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'Destined to fail': Opposition parties say government's new drug possession plan falls short

The government today unveiled its new drug plan.

LAST UPDATE | 2 Aug 2019

OPPOSITION PARTIES HAVE argued that the government’s new approach to the personal use of drugs does not go far enough. 

Fianna Fáil’s Dublin spokesperson John Lahart said that the health service needs better resources if the new approach to drug use is to succeed. 

The Government today unveiled its plan to give those caught in possession of drugs a chance to seek treatment instead of being arrested on the spot. 

In the first instance of being found in possession, gardaí will refer the person to health services. In the second instance, the gardaí will have discretion to issue an adult caution. Third and further offences will be treated within the criminal justice system, as is the case currently. 

Addressing the media today, Health Minister Simon Harris said the “war on drugs has not worked” and said a new way of tackling problem drug use was the way forward. 

“The move to a health led approach can only reduce drug deaths with adequate treatment services in place,” Lahart said. 

“Rehabilitation services and the number of detox beds available to those seeking treatment for addiction or problem drug use remain grossly inadequate. So where will Gardaí be referring people?” he added. 

Former drugs minister and current Labour Party Senator Aodhán Ó Ríordáin said the Government’s new approach to personal use of drugs is “destined to fail”.

Ó Ríordáin said that the government’s attempts to change the system has “failed abysmally”. 

He said: “The Government had a once in a generation opportunity to radically change our approach to drugs policy and they have failed abysmally.

“It is absolutely ridiculous that recommendations within their own report stating that custodial sentences for drug use be abandoned have been ignored.

No matter how many ways they try to spin it, it is clear that that the Government still feel that you can police someone out of addiction. If someone is consistently found to have drugs on their possession, then that person has an addiction – using a three strikes approach feeds again into the victim-blaming model which has failed so spectacularly in the past.

“This is not a human rights-based approach. This will not save lives. It gives the appearance of compassion while pursing the same bankrupt approach which has the criminal justice system at its core.

“No matter how progressive Fine Gael want to come across on drugs, their actions show that they just don’t get it.”

Ó Ríordáin has previously backed the decriminalisation of possession of small amounts of drugs.

The former minister cited Portugal’s approach to drugs as a possible model for Ireland. The country decriminalised the use of all drugs for personal use in 2001 – deciding to treat possession and use of small quantities as a public health issue rather than a criminal one.

As a result of the changes, the drugs remain illegal but offenders caught with them are typically given a small fine and a referral to a consultation with a medical professional.

With reporting by Dominic McGrath

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    Mute Shaun Gallagher
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 1:44 PM

    Well you didn’t do a lot yourself

    395
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    Mute Robert Phelan
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 2:12 PM

    Liebour go take a jump dopes

    161
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    Mute SFNutters
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 4:36 PM

    @Shaun Gallagher: failed to get elected…so he can shove his policies where the sun don’t shine.

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    Mute Disabled Junkie
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 5:48 PM

    @Shaun Gallagher: Nor did you.

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    Mute john doe
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 8:01 PM

    @Shaun Gallagher: but he is correct in his assessment of the new drugs policy. It’s a total fudge.

    16
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    Mute Shaun Gallagher
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 8:45 PM

    @john doe: Agree surely but it’s just once again failed politicians speaking when they had chances to do this themselves

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    Mute Shaun Gallagher
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 8:45 PM

    @Disabled Junkie: I’ve done very well thank you

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    Mute The Quare Fella
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 1:56 PM

    Someone who campaigned strongly to abolish the Seanad and then used it to get back into politics should be careful criticising any government policy.

    348
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    Mute Niall
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 2:34 PM

    @The Quare Fella: ZING!! Great point well made

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    Mute Johnny Comelately
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 2:39 PM

    @The Quare Fella: Another double standard from the people who invented it

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    Mute Hardly Normal
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 4:16 PM

    @The Quare Fella: I don’t see the issue with it, if it had gone he’d have found another way to try get himself back into politics. It’s there you use what’s at your disposal to get ahead.

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    Mute Disabled Junkie
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 5:50 PM

    @Niall: You’reThe biggest muppet in the journal comments by far. Shamelessly supporting the government and now Zinging. Get out.

