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Decriminalization in Ireland

SmokingAces

SmokingAces

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Joined
Sep 12, 2014
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http://www.irishtimes.com/news/irel...ar-in-drug-law-change-says-minister-1.2413509

Drug users will be able to use supervised injecting rooms in Dublin next year, followed shortly afterwards by Cork, Galway and Limerick, according to the Minister in charge of the National Drugs Strategy.
Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, who is set to announce the radical move in a speech to the London School of Economics on Monday, told The Irish Times that medically supervised injection rooms “will happen next year”.
In his address he will also outline plans to decriminalise the possession of small amounts of drugs, including heroin, cocaine and cannabis, for personal use, as part of a “radical cultural shift” in the approach to drug addiction.

“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.
He added that compassion had to be brought to the issue, and that as far as possible drug addiction should be removed from the criminal justice system.
The Minister’s address comes in the wake of leaked report from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime indicating it will call for the decriminalisation of consumption of drugs on public health and human rights grounds. Mr Ó Ríordáin says the heads of a new Misuse of Drugs Bill are being drawn up which will “unblock” the legislative obstacles to opening injection rooms.
The Minister hoped the new Bill would be enacted “early next year”. Regulations will follow, which will mean the State’s first injecting room open in the capital.
Treatment professionals

He has had approaches from drug treatment professionals in other towns and cities. On opening injecting rooms, the Minister said: “every city is different, every drug-using population is different, so different locations will have different needs.”
He said that following an appraisal of the Dublin facility, more will open as needed.
Outlining his thoughts on injecting rooms, Mr Ó Ríordáin will tell Monday’s conference, hosted by the school’s International Drug Policy Project, that he does not see injecting rooms as “free-for-all” facilities for drug addicts.
“These are clinically controlled environments which aim to engage hard-to-reach populations” of drug users, including homeless drug users who would otherwise take drugs in the open, creating risks to themselves and the public.
“Research has shown that the use of supervised injecting centres is associated with self-reported reductions in injecting risk behaviours.”
Mr Ó Ríordáin said he wanted to remove the “stigma” from drug addiction and the key to this will be preventing, as much as possible, those caught up in addiction ending up with criminal convictions. He added that the “shame” that dominates the discourse around drug use “disrupts the capacity of families and individuals” to seek help.
Though a matter for the next administration, he told The Irish Times there was now a “strong consensus that drugs across the board should be decriminalised”, but that this would be a matter “for the next government”.
Stressing a distinction between legalisation and decriminalisation, he said it would remain a crime to sell, distribute or profit from illicit drugs. But it would not be a crime to be a drug user or addict.
“This will be a wider discussion under the next government but once people get their head around the argument, about what decriminalisation actually means, that policy won’t be about the drug but about the individual. Then regardless of the drug the individual needs an intervention and society will be saying, ‘the substance is illegal, but you are not a criminal for taking it’.”
He concluded: “Above all the mode must be person-centred and involve an integrated approach to treatment and rehabilitation based on a continuum of care with clearly defined referral pathways.”
Click to expand...
 
Ireland to 'decriminalise' small amounts of drugs, including heroin, cocaine and cannabis, for personal use

syringes-getty.jpg


Ireland will move towards decriminalising substances including heroin, cocaine and cannabis as part of a “radical cultural shift”, the country's drugs minister has said.

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

The minister said attitudes to drugs needed 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,” he said it would be for Ireland’s next government to discuss.

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.

More with comments -

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/w...caine-and-cannabis-for-personal-a6719136.html
 
It seems like people are finally understanding that it is no moral failing to be an addict, and to criminalize it only adds to the stigma that keeps people from stepping forward and accepting help.

The next thing I believe should happen is that the Hep C cure (solvadi/harvoni) should be made less price prohibitive and more accessible to people. We could get rid of hep c the same way we got rid of polio in the states if only we look at people as people instead of dollar signs.
 
Yeah, finally one more country. Maybe the world isn't lost yet after all ...? ;)

Just yesterday watched a very interesting documentary about the development and success of genetic therapy for some kind of inherited macular degeneration in France, using modified viruses to re-write the DNA ... which was the achievement of an international co-operation of professors, scientists etc.. and they needed to collect donations for that research, no single cent from official sides!! While governments spend billions for military, criminalisation of addicts, keeping the structures of organised crime, these excesses in the Vatican and all that ... it's so ridiculous.

Where could we be if all the money, energy and resources being spent for destruction instead were used for research, science and development ... maybe we'd have starships or whatever.. at least helping everyone who wants to contribute etc ... but that will stay a dream.
 
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