Three islands south of Sicily in the Mediterranean Sea make up the country of Malta. It’s the smallest country in the European Union and gained its independence from Great Britain in 1974. Since then, Malta has remained a Republic within the British Commonwealth to improve their international cooperation. And now, they have become the first country in the European Union to legalize recreational cannabis. 

Legalization

On December 14, Malta’s Parliament voted in favor 36-27 for a bill to legalize recreational cannabis for adults 18 and over. Individuals can possess up to seven grams of cannabis on them at any time. They can also grow up to four plants in their home for personal use. Additionally, individuals can keep up to 50 grams of home grown cannabis in their house for later use. 

There won’t be a commercial market, however non-profit organizations can cultivate their own plants and distribute it to members at no cost. They can’t distribute more than 50 grams of cannabis to an individual over the course of 30 days. Cannabis clubs are also authorized under the legalization bill. These clubs can have a max of 500 members and give up to seven grams of cannabis per member per day, but can’t exceed 50 grams in a month. Clubs can also distribute 20 cannabis seeds per member per month. 

Finally, anyone who has more than seven grams of cannabis on them, but less than 28 grams, will receive a fine between € 50 – € 100. There is no threat of jail time or a record for these individuals. Minors found with cannabis will be referred to a ‘care plan’ instead of facing arrest as well.

There is no THC limit when it comes to recreational cannabis in Malta. They had debated on setting a limit, however they ended up deciding against it. Malta Parliament member Owen Bonnici serves as the government’s minister for equality, research, and innovation. He explained THC limitations would just “be creating a new market for the black market. What we need to do is to educate people and inform them day after day.

Cannabis in Europe

Malta isn’t the only country to make moves on recreational cannabis in 2021. First, Italian activists collected hundreds of thousands of signatures for a referendum. This referendum would decriminalize the home growth of cannabis, psilocybin mushrooms, and a handful of other psychoactive plants for personal use. It also looks to eliminate prison sentences surrounding most cannabis activities.

Germany is also getting in on the action. The incoming political leaders have created a coalition to make cannabis legalization a priority. A bill is already in the works and will be discussed at the beginning of the year to make sure it is the best it can be. Luxembourg is also working on a recreational cannabis legalization bill already in their parliament. It is still waiting on a vote before becoming law. 

Next Steps

Malta is setting the standard moving forward for recreational cannabis legalization. From decriminalization to homegrowth, this could create a new normal across Europe. Malta is the third country in the world to legalize recreational cannabis, following Uruguay and Canada. And Malta’s president, George Vella of the Labour party, signed the legalization bill on December 18, effectively ending cannabis prohibition for the country.

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