A leading Government Minister has claimed that introducing a proposed new law that would decriminalise the use of drugs would not effectively make them legal.
The Minister behind the new proposal Aodhán O’Ríordán has he wants to se a change to the current legislation that would people who are caught using drugs for their own personal use not being prosecuted. The amendment was recently put before the Oireachtas Justice Committee after ministers researched a similar model which is currently in effect in Portugal.
The latest proposal has caused widespread controversy amongst ant-drug groups who say the new amendment would promote the use if drugs amongst youngsters. Although Mr O’Riordán believes that he is endorsing drug use, saying: “I don’t want to decriminalise certain drugs, what I am talking about is decriminalising the individual.” “The drugs are illegal, will remain illegal, the individual who has a drug habit or drug addiction will be better served with interactions through the Health System as opposed to the Criminal Justice System.”