Ireland Considers Decriminalising Marijuana

This week Ireland named the minister of state Aodhán O Ríordáin as the head of its Drug Strategy. His first task will be to examine the state of legislation on this issue, as the previous strategy expires next year. 

“I think that someone with an addiction problem should be treated by the health system, not by the justice system,” Riordáin has stated. “I believe that people - guards, the penitentiary service - will probably agree with me that we have an opportunity, with the next Illegal Drug Use Law, to investigate this,” added the minister.

Riordáin was quick to clarify that for him there is a big difference between decriminalisation and legalisation, but suggested that the latter should also be discussed. “Decriminalisation and legalisation are quite different,” the minister indicated. “We must have a proper debate before setting off alarms in people's heads.” 

The minister seems to want to place the issue on the table before there are more cases like that of a month ago: Ireland legalised ecstasy and methamphetamines “by accident”: the legislature decided to correct errors in the Illegal Drug Use Law, but to do so they had to recognise that it was invalid. The law took effect the day following its passage. Thus, technically, these substances were legal for a few hours. 

Now it will be necessary to wait to see how things pan out with the minister of state's proposal on the possible decriminalisation of marijuana in Ireland, which is bound to bring up debate on legalisation too. “My own personal decision to never take illegal drugs was influenced by my own experiences in the classroom,” indicated Ríordáin, who admitted having tried some substances on a trip to Amsterdam when he was a student.