Legislation part of attempt to tackle serious crime in inner-city Dublin
There was a sharp division in the Seanad when Minister for Health Simon Harris introduced legislation to amend the Misuse of Drugs Act for prescription medicines.
The new legislation will make “unauthorised possession” of prescription medicines for on-street trading a criminal offence. It will also include certain designer drugs such as “clockwork orange” on the list of scheduled substances.
Mr Harris said legislation was part of the Government’s approach to dealing with the serious crime situation in the north inner city of Dublin.
The regulation of prescription drugs governed legitimate trade rather than as a criminal code. “It is clear there are those who are exploiting this for their own criminal gains,” he said.
Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin and Labour supported the legislation to committee stage but Independent Senators Lynn Ruane and Collette Kelleher strongly opposed the legislation.
Source: Marie O'Halloran, The Irish Times, 24/06/16
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