There is ‘political consensus’ among Oireachtas Committee on Drug Use members that the personal possession of drugs should be decriminalised.
That is according to committee Chairperson Gino Kenny who told Newstalk Breakfast this morning that members now want to "move things forward" in line with the Citizens Assembly's recommendations.
He said members want Government to consider introducing ‘cannabis social clubs,’ similar to those that have been operating in Spain over the last two decades.
In its report, published yesterday, the committee called for a limited level of legalisation for certain drugs.
It calls for drugs like cannabis to be regulated and sold on a not-for-profit basis in specific situations.
In all the report makes 59 recommendations and calls on the Government to implement a health-led approach to drug use by decriminalising the personal possession of drugs.
Removing criminal sanctions
On Newstalk Breakfast this morning, Deputy Kenny said the key recommendation was the call for the repeal of Section 3 of the Misuse of Drugs Act – which criminalises personal possession.
"There was political consensus for committee members," Mr Kenny said.
The Committee Chair also said he believe there was a general consesus amongst Committee members wanting to "move things forward" in line with Citizens Assembly's recommendations, especially "looking for harm reduction and a health lead approach".
"Essentially, what's been happening is criminalising people for drug possession, [so, we've been] looking at the cannabis regulating market, rather than criminalising people for simple cannabis possession," he said.
"How we do that is obviously changing the Misuse of Drugs Act, and also looking at different concepts that different countries have done, particularly around you know, 'cannabis social clubs', which have been quite prevalent in Spain for the last 22 years."
Major mistake
Also on the show, UCD Professor of Medicine Dr Ray Wally, said he believes that repealing the Misuse of Drugs Act would ‘effectively legalise all drug use’.
"Recently in Germany, the possession of small quantities of cannabis has been allowed and the Bavarian Interior Minister, basically, is noting 3,000 cases of driving under the influence," he said.
"They're saying, already, that legalising cannabis is a major mistake in terms of self-safety and health policy.
"Everybody, including the Citizens' Assembly, was against legalisation, and what this Committee has effectively said by repealing section three of the Misuse of Drugs Act is legalisation."
Decriminalise the person
Deputy Kenny rejected Dr Walley’s claim, noting that the move would not make all drugs legal, but would "decriminalise the person rather than the drug".
Deputy Kenny warned that "keeping the status quo" where people are criminalised for the possession of "a small amount of drugs" is a "failed policy".
Dr Wally said the Irish College of General Practitioners (ICG) is supportive of decriminalisation, but it wants "sanctions to stay on the books" to ensure that people are directed to a health led care model.
He added the college is firmly against legalisation.
No regulation
Deputy Kenny said claims that increased cannabis usage causes mental health issues are based on the current model where people are forced to purchase the drug from criminals.
"We have a system where the illicit drugs market is largely controlled by the black market in terms of cannabis. There's no regulations whatsoever," he said.
"When people are consuming cannabis, they do not know what they're consuming in terms of what's in it."
Dr Wally said Ireland also needs a health-led approach when it comes to resourcing to ensure we can educate people about the dangers of drug use.
He said we must recognise that cannabis is "a serious drug with adverse health consequences".
Hands holding Cannabis Buds, Dried Marijuana, Weed. 13/07/29 Image: Helen Sessions / Alamy Stock Photo
