P.32 Make drugs a health issue: decriminalise now

Drug use is one of the most complex issues we face today. Drugs have ravaged some of Ireland’s poorest communities and led to pain and suffering across society. However, certain drugs – particularly crack cocaine and heroin – are strongly correlated with poverty and social disadvantage. Any effective drugs policy needs to tackle the material causes of these forms of drug taking instead of targeting vulnerable drug users with criminalisation.

People Before Profit favours a radical and harm reduction approach to drug consumption and education rather than criminalisation. That said, we do not favour large corporations taking control of the newly legal drugs market in the way that tobacco and alcohol companies have done. Our policy would involve careful regulation, banning promotion of drug use by commercial bodies and ensuring good