Green wave: non-profits start popping up in fledgling cannabis industry

Malta’s legalisation of recreational cannabis has paved the way for fledgling ‘cannabis clubs’ to begin in earnest and start the dispensation of locally-grown cannabis.

The regulations paved the way for people like Alan Attard from 420.mt, to open one of the first cannabis clubs – but for Attard and his partners, the ultimate goal is not turning a profit, but fostering a community of like-minded individuals.

“The 420.mt team has lived in Malta and in countries where cannabis is legal to grow and consume and we’ve always observed a difference in culture around cannabis smokers, a culture which is not fully focused on the rat race and ‘do anything for money’ mentality that we unfortunately see a lot of in today’s world, and more on the balance of things in life, both work and play, development and environment,” he said.

Attard said 420.mt will be creating a safe space for people to seek information about alternative options for consuming cannabis and “reap the physical and mental rewards”, without having to resort to black market products or having to pay exorbitant prices.

The association already has its own website and a Telegram group. But as regulations are yet to be defined, users cannot buy weed just yet, but are able to purchase seeds for different strains.

Due to the lack of THC present in seeds, they are not illegal to import and sell, and 420.mt acts as an intermediary, with Attard insisting that no profit is made from the sales.

In order to ensure quality in the marijuana they are selling, associations make use of three types of testing.

“These include HPLC, LC/MS and FT-IR. When the time is right, we will be utilising this same methodology to determine the levels of THC and CBD, to make sure our community is getting the best we can offer, and ultimately, whatever suits the individual for what they’re trying to get out of their journey,” Attard said.

But getting into an industry which is at its infancy is no easy task from a cultural and logistical perspective.

“From a cultural perspective, the mentality and stigma that surrounds cannabis consumption, is definitely something which we’ll be trying to break down through our community initiatives,” Attard said.

He said the logistical hurdles will also depend on the regulations put in place by government.

Attard said the 420.mt will not face any headaches related to bank loans and capital to get the association going. “We are a grassroots company, with funding for the project being done personally by the partners of 420.mt, so hopefully we won’t need to deal with issues of the sort stemming from the stigma of cannabis use,” he said.

He said people are becoming more comfortable to speak about their experiences with cannabis. “People are emerging and feeling more comfortable to express their preferences around cannabis consumption and we feel that this demand is only going to increase in the future.”

This sentiment can be felt on the popular Facebook group ‘Legalize it, Malta!’, where a number of people provide advice on different marijuana strains, cultivation tips and general advice on consumption.

The group has served to bring a community of users where they can feel safe to speak on their passion for cannabis.

Earlier this week government announced the appointment of Mariella Dimech as the head of the new cannabis authority. Dimech is a psychotherapist by profession and worked with Caritas for 21 years, half of which she served as coordinator of all drug rehabilitation programmes and services. For six years, she ran the San Blas Therapeutic Community.

Given her previous experience with Caritas, and the church organisation’s strong opposition to the new law, critics in the cannabis community have viewed the appointment with suspicion.

“I am aware of the criticism, and I can understand it. Me and the board, we have vast experience in the field, we know the area and we know how substance abuse works,” she said. “We want to ensure that the responsible use of cannabis is what happens.”

Dimech said the board will look to draw up standards on licensing, and ensuring a proper training regime is put in place for those who will be selling cannabis.

“We will also look to ensure that prices of the cannabis associations are lower than that of the black market, or else it would be counterproductive.”

Dimech also said she will be meeting with critics of the new law, so as to continue engaging with them for the best harm reduction approach.

“I also want to carry out research on a number of different areas. Researchers from Europe are already carrying out studies, and we are in constant contact with them. We are the first in Europe, and we have an opportunity to lead the way in the area,” she said.

Asked on when one can expect associations to open, Dimech said it is still premature to say. “I don’t like to hypothesise, and so I can’t provide an exact date.”