Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:


After you have finished reading this article you can click here to go back.

Ireland to 'decriminalise' small amounts of drugs, including heroin, cocaine and cannabis, for personal use

Rose Troup Buchanan

The Independent

Tuesday 03 Nov 2015

Minister also announced intention to implement 'injection rooms' in Dublin for addicts

Ireland will move towards decriminalising drugs, including heroin, cocaine and cannabis, as part of a “radical cultural shift” it was announced on Monday.

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, in charge of Ireland’s National Drugs Strategy, also told a lecture at the London School of Economics, that from next year drugs users will be able to inject in specially designated rooms in Dublin.

The minister said attitude to drugs need to move away from shaming addicts to helping them and emphasised there was a difference between legalisation and decriminalisation.

It would remain a crime to profit – from either the sale or distribution of illegal drugs – but drug takers would no longer be criminalised for their addictions.

“I am firmly of the view that there needs to be a cultural shift in how we regard substance misuse if we are to break this cycle and make a serious attempt to tackle drug and alcohol addiction,” said Mr Ó Ríordáin.

However, while Mr O Ríordáin told The Irish Times that there was a “strong consensus that drugs across the board should be decriminalised,” his caveated remarks by claiming it would be for Ireland’s next government to discuss.

His comments follow a leaked report from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, appearing to call for a worldwide decriminalisation on 19 October.

The report was withdrawn, the BBC reported, after at least one nation put pressure on the international body to bury the findings of Dr Monica Beg, chief of the HIV/AIDs section of the UNODC in Vienna.

Discussing plans to open ‘injection rooms’ Mr Ó Ríordáin said they would be “clinically controlled environments” that would aim to prevent already vulnerable individuals from exposing themselves to further risks.

He added: “Research has shown that the use of supervised injecting centres is associated with self-reported reductions in injecting risk behaviours.”

Following the opening of the Dublin clinic, the minster added he hoped similar rooms in Cork, Glaway and Limerick would also open.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/ireland-to-decriminalise-small-amounts-of-drugs-including-heroin-cocaine-and-cannabis-for-personal-a6719136.html

 

 

 

After you have finished reading this article you can click here to go back. 




This page was created by the Cannabis Campaigners' Guide.

Feel free to link to this page!