Oregan went further and decriminalized small amounts of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and other drugs. Ireland is fortunate to be a world leader when it comes to drugs, so why does it keep walking the streets? Lake Garda Síochána has a number of units and initiatives to combat drug abuse and trafficking at the international and local levels. In a 2017 interview with Hot Press magazine, Fianna Fáil TD Stephen Donnelly talked about smoking cannabis. [33] After being announced as a minister in the 2020 cabinet, Donnelly reportedly stood by his 2017 comments,[34][35] noting an openness to liberalizing some drug laws, stating that „if you`re doing something that doesn`t harm anyone else, it`s hard to see a legitimate role for the state in the persecution.” [34] A 2020 article described Donnelly as „broadly supportive” of supervised injection sites and open to cannabis legalization. [34] Under the Misuse of Drugs Act, anyone found in possession of cannabis or cannabis resin is guilty of a crime. Depending on the circumstances, the incident may be dealt with under the adult warning program if the offence occurred on or after December 14, 2020. If it is treated as part of the adult warning program, you will receive a warning and will not be prosecuted. Gardaí must consider a number of factors to determine whether the scheme is appropriate for your alleged crime. In particular, consideration must be given to the nature, quantity and value of the drug and the fact that the reported offence is in all circumstances a simple possession.

Finally, there is no doubt that the program will be extended to other drugs. But the change in this sector, which has changed over the decades, is happening at a snail`s pace. These sentences were graduated according to the quantities of drugs found and, from a very small amount, there was a mandatory sentence from which a judge could not withdraw under any circumstances. The regime should show Central America that the authorities have zero tolerance for drug use. An example of an enlightened approach is Portugal. In 2001, drugs were decriminalized, commuting possession from a criminal matter to a civil matter. Last week, an outcry erupted in Ireland over delays to a citizens` meeting on drugs. The promised meeting, which would allow ordinary people to inform about the new laws, was postponed until at least later this year to have a discussion about Dublin`s ceremonial Lord Mayor. For campaigners, the postponement represented more than just a scheduling conflict, but reflected a wider pattern of delayed, watered-down and underfunded drug policies in Ireland. Supervised injection sites were another failure.

These continent-wide safe spaces with clean syringes and medical support would help combat both overt street drug use and rising HIV cases. But five years later, not a single one has opened. A planned pilot centre in Dublin, which could have accommodated 100 people a day, was finally blocked by the High Court last summer due to objections from local residents. During the pandemic, there have been some glimmers of hope. In early 2020, Dublin quickly introduced harm reduction measures for addicts and homeless people who saved lives. But the lockdown has also led to unnecessary decisions. Rehabilitation units that were already lying on the floor have been closed to make way for Covid isolation centers. Drug support groups were classified as „non-essential” and ordered to close. This is one of the reasons why the delay of the citizens` assembly is so disappointing.

Although far from perfect, the assemblies have changed their minds on such knotty and divisive issues in Irish society before. With the rising cost of living, combined with an increase in addiction and trauma following the pandemic, helping people overcome their drug problems has never been more urgent. With one fatal overdose per day, we can`t afford to wait much longer. If the street value of the drug is €13,000 or more, the convicted person will be punished with a minimum sentence of 10 years. However, this does not apply if the court is satisfied that extraordinary circumstances exist. Similar penalties apply to those convicted of importing drugs worth €13,000 or more. The court may decide that the drugs were not for personal use and that you intended to sell them or provide them to others. Money must change hands for you to be guilty of intent to deliver. Usually, it is the amount of drugs seized that determines what you are charged with. You don`t need to possess them physically – you may be in possession of a drug that is in someone else`s hands.

The Supervised Injection Sites Act, 2017 provides for the establishment and regulation of supervised injection sites. These facilities aim to reduce harm to people who inject drugs, reduce the number of people who inject drugs in public places, and reduce drug waste in public places. Based on the results of these reports, the court may decide not to fine or imprison you. Instead, you may be under the supervision of a designated person or body (such as HSE) for a period of time, or you may need to receive the type of treatment (medical or otherwise) recommended for you. The court may also order that you receive education, instruction or training that will improve your employment prospects or social situation, facilitate your social rehabilitation or reduce the likelihood of committing other drug-related offences. A person convicted of supplying or attempting to deliver a controlled drug to a prison, children`s detention facility or detention centre may be fined Class B or imprisoned for up to 12 months, or both, if convicted on summary conviction. If convicted of an indictment, the court may impose an appropriate fine or imprisonment for up to 10 years, or both. For some drug offences, the court may decide that the imposition of standard sentences is not the most effective response. These crimes include: What is devastating is that it did not have to be so. Ireland once seemed to follow Portugal`s lead and become a world leader in a public health approach to drugs.

The sharp decline in the number of people tried for simple possession of cannabis comes in the context of European countries considering legislative changes regarding this drug. Adults are allowed to carry up to seven grams of medicine and grow up to four plants at home. You are not allowed to smoke it in public or in front of children. With respect to possession of drugs for delivery, 1,283 charges or summonses were issued in 2021, compared to 1,968 in 2020. If you are charged with drug possession, you must convince the court that it was for your own „immediate personal use.” When making a decision, they will take into account the quantity of drugs seized in Gardaí. The law does not specify a specific amount of drugs, but it must be „tangible and visible.” This means you can be charged with possessing even the smallest amounts of drugs.