Are Authorities In Ireland Ready To Rethink Their Drug War Approach?
In many ways, the drug war has been a complete and total failure; it was destined for failure from the moment that it first began.
The government might be ready to make some changes though, or at least that's what they've suggested by moving to ask the public to share their views with them on what they think should be done about drug possession. Authorities have put together an online questionnaire, where people are encouraged to share their views on alternative approaches to drug possession.
Authorities want to know whether or not people agree with the current legal approach to drug use,..
They claim that the government is now dedicated to possibly readjusting its strategy and the group behind the survey is expected to complete their report sometime by the end of this year.
One addiction specialist, Dr Garrett McGovern, has voiced his support for an alternative approach, suggesting that Ireland should move in the same direction as Portugal when it comes to decriminalization.
What authorities have been doing for decades hasn't been working, that is very clear by a myriad of measurements. That is why a growing number of people have been pushing for an alternative approach to drug use that is instead centered around offering care, rather than harm to users.
More than 2 decades ago, Portugal made a bold move to decriminalize drug use and today they are regarded as having the lowest number of fatal drug overdoses in Europe. Whereas Ireland on the other hand ranks among the top for drug-related deaths.
no victim? = no crime
Previous surveys have found that more than 50 percent of Irish people are in favor of moving toward a different direction in the war on drugs, by legalizing cannabis or decriminalizing other drugs.
Surveys have also found that at least 90 percent of Irish people would support legalization of cannabis for medicinal purposes as well.
Those who want to share their comments as a part of the ongoing public consultation have until the end of this month to do so.
Pics:
Pixabay
Sources:
https://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/public-asked-for-views-as-government-considersalternative-approach-to-punishing-drug-possession-471382.html
https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/ireland-should-follow-portugal-and-decriminalise-personal-drug-use-says-addiction-specialist-846366.html
https://boingboing.net/2018/05/28/why-portugals-decriminalizat.html
https://www.irishpost.com/news/ireland-decriminalise-drug-use-155509
https://www.newstalk.com/Over-90-of-Irish-people-support-access-to-cannabis-on-medical-grounds
http://www.thejournal.ie/cannabis-recreational-use-ireland-poll-3115926-Dec2016/
https://www.statista.com/chart/10320/drug-deaths-in-europe/
Related Posts:
The Freedom To Medicate
https://steemit.com/cannabis/@doitvoluntarily/the-freedom-to-medicate
The government position definitely needs to change on this. I am 75 percent Irish myself, and feel that my people have the same rights as anyone else; I would even go so far as to say legalizing cannabis, shrooms, and other drugs (with an emphasis on the plant substances, though that could be just the love I have for nature coming out), in light of the fact that plant substances are the most difficult to tamper with. who's ever heard of a cannabis overdose? Who's ever heard of a psylocibin overdose? Not I, and not anyone i've talked to. Addiction is a medical condition, not a crime. I've always thought that, and I don't see my beliefs on the matter changing any time soon.
All drugs should be legalized. Even the hard drugs. The users will get it it 1 way or the other. Prohibition creates billions for gangs. If another gang tries selling, a monopoly and high price is threatened leading to gang wars, murdered cops, and murdered informants, etc. Gang members are in gangs for life. If they rat out their fellow members or try to quit, they are murdered because they know too much. Plus, they will be replaced by new gangsters who want fast $$$. This crisis' root cause is the Illuminati Rothschild banking system that REGULARLY creates economic recessions/depressions. Remember Al Capone during alcohol prohibition during the Great Depression? Remember, if a gangmember disobeys an order from a boss, he is murdered by the gang.
Sell the hard drugs for 18 & older adults in a controlled environment. If they commit ANY theft/fraud/violent crime, send them to the mental hospitals for life. Do the cops, or the public deserve to have their lives threatened by well funded and well organized gangs?
The cops are a well-organized gang that threatens the public, and prohibition is what creates the room for a violent black market in the first place.
I don't think the economic chaos is that planned. I think it is often people who are experts in things that are wrong trying to make the world a better place, but using the wrong means due to their bad premises. The rest is opportunistic power-grabbing by sociopathic authoritarians.
Freedom of ingestion matters as much as freedom of speech, self-defense, association, etc.
Raw milk, marijuana, moonshine whiskey, and anything else the government declares verboten are up to the individual to choose, not some bureaucrat to approve.
A great example of the government meddling where they don't need to be. This is one of those things where it's hard to decide, since the world's been overrun with liberal assholes, (sorry if I offend anyone, but it's the truth), who want the government to decide everything for them; no one wants to take responsibility, so they expect Big Brother to do it.
I guess the Irish government can just take a strict stance on drugs. But I'm not sure if they are willing to mete out harsh penalties for drugs offenders using the death penalty. That will be a great deterrence for druggies.
How is murder a justifiable penalty for a vice?
Drug addicts are victims of drug abuse. Probably due to a lack of understanding of its use. Cannabis is a plant that is very beneficial for the treatment if we want to study it further. Very interesting article. Thanks for sharing @doitvoluntarily.
we still live in the old mindset that drugs is bad for our health, but we are talking about manufactured drugs like heroin or cocain. Things weed or marijuana can be used for medicinal purposes and only for them, even used for recreational purpose they don’t have damaging side effects unless you take in large amounts.
The drug war is lost !!
There's no need wasting time on it
I believe milder approaches should be introduced to help drug addicts and not punish them.most people are victims of drug use,even those you can't imagine
We're all victims of the war on drugs and its artificial violent black markets.
I think decriminalizing drugs would help in a myriad of areas in the US and other countries. I think it would greatly help with the opioid addiction, ironically. I have seen great benefits of MJ in the medical field. Would relieve our jails and prison population. With regulations and taxes it could also be a great revenue producer. The war on drugs has not worked. We need a different approach. We need a change. With that said, it needs to be monitored and regulated. I hope the US is taking notes on this issue from other countries.
Agreed. Not sure what's holding everyone up, to be honest. Then again, I try to stay from political stuff as much as I possibly can.
I guess what they say is true:
Decriminalize something and it suddenly becomes uncool to people. So they don't want to abuse it anymore.
In other words, people don't want what they can get easily.
if that were true, then why is drinking still more popular than ever?
When they decriminalize, it removes the fear associated with the criminal punishment and then those people can seek true help ✌ if that's what they want. The less bureaucrats intervene in the voluntary exchanges of humanity the better.
very nice post following bro
I come from a country (Holland) where soft drugs like marijuana are legal. To be honest, if I compare the issues that are around here compared to issues that I see drug related in other countries...my opinion is, legalize it all!!
They are really working it in Ireland there. Also with the referendum last week on the abortion issue they are really progressing
I don't care for marijuana. However, I dislike the authoritarianism of control freak busybodies far more. Vices are not crimes, as Lysander Spooner so eloquently pointed out nearly 150 years ago. If there is no victim, there is no crime, and what someone consumes in their own pursuit of happiness does not inherently create a victim. Even if their efforts are truly self-destructive, it is their own life to live.