Labour calls for fresh debate on cannabis

national | crime and justice | press release Tuesday February 03, 2004 15:04 by Rayo - lp

Following the reclassification of cannabis in Britain, it is time a new debate started here in Ireland on the issue”, the Labour spokesperson on Justice, Deputy Joe Costello, has said.

“Just last night, Gardai in Dublin captured a €2.5m haul of cannabis in the Docklands. We know that between 75 and 80 per cent of drug seizures in Ireland is cannabis. However Heroin is the killer drug and the statistics show the amount of garda time that is taken up with cannabis is enormous. Tobacco and alcohol are both very dangerous drugs, yet we regulate and control them.

“It is clear we now need to open a debate on cannabis use. Now that it has been reclassified in Britain, Ireland will be targeted even more than it currently is. We are now surrounded by countries that have a different approach to the drug than we do.

“Despite our law stating that cannabis has no medical use, Ireland is still sanctioning two medical trials to research the effects of cannabis on cancer pain relief in Cork and Waterford. We need to have a fresh debate on cannabis as we do about tobacco and alcohol. We need to discuss policing, medical issues and the profits being gained by the criminal element who are trafficking the drugs.