TEENAGERS are being left with psychosis after unknowingly using a dangerous new form of cannabis that has been doctored to increase its strength, according to Fianna Fail.
Research carried out as part of a new policy document on drugs says heroin is no longer the biggest drugs scourge in Ireland — and that this form of cannabis is.
The party said that’s the verdict of frontline workers — despite the fact the State’s resources are almost entirely focused on fighting heroin use.
“There is a growing crisis with the abuse of cannabis that has been doctored to include a synthetic element that can cause dangerous depressive and psychotic episodes,” the party’s soon-to-be-published document states.
“This is a new strength of cannabis that bears little resemblance to the traditional ‘recreational’ drug.
“[It] was made much stronger in order to offer a bigger hit than drugs that were on sale in head shops.”
Blind
Fianna Fail said there have been cases where teens ended up battling depression and addiction after using the doctored drug, believing it to be normal cannabis.
Party spokesman on Justice Niall Collins has accused the Government of “turning a blind eye” to the issue.
“Children are falling victim to increasingly deceptive and sinister drugs. Communities are being racked by drug-related crime and antisocial behaviour — and no-one in Government seems to care,” he told The Star.
He said that as part of his party’s drug policy they would target dealers and reinstate Garda Drugs Units.
“We will update the laws and appoint a dedicated Minister for Drugs again to oversee a crackdown on the growing drugs crisis,” he added.
