Ireland to 'decriminalise' small amounts of drugs, including heroin, cocaine and cannabis

[Turborama]

Source: The Independent

Ireland will move towards decriminalising substances including heroin, cocaine and cannabis as part of a “radical cultural shift”, the country's drugs minister has said.

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, the chief of Ireland’s National Drugs Strategy, told a lecture at the London School of Economics on Monday that drug users will be able to inject in specially designated rooms in Dublin from next year.

The minister said attitudes to drugs needed to move away from shaming addicts to helping them and emphasised there was a difference between legalisation and decriminalisation.

It would remain a crime to profit – from either the sale or distribution of illegal drugs – but drug takers would no longer be criminalised for their addictions.




Read more: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/ireland-to-decriminalise-small-amounts-of-drugs-including-heroin-cocaine-and-cannabis-for-personal-a6719136.html

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Full headline that wouldn't fit in its entirety:

Ireland to 'decriminalise' small amounts of drugs, including heroin, cocaine and cannabis, for personal use

[Kelvin Mace]

1. Go Ireland!!

[jonno99]

4. Someone else on DU made the point that if the US did legalize drugs

(even partially), we could dedicate - even if just a portion - of the money saved, and come out way ahead.

Are any of our candidates talking about this?

edit: sorry - I meant to reply to the OP...

[LiberalArkie]

5. Just the sexist racist man.

[jonno99]

6. Chuckles (sigh yep - now that you mention it...)...

[Kelvin Mace]

7. Sanders has come out in favor

of moving Marijuana off the Schedule 1 list, which would greatly reduced the criminal penalties. but no one has come out for this type of moves that I am aware of.

[jonno99]

8. Sigh...I understand the whole gateway drug thing. But I don't understand why

we just don't treat MJ like cigs. The underage kids who want to smoke it are going to. It's ridiculous that we make them criminals - especially when alcohol (binge drinking) is the bigger danger - imho...

[Kelvin Mace]

10. Yep,

more fun to demonize things and wallow in fear and ignorance.

[pablo_marmol]

13. Yep, perfectly stated.

Things like "assault weapons".

http://www.assaultweapon.info/

[Stryst]

2. And the drug dealers will fade away

when Ireland's drug use rates fall through the floor. Portugal showed how effective this strategy is.

[jonno99]

9. Exactly - not to mention the wind-fall of diminished turf-war violence...nt

[mountain grammy]

3. Because, it works!

Portugal!

http://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2011/07/05/ten-years-after-decriminalization-drug-abuse-down-by-half-in-portugal/

[riversedge]

14. Thanks

[Sunlei]

11. wow the stop, frisk ,check pockets/search car police would hate this law.

[CJCRANE]

12. When drugs are decriminalized, only...

Oh, waitaminute...