Government should introduce 'cannabis clubs' type legalisation, Oireachtas committee recommends
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The Government should introduce a limited form of cannabis legalisation on a not-for-profit basis, an Oireachtas committee has recommended.
The Oireachtas Committee on Drugs Use, formed to examine and respond to the Citizens' Assembly’s recommendations, has called for the Government to consider introducing a legalisation model for certain drugs.
In particular, the report urges the Government to take steps to introduce a regulatory model for certain illicit drugs, particularly referencing cannabis as an option.
It says that this should be considered in line with how other EU countries have regulated cannabis, including in Spain and Germany. The committee says that it could be set up on a not-for-profit, regulated basis.
Committee chairman, People Before Profit TD Gino Kenny, said that it could be similar to how countries operate cannabis clubs — where cannabis is cultivated on a not-for-profit basis and members of clubs are able to purchase limited amounts of the drug.
Mr Kenny said that other countries are moving towards a similar model, but that it could also allow for legalisation and sale of cannabis on a wider basis.
There are also calls made to expand out the Medical Cannabis Access Programme, to allow more people with chronic illnesses can access cannabis.
The report itself, which contains 59 recommendations, calls for the Government to implement a health-led approach, alongside decriminalisation of the person in relation to possession of illicit drugs for personal use.
“It’s important that this is implemented,” said Mr Kenny, adding that it was his hope that parties in the upcoming election would call for decriminalisation in a future government.
“Hopefully a programme for government would have a clause around a health-led approach,” he added.
The committee has also recommended that Section 3 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1997 be repealed entirely — which would provide for decriminalisation by removing criminal sanction for possession of drugs for personal use.
There are also a number of recommendations around increasing access to addiction services, including expansion of opioid substitution therapies to deal with gaps in existing shortage of methadone services.
In particular, it says that there should be an “urgent expansion” of supervised injection facilities around Ireland, but particularly in more urban areas.
The committee has also called for Naloxone — which is used to treat opioid overdoses — is made available over the counter in pharmacies, as well as expanding out needle exchanges.
The committee itself was established following the conclusion of the Citizens' Assembly on Drugs Use, which called for a “comprehensive health-led” approach — including decriminalisation — to possession of drugs for personal use.