Almost three-quarters of recorded drugs offences last year were “possession for personal use”, using up resources better deployed helping drug-users and tackling serious drug crime, according to a leading advocacy organisation.
The Citywide Drugs Crisis campaign, which supports the decriminalisation of drugs possession for personal use, wants the public to make submissions to the Department of Health on the issue.
A working group established by the department to examine the issues has had so many submissions it has decided to extend the deadline for further submissions to July 13th.
Citywide is supported in its campaign by veteran homelessness campaigner, Fr Peter McVerry and former minister of State for drugs Senator Aodhain Ó Ríordain.
Anna Quigley, co-ordinator of Citywide, said of the 16,960 drugs offences recorded by the Central Statistics Office last year, 12,211 were possession for personal use.
Source: Kitty Holland, The Irish Times, 24/06/18