    11
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    Mute Shayne O'Donoghue
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 11:42 PM

    @The Quare Fella: spot on. And the fact that he wants to be next Labour part leader means he’d sell his granny to put any narrative out there to achieve this goal. A complete charlatan.

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    Mute Niall
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    Aug 3rd 2019, 12:03 PM

    @Disabled Junkie: did I mention government? Didn’t I mention supporting it? Or did I just comment on the labour politician? Read what I said, don’t bring me into your pathetic government slant

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    Mute Niall
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    Aug 3rd 2019, 12:04 PM

    @Disabled Junkie: if you want to go to that level; look at the amount on thumbs up people got about AOB and look at yours kid

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    Mute Mary Doyle
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 1:50 PM

    Docking welfare payments would be an incentive to stop using

    190
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    Mute TheGreyMan
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 2:00 PM

    @Mary Doyle: what about the many many people who use drugs recreationally that work and are not on social welfare? Will you ask their employers to dock their wages?
    Or do you think it’s best to prey on societies most vulnerable?

    216
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    Mute GrahamMManning
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 2:01 PM

    @Mary Doyle: “I’m a drug addict”. “Right so I’m taking away your money”. Yeah cos that’ll end well.

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    Mute Conor V
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 2:10 PM

    @Mary Doyle: Ridiculous comment . What if one is not on social Welfare and has a small amount of weed ? No worse than a bottle of Whiskey !!!!!!

    82
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    Mute Paul O'Sullivan
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 2:11 PM

    @TheGreyMan: these drugs are banned for a reason, Hash cause psychosis in some people ? We do not know who ? But the wrong person that smokes hash can destroy lives. The public are very ignorant to it. I know a lot of people that smoke hash recreationly and it does no harm however but it can cause weakness in the heart as well as shizophrenia..

    23
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    Mute Robert Phelan
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 2:15 PM

    @Paul O’Sullivan: talking through your arse there alcohol/sugar are all bad for heart make them illegal also!!!!

    89
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    Mute John Paul
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 2:15 PM

    @Mary Doyle: probably the most stupid comment I have ever seen here. Do you honestly think that only people on social welfare take drugs? Drugs are in every fabric of society. Traces of cocaine were found in the toilets in the dail a few years back, over a dozen guards have been suspended from duty over the past 12 months for possession and use of drugs. Judges, doctors nurses , solicitors, people of all walks of life use drugs . The fact is some people like taking drugs and the feeling they get from them. That’s why a new approach is needed

    80
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    Mute Derek
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 2:16 PM

    @Mary Doyle: we should dock your income the next your spotted coming out of Aldi with a €6 bottle of wine perhaps.

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    Mute Seán Dillon
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 2:26 PM

    @TheGreyMan: Those on recreational drugs create a market for the drug dealers, thugs and murders.

    18
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    Mute Dave Harris
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 2:40 PM

    @Paul O’Sullivan: marijuana was banned for the wrong reasons, and banning it clearly has not worked.

    56
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    Mute Square Bear
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 2:46 PM

    @TheGreyMan: if the fella on the dole or the fella with a job are committing crime to feed a drug habit and when caught, they’re claiming free legal aid coz they’re on a low income, the money for their solicitor’s fee should be taken from their dole or wages till it’s repaid.

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    Mute Paul O'Sullivan
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 2:47 PM

    @Mary Doyle: really majority of drug users and I am talking about Hash, Cocaine etc are people who are employed. Lawyers are on Coke,
    Heroin addiction Mary is a different issue altogether.

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    Mute my name
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 2:50 PM

    @Square Bear: only low income people use drugs?

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    Mute Square Bear
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 2:54 PM

    @my name: I’m talking about the ones who commit crime and ask for free legal, this money should be paid back to the taxpayer. Folks on well paid jobs who commit crime can afford their own solicitor. Hope that clears things up!

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    Mute Paul O'Sullivan
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 2:59 PM

    @Robert Phelan: having a few pints or sugary drinks are quite different to taking a line of cocaine or a smoking a joint. It is how it is taken. If take hash in tablet form there is a slower release to the bloodstream if you smoke through your lungs it hits the bloodstream faster giving a quick hit, therefore affecting the heart to beat faster. Not talking through my arse but based on fact same goes for Cocaine and Heroin. It’s the hit that is the problem.
    And before you ask idiot no you cannot smoke or inject sugar or alcohol

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    Mute my name
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 3:03 PM

    @Square Bear: everyone is entitled to legal representation Mr Bear, doesn’t matter what your crime is. If you can’t pay for it you’re legally entitled to it

    18
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    Mute Eric Davies
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 3:05 PM

    @Mary Doyle: docking welfare payments ? so its only the unemployed who use drugs then is it ? i dont think so !

