People should not be jailed for possessing €300 worth of cocaine, a new TD has said.
Dublin Mid-West's Gino Kenny has admitted to having "a good time" while taking cannabis - and suggested other members of the Dáil have taken drugs too.
Speaking on 'The Floating Voter' podcast, Mr Kenny said: "We have to have a debate in this country about decriminalising drugs."
He pointed to the Portuguese model where people caught with small quantities of cannabis, heroin and cocaine are offered counselling and other assistance rather than being held criminally responsible.
"It's not a panacea to say 'decriminalise drugs tomorrow'. But we have to do something completely different from what we are doing. People are dying as we speak," he said.
"People are always going to take drugs, there's people in the Dáil and every sphere of life who take drugs.
"I've taken drugs. A lot of people have taken drugs. I've smoked cannabis. I've had a good time with cannabis," the AAA-PBP TD said.
"If somebody is caught with €300 worth of coke they shouldn't be locked up for that."
Listen to the full podcast on Independent.ie.
Source: Irish Independent, 29/04/16
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