wanting to sell cannabis in clubs.

On November 11, the former executive chairperson of the authority, Mariella Dimech was unceremoniously sacked after just 10 months into the job. She claimed she was left with no budget or staff and a political strategy which she disagreed with.

She was replaced by former Caritas director Leonid McKay.

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