Green Party calls for legalising medical use of cannabis and decriminalising drug use

End the war on drugs...

In their recommendations to the government's National Drug Strategy, the Green Party have called for legalising the medical use of cannabis and decriminalising drug use.

This is not the first time a proposal such as this has been put forward with Anti-Austerity Alliance/ People Before Profit TD Bríd Smith introducing a bill in the Dáil to have cannabis legalised for medicinal use just over two months ago.

Scotland has recently shown signs of wanting to adopt a similar policy with the Scottish National Party voting in favour of decriminalising cannabis.

Speaking in support of his party's submission, Green Party Leader Eamon Ryan TD said: “Opportunities for open consultation on government policy are very welcome, particularly when it comes to matters as important as our National Drugs Strategy, and we’re glad that the Government sought submissions on this issue.

"There has to be an acceptance that the current situation in Ireland is not working for anyone, and that a new National Drugs Strategy presents an opportunity to change this. The Green Party supports implementing a regime of decriminalising drug use in Ireland, along the lines of Portuguese reforms in 2001.

"The Portuguese model reduces the burden on law enforcement and the criminal justice system, facilitates better research on the health impact of drugs and undermines the profit making abilities of criminal gangs. The current system is not working, so we’d like to see the new National Drugs Strategy address the inherent shortcomings."

We just hope that people are thinking of the knock-on effects to sheep at this time...