Tag: Malta

The cannabis plant and certain consumption methods can put off a considerable amount of odor, with some members of society finding those odors to be undesirable. In Malta, where lawmakers adopted recreational cannabis legalization in 2021, how cannabis odor complaints in private spaces are handled has changed.

“All complaints about cannabis odours in private spaces will be handled directly by enforcement inspectors from the Authority for the Responsible Use of Cannabis (ARUC), according to recently introduced legal amendments.” reported Malta Independent in its local coverage.

“We are not here to criminalise, but to educate and encourage responsibility towards neighbours and the community. The right for responsible use will remain, but no one has the right to cause inconvenience to others,” ARUC Head Joey Reno Vella said, according to the media outlet.

The change in how cannabis odor complaints in private spaces are handled is part of amendments that were unanimously approved in Malta’s Parliament last month. Cannabis odor complaints involving public spaces will continue to be handled by law enforcement in Malta.

ARUC has set up a private phone hotline for people to submit their complaints. As of earlier this week, only ten complaints had been received by the hotline.

“If ARUC officers deem the complaint to be justified, the first step is to contact the people creating smells, informing them in a friendly and practical manner of ways to mitigate odours,” Vella said, according to local reporting by Times of Malta.

“Should attempts to resolve a complaint amicably fail, Vella said, ARUC would be bound to file proceedings against persistent offenders in front of the Commissioner for Justice, with offenders facing a fine of €235 – described as a measure of last resort.” Times of Malta also reported.

Adults in Malta can legally cultivate up to four plants in their private residences and possess up to 50 grams of cannabis in their homes. Additionally, adults can join a growing list of approved noncommercial cultivation associations.

Malta became the first country in Europe to adopt a national adult-use cannabis legalization measure back in 2021. The only countries to approve national recreational cannabis legalization before Malta were Uruguay in 2013 and Canada in 2018.

Roughly four years after Malta implemented its legalization model, the nation’s lawmakers unanimously approved changes to the country’s cannabis laws. Part of the changes clarified the definition of cannabis and put stricter regulations on cannabis associations.

“The bill includes new rules which would require a minimum distance of 250 metres from schools, sports facilities, and youth centres. Any association found allowing minors on site could face a fine of up to €10,000.” reported Malta Independent in its local coverage.

“It also clarifies the definition of what counts as cannabis under Maltese law, with the clearer legal definition including both THC and CBD, and non-psychoactive cannabinoids with less than 0.2% THC will be excluded.” the outlet also stated.

The Malta Authority for the Responsible Use of Cannabis (ARUC) recently introduced an amendment to its regulatory framework to allow Cannabis Harm Reduction Associations, sometimes referred to as cultivation associations, to produce and distribute cannabis concentrates. Concentrates are restricted to solventless extraction methods only.

“This measure addresses a critical gap in the current framework. Until now, individuals who preferred resin had no legal avenue to access it, often turning to unsafe, unregulated sources. By extending legal access to resin, ARUC is supporting informed, responsible use while strengthening the harm reduction aspect of the reform.” ARUC stated on its website in a news release.

“To prevent unintended increases in consumption, ARUC has established clear equivalency rules. One gram of resin will be considered the equivalent of three grams of dried flowers, due to its typically higher potency.” ARUC also stated. “The existing personal possession and distribution limits -7 grams per day and 50 grams per month – will remain in force and will now apply to the combined total of dried flower and resin equivalents.”

Currently, 19 Cannabis Harm Reduction Associations have obtained an operating permit. Although it is worth noting that not all of those are dispensing cannabis to members right now, with some still being in the early stages of operation.

Malta became the first European country to adopt a national adult-use cannabis legalization measure back in 2021. According to the results of a recent survey, the policy change has not led to an increased rate of cannabis consumption.

“People who admitted smoking cannabis in the past year account for 4% of the population, a decline from 7% in 2021, a Eurobarometer survey shows.” stated Malta Today in its local reporting.

“The survey shows that 53% of respondents across all EU member states are in favour of regulating cannabis for recreational use.” the outlet also reported.

In addition to Malta, cannabis is legal at a national level in Luxembourg and Germany, as well as in Uruguay, Canada, and South Africa. Each legalized nation has a different model with different provisions and limits. In Malta, cannabis cultivation is permitted by adults (up to 4 plants), as is personal possession of 7 grams when away from home and up to 50 grams at home.

Cultivation associations, often referred to as cannabis clubs, are also permitted in Malta. Adults can become members of a club and legally source their cannabis from them. As of August 2024, roughly 2,000 had joined a registered cannabis club in Malta. According to the nation’s top regulatory chief, legalization in Malta is working.

“The country’s harm reduction approach is working,” ARUC Chairperson Joey Reno Vella stated in a recent interview according to separate reporting by Malta Today.

“Before 2021, before the reform was enacted, you had a reality where studies showed a large section of the population used cannabis, but they had no regulated market from where they could buy it. The cannabis they bought was not cultivated in a safe manner, and so posed more risks. They had to turn to the black market where they did not know what they were buying,” Vella also stated.

Since recreational cannabis legalization took effect in Malta in 2021, a total of 39 people have faced prosecution for consuming cannabis in public spaces according to Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri’s recent testimony to parliament.