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    Mute Diarmuid Hunt
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 3:48 PM

    @Seán Dillon: Only when the market is a black market, if it was regulated and legalised then you don’t get the thugs and murderers, just the regulated, licensed drug dealers, a bit like the way alcohol is sold. Look up US prohibition gangsters for what happens when alcohol is made illegal and creates a black market.

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    Mute Al.Dunne
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 4:41 PM

    @Paul O’Sullivan: your very ignorant to the actual facts!
    .02 % have adverse reaction to weed/hash, the natural kind not the skunk hybrid versions
    Legalize, n tax, free choice, or ban everything especially alcohol wrecks countless families

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    Mute Al.Dunne
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 4:42 PM

    @Square Bear: your missing the point

    2
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    Mute Al.Dunne
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 4:43 PM

    @Paul O’Sullivan: smoking a joint n line of cocaine do not belong in the same sentence/category

    22
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    Mute Ibhar Mac Suibhne
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 4:48 PM

    @Square Bear: What a great idea…you reckon after 50 years of prohibition and massively failed drug war that idea of your will be the silver bullet?

    7
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    Mute Disabled Junkie
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 5:44 PM

    @Paul O’Sullivan: You have absolutely no idea what you are on about whatsoever. You actually can inject alcohol directly into the blood stream. Ask Stevo-O from jackass. He famously ran an I.V. full of vodka straight into his arm for a skit before.

    8
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    Mute David Van-Standen
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 6:07 PM

    @Paul O’Sullivan: of course you can inject sugar and alcohol, intravenous glucose is a treatment for low blood sugar and intravenous alcohol is used in alcohol withdrawal therapy.

    There have also been cases of people recreationally injecting alcohol for the “high”, which can result in either instant intoxication or death, so probably not a great idea….

    11
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    Mute Seán Dillon
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 6:25 PM

    @Diarmuid Hunt: will just be replaced by another drug or addictive substance, what do you legalise heroin, crack cocaine, 2cp, krokodil ect where does it end? will we have a generation of drugged kids trying out drugs because of peer pressure, as you said alcohol is legalised and we have a problem there. Portugal had some success with this. However, it was not decriminalisation alone but also the emphasis on treating addiction as a medical problem. So it’s not so simple.

    1
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    Mute Thomas Maher
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 7:48 PM

    @Paul O’Sullivan: is that something you beleive or something youve been told?

    2
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    Mute Mark walsh
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 8:10 PM

    @Mary Doyle: really suppose you would be a yes for the injection centres

    1
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    Mute Mark walsh
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 8:10 PM

    @Mary Doyle: numpty

    1
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    Mute TheGreyMan
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    Aug 3rd 2019, 12:42 AM

    @Seán Dillon: I’m not denying that at all…maybe the government should look at an alternative method to deal with it, and generate tax from it..then use the funds raised to educate and treat people for drugs and drug use, all while potentially reducing crime…it sounds like a winner if it’s done right…

    1
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    Mute Derek Durkin
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 2:16 PM

    Media love to give this irevlant tosser airtime….good aul controlled opposition

    105
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    Mute Ibhar Mac Suibhne
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 2:18 PM

    As soon as read the Govt proposal.I knew it was a cop out, this former minister is correct. The proposal completely ignores the UNs recommendation to adopt Portugals healthcare led policy.
    The ol’ nazi blue-shirts just cannot get their limited minds around the concept that punishing someone for something as natural as altering ones own consciousness just doesn’t make sense.

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    Mute Square Bear
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 2:37 PM

    @Ibhar Mac Suibhne: good point, the sooner they pass laws so we can be legalized zombies, the better.

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    Mute Dave Harris
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 2:44 PM

    @Ibhar Mac Suibhne: the ol nazi blueshirts to not give a flying fig about whether people take drugs or not. What they are scared of is losing their fogey voters who have fallen for all their propaganda.

