Labour backs calls to make cannabis legal for recreational use

Labour has formally backed the legislation of cannabis in Ireland for recreational and medicinal purposes. 

In its submission to the Citizens’ Assembly on Drug Use, Labour’s justice spokesperson Aodhán Ó Ríordáin has called for reform of Ireland’s drug policy.

In a statement, the Dublin Bay North TD said “following the adoption of a motion at our party conference in 2017, the Labour Party supports the principle of legislation for the legalisation of cannabis for recreational and medicinal use in Ireland.”

“We acknowledge the increasing support among the general public and the relevant professional communities in favour of legalisation,” adding “dependency on and abuse of drugs, including cannabis, is a medical issue and not a criminal one.”

Labour’s stance on the legislation is in conjunction with their-long standing policy of decriminalisation, which Deputy Ó’Ríordáin has championed in his time in the Dáil.

“Despite the ample evidence suggesting that giving someone a criminal record for possession of drugs for personal use is an ineffective way to get them to stop using, in Ireland, you can be jailed for up to seven years for possession of an illicit drug for personal use,” the TD noted.

“The criminal record itself, which can result in barriers to employment, travel, and relationships, can end up doing more harm to the individual than their drug use”

“That’s why we urge the Assembly to commission research or ask the relevant Departments to assess the costs to the State and the individuals impacted, of the current policy of criminalising the user; it is our view these resources could be more usefully applied to tackling and prosecuting serious crime.”

Labour’s backing of the recreational usage of cannabis follows Germany passing a law that allows citizens to possess up to 25 grams of the drug and grow three cannabis plants in their home.

While watered down in relation to original plans to make cannabis legal for recreational use for its citizens, Germany is the largest nation in Europe to pass such a law.

Portugal became the first European country to decriminalise the possession of cannabis in 2001, with countries such as Belgium, the Czech Republic and Spain legalising cannabis for personal use in limited settings.

Green Party councillor Michael Pidgeon noted that the Green Party, Labour and People Before Profit are now “broadly behind decriminalisation and regulation of cannabis.”

Councillor Pidgeon wrote “Sinn Féin, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael’s 2020 manifestos don’t have any decriminalisation aspects to their drug policy, as far as I can see.”

“They all talk about extra community resources and more Gardaí. I can imagine – as with a lot of social issues – this will change in a few years,” he remarked.