The Oireachtas Joint Committee on Drugs Use published its interim report in recent weeks. The Committee has a remit to examine and respond to the 36 recommendations of the Citizens’ Assembly on Drug Use. The Committee’s runs until January 2025. The Committee has given a reasoned response to each Citizens’ Assembly recommendation and agrees with all the substantive recommendations. This includes recommendation 17 which calls for the decriminalisation of all substances. The aim is not to criminalise possession but to move towards a health- led approach where options around treatment, if needed, can be explored.
Gino Kenny TD, the Dublin Mid-West TD who is the Chair of the committee stated on the publication of the report, “There’s no excuse for a new Government to say that issues around the decriminalisation of drugs for personal use haven’t been discussed properly. Both the Citizens’ Assembly and the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Drugs Use have looked at the issue in detail. There’s still a lot to look at of course, but between the work done by the Committee and the Citizens’ Assembly, it’s clear that there is a consensus that criminalising and prosecuting the use of drugs for personal drug use is a waste of money and is very detrimental to anyone convicted.”
“The Committee also made its own recommendations based on the evidence given by Irish medical practitioners, service use providers and users and national and international experts. The negative effects of drug use impacts all of society but disproportionately affects already disadvantaged groups and communities. It is time for a change in how drug use is treated in Ireland and the Committee hopes its recommendations will help with this change. It’s now imperative that the recommendations are implemented ”