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    Mute John Paul
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 5:03 PM

    @Square Bear: what’s your point? Plenty of legalized zombies fall out of pubs and clubs every night in Ireland. Aggressive legalized zombies at that

    17
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    Mute Square Bear
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 7:31 PM

    @John Paul: you’re taking it to the extreme, a fella going up to his local for the last hour doesn’t become an aggressive zombie. I’ve seen plenty of fellas after taking a few lines of coke who do become like that.

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    Mute john doe
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 7:54 PM

    @Square Bear: what about a fella after necking 6 or 7 red bulls with vodka?

    You go stand outside any nightclub in the country, sober at 02:30 and you’ll see behaviour that if caused by any other drug than alcohol would be front page news.

    10
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    Mute Square Bear
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 9:07 PM

    @john doe: read my previous comment.

    1
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    Mute Jim Bob
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 1:54 PM

    AOD what an irrelevant little man .

    131
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    Mute Willy
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 1:52 PM

    Like HSE, Housing , Homelessness and on and on..
    FFG have shown to be completely useless to our society .. Unless taxing drug use , their void of any solutions. Surely we expect no more at this stage. Saying that, Liebour truly ruined their time at the trough..

    76
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    Mute Mark Mccormack
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 2:54 PM

    Failed minister and politician. Loves to be important. Well Shove your shooting up gallery for the city zoombies where the sun don’t shine. Victory for common sense and ordinary decent law abiding people

    53
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    Mute Hank Kingsley
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 3:34 PM

    Unfortunately, consuming alcohol is socially acceptable and consuming recreational drugs like cannabis or MDMA is not. When will this change?? Both the illegal “drugs” are less harmful than the legal one. There was 12000 cases of possession for personal use in 2017, and all those future cases are now going to be directed to the HSE?! How long will one have to wait to see this HSE “expert” that could very well be hungover from the previous night as they lecture you on smoking a joint or taking a yoke! The amount of money wasted is farcical. For example, how much does it cost in time and money to process the garda who was caught with €100 worth of coke there recently? Personal possession charges should never see the inside of a courtroom. Absolutely ridiculous backward thinking as usual.

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    Mute Disabled Junkie
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 5:46 PM

    @Hank Kingsley: I’d be inclined to disagree. I think cannabis is socially acceptable. Nobody in my family or any of my friends finds it intolerable that I use it. They treat me just the same.

    12
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    Mute Hank Kingsley
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 5:53 PM

    @Disabled Junkie: You’re lucky so. I still think that a certain generation who know nothing about drugs will throw them all in the same basket and think cannabis is as bad as harder drugs, yet alcohol is grand. At least they’re a dying breed, and future generations will not be as ignorant or easily led by propaganda.

    23
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    Mute Conor V
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 2:09 PM

    Better than the Stone age laws already in place I guess !! Seen a guy in Court 2 months ago for possession €6 worth of Marijuana !! And you wonder why you don’t see many cops on the streets !!!!!

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    Mute eric nelligan
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 2:38 PM

    @Conor V: I call BS on this unless In was in for other items too

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    Mute Conor V
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 9:46 PM
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    Mute thephantomshit
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 2:18 PM

    Lots of people mention the Portuguese model as if it is some sort of holy grail of drugs policy. I’ve been to Portugal and they have a LOT of drug dealing on the streets. To a very annoying extent. Maybe it does produce some better outcomes with regards to overdosing etc but I’d at least like it if it was acknowledged they have a pretty unpleasant level of open dealing.

    32
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    Mute Peter Hughes
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 2:54 PM

    @thephantomshit: They are actually trying to RIP stupid tourists because they don’t actually sell anything illegal its,all fake powder….that’s why they get away with it.

    11
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    Mute De20
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 5:16 PM

    Why is the Journal giving a platform to a failed politician in a party with almost no public support to push a policy that he signally didn’t even try to bring about when he was the relevant minister in government? Did he slip the editor a tenner for some publicity? GTF Ó’Riordán, you chancer

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    Mute Liam Byrne
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 4:16 PM

    The Liebour Party failed abysmally, a party of “Socialist Millionaires ” there’s no smoke without Salmon.

