Local campaigner Mark Fitzsimons is to put himself forward for European elections on the back of the ‘enormous response’ to him handing himself into Dundalk Garda Station with a quantity of cannabis.

Local campaigner Mark Fitzsimons is to put himself forward for European elections on the back of the ‘enormous response’ to him handing himself into Dundalk Garda Station with a quantity of cannabis.

Speaking to the Democrat Mr Fitzsimons revealed that he will now stand in the upcoming European elections .

On Friday a vide0 story on the Irish Times website of Mr Fitzsimons handing himself in with a small quanity of grass went viral, receiving tens of thousands of hits within hours.

Mark believes that the drug should be legalised so people, such as him, can use it for medical purposes. Mark suffers with glaucoma and smoking cannabis has heldped relieve him from the pain of the condition.

“I have been blown away by the response to the video,” says Mark. “Once it was put up online my phone just went mental!”

The story has been shared over 10,000 times across various social media outlets.

Since the story broke he has made the front cover of the Examiner, has been the toast of the internet, and has become something of a ‘cause célèbre’, receiving phonecalls from pro-cannabis TD Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan.

Yet it was not just some wild stunt, Mark believes that his campaign has the power to change people’s mind on the matter.

“When I first told my mother what I was going to do she was a bit freaked by it, but since she has seen the response she has come around to the idea. I have people coming up to me to say I’ve changed their minds, and not just young people that you might stereotypically think would support such a campaign.”

Mark is now looking for 60 signatures so he can mount a European election campaign.

“I feel like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders, I no longer have to smoke cannabis secretly.

You can contact Mark about his campaign on 0876350177.