Citizens’ Assembly votes to end current approach to possession of drugs for personal use

Michael Bolton

The Citizens Assembly on Drugs Use has voted to recommend a comprehensive health-led approach to drugs.

This means, instead of drug use being viewed as a criminal justice issue, it would be seen as a public health issue.

Just 11 (17 per cent) of the 87 members voted in favour of retaining the current criminal approach to personal possession. Some 74 or 85 per cent of members believe it should not be retained as it stands.

Those who would be found in possession of any kind of drug would not face criminal conviction of prison sentences, but instead be referred to engage voluntarily with health-led services.

In relation to cannabis, almost half (36) voted for the legalisation and regulation of cannabis with 23 opting for a comprehensive health-led strategy and 10 for the status quo.

Opinion on the legalisation of cannabis was evenly divided. On the final ballot, when all other options were eliminated, the citizens voted by 39 to 38 for a comprehensive health-led strategy over legalisation.

The Assembly's Secretary Cathal O'Regan says this change in approach will have a ripple effect on other pieces of legislation.

"If the Government does decide to legislate alongside the lines of this recommendation for this health led approach, it will have implications for other pieces of legislation, like the adult caution scheme that exists.

"That adult caution that is available for first time cannabis offenders at the moment, will logically change once there is a new legislation introduced."

Paul Reid, Former CEO of the HSE and Head of the Citizens Assembly on Drug Use, says drugs affect every community in Ireland.

"My sense of it is, when you dig deeper into a lot of that, drugs are pervasive all across the country, so they are not just in the north inner-city in Dublin

"However, some areas of the country, suffer much more harm than others, and it's generally communities that come from higher social deprivation areas.

"It's not just drugs that are the issue. It is a whole issue of social determinations, whether it is housing, whether it is poverty. whether it is people who suffer early life and trauma and enter a vicious cycle."