In 2021 Malta became the first European nation to adopt a national adult-use cannabis legalization measure. The only countries to adopt a national recreational cannabis legalization measure before Malta was Uruguay in 2013 and Canada in 2018.

However, unlike Uruguay and Canada where adult-use cannabis is dispensed through a variety of outlets nationwide, Malta is bound by European Union agreements that limit recreational cannabis commerce to noncommercial cultivation associations and regional pilot research programs.

Malta has adopted a cannabis legalization model that is built on home cultivation and cultivation associations from which consumers can source their cannabis legally. According to the nation’s top regulatory chief, legalization in Malta is working.

“The country’s harm reduction approach is working,” ARUC Chairperson Joey Reno Vella stated in a recent interview according to local reporting by Malta Today.

“Before 2021, before the reform was enacted, you had a reality where studies showed a large section of the population used cannabis, but they had no regulated market from where they could buy it. The cannabis they bought was not cultivated in a safe manner, and so posed more risks. They had to turn to the black market where they did not know what they were buying,” Vella also stated.

“They now know from where the product came from, what it contains and know that it does not contain harmful substances like bacteria, heavy metals and mold. The product will cause less harm and expose people to less risks.” Vella concluded.

Malta issued its first noncommercial cultivation association license in October 2023. The European nation’s emerging adult-use cannabis industry now boasts roughly 2,000 cultivation association members at 8 licensed locations. Six more associations have in-principal licenses and will become operational soon.

Per our prior reporting, regulations for noncommercial clubs in Malta include (but are not limited to):

• A maximum of 500 club members
• Cannot be located within 250 meters of a school or ‘youth center’
• No advertising
• Cannot use the word ‘cannabis’ in the club’s name, or anything that would ‘incite use’
• At least two club founders with no prior convictions of money laundering
• Clubs must have a legal representative
• Club administrators have to be residents for at least 5 years
• All cannabis has to be cultivated by the club itself (out of public view)
• Registration fee of €1,000
• License fee starting at €8,750
• Initial licenses valid for 1 year, with 3 year renewals
• Labeling requirements
• Ongoing government auditing
• Product testing
• THC percentage caps for consumers 18-20 years old
• Consumers can only have a membership at 1 club at a time
• Revenue dispersal requirements

In late 2021, Malta became the first European nation to pass a national adult-use cannabis legalization measure. Before Malta’s legalization measure was approved, only Uruguay and Canada had passed a national adult-use measure. Since that time, Luxembourg and Germany have also passed national legalization measures.

Malta’s legalization model relies upon home cultivation and noncommercial cannabis clubs for consumers to legally source their cannabis. Malta issued its first noncommercial cannabis club license in October 2023 and issued multiple other club licenses by the end of the calendar year.

The world recently received an update from Malta regarding how many consumers have signed up for club memberships so far. Per Times of Malta:

A total of 750 people have joined cannabis associations in their first month of operation, the Reforms Parliamentary Secretary said on Monday.

Three legal cannabis clubs have each started distributing the drug to 250 members since the end of January, and so far the data shows all members had previously used cannabis, Rebecca Buttigieg said during a press briefing.

According to survey data from the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, 22% of Malta’s citizens have consumed cannabis at least once in their lifetime, and roughly 7% of Maltese citizens report having consumed cannabis at least once in the last year.

Malta has a population of roughly 518,000 people, so seven percent of that figure would equate to over 36,000 people.

Obviously, not all of the reported once-a-year consumers use cannabis frequently enough to necessitate joining a cannabis club. Furthermore, many consumers presumably cultivate their own cannabis now that it is legal to do so in Malta. These factors are significant to keep in mind for contextual purposes when considering Malta’s current cannabis club membership levels.

Malta became the first European nation to pass an adult-use cannabis legalization measure back in 2021. The passage of a national legalization measure in Malta made the country the third nation on earth to do so, following Uruguay and Canada.

Unlike Uruguay and Canada, adult-use sales in Malta are limited to noncommercial cannabis clubs. Dispensaries and adult-use sales at pharmacies are still prohibited in Malta, in addition to other forms of commerce.

Back in October Malta approved its first round of licenses for noncommercial cannabis clubs, and earlier this month it approved another round, with three more entities receiving approval. Per Cannabis Health News:

Malta’s Responsible Cannabis Use Authority (CURA) has issued three new licences to Cannabis Harm Reduction Associations (CHRAs).

This brings the total to five clubs which have now received approval, with Sprawt, Northern Lights and NEGE joining KDD Society and Ta’ Zelli which were licensed in early November.

Regulations state that only associations listed on the CURA website can cultivate and distribute cannabis to their members. Membership is limited to residents of Malta over the age of 18 and a copy of their identity card must be provided to the association as proof of age and address.

Unfortunately, the European Union does not permit its members to legalize national adult-use sales. Rather, all policy modernization has to be medical and/or research in nature, which is why Malta was permitted to proceed with licensing noncommercial cannabis clubs.

Such clubs are geared towards reducing the public health impact related to humans consuming unregulated products.

Another public policy experiment that is found in Europe involves the permitting of adult-use cannabis commerce pilot programs. As of right now, Malta does not have plans to launch such programs. Limited local pilot programs are one form of commerce that the European Union permits since they are geared toward research.