    32
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    Mute Paul O'Sullivan
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 4:27 PM

    @Liam Byrne: how come all those that declare themselves socialists have not joined the Labour party and taken it over like the socialists have in the UK.

    That is what the his country needs all those people before profit or fake . Where are the true socialists in this country? The left in this country needs to organise itself or we will have the same ding dong FF/G for another 100 hundred years

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    Mute Paul O'Sullivan
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 2:04 PM

    Question: Is this coming off the back of this lad in the US that was being deported because he had a possession charge.

    Look give any one caught with possession first time for own use, the benefit of the probation act or a donation to charity. No criminal conviction.

    This Government is crap and needs to go it’s looking very tired.

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    Mute Derek
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 2:14 PM

    @Paul O’Sullivan: no, it’s been ongoing in the background for the last 2 years at least, the publication of the report was even delayed by several months and at the end of it, FG just show their ineptitude and lack of understanding by ignoring the findings and recommendations. I expected no less from them.

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    Mute Peter Byrne
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 2:41 PM

    Everywhere you go in Lisbon at night you approached about buying illegal drugs, so their policy has clearly not worked either
    And look at Amsterdam which had a very liberal attitude to drugs use, which it rowed back on as it was attracting drug users from all over Europe. I think the approach outlined is sensible one

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    Mute john doe
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 5:38 PM

    @Peter Byrne:
    Portugal’s policy clearly has worked with huge reductions in overdoses disease etc (you know the things banning drugs was supposed to get rid of but didn’t) the stats are there to back this up.
    The hawkers selling “drugs” onthe Street are scammers selling fake drugs to stupid tourists who think decriminalisation is a free for all… which it’s not.

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    Mute Ibhar Mac Suibhne
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 6:32 PM

    @Peter Byrne: Amsterdam rowed back on its drug policy?
    Portugals success has been measured by lives saved and damaged limitation, over dose deaths were at the highest in Europe 10+ years ago, Drug use in young people was at its highest in Europe , all this has changed to some of the lowest amount of drug deaths and lowest drug use in young people.
    You’re using the outdated method to measure the success of the policy, its about saving lives.

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    Mute HONEY BADGER180
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 3:01 PM

    The poor soul’s who are addicts are the ones who continue to suffer. It’s easy pickings for the Garda to make arrests And then at election time it will look like the war on crime is being won. It’s an old trick no one wins. Someone come up with something that actually helps these addicts

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    Mute Nigel Mcatamney
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 5:17 PM

    And they have been soooo successful with their previous policies…..
    The war on drugs is over, you lost, refresh your CV

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    Mute @mdmak33
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 8:05 PM

    Labour party were in government 5 years 2011-16,they didn’t bring forward legislation,they have a hard neck criticising,they are all mouth in opposition, and useless in government.

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    Mute For Goodness Sake
    Favourite For Goodness Sake
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 9:40 PM

    @@mdmak33: Do you think he didn’t try?

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    Mute Eddie Mc Keown
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 10:02 PM

    Absolutely a joke..
    Put my pressure on the HSE with its lack of resources.

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    Mute Liam Higgins
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 8:44 PM

    I would recommend that anyone with opinions about this should read a book called “Good cop, bad war”. It is written by an ex undercover police officer who has spent years amongst vulnerable addicts, small time dealers and major criminals at the top of the pyramid.
    A great read and insight into the reality of the drug world and his informed views on how we go forward.

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    Mute Jim Lahy
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 7:07 PM

    They are all conts

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    Mute J. Reid
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    Aug 2nd 2019, 10:11 PM

    Continuing to place the future health of Ireland in the hands of Simon Harris should send shivers down the spine of every Irish citizen. The decision of Leo Varadkar’s government to instruct gardai and the courts to adopt a maximum-tolerance (effectively decriminalising) approach to the possession of drugs represents a massive betrayal of the potential of Ireland and its young people.

    This decision by the current government will be lamented and angrily bemoaned by the majority of citizens in towns and cities across Ireland.

    Taoiseach Leo Varadkar is a naive man who possesses very little wisdom or maturity. He is effectively doing the bidding of the far-left of the political spectrum who want to destroy the potential of young Irish people, entrench inequality (despite their protestations to the contrary), line the streets of our cities, towns and villages with new waves of drug-addicts and damage the image of our country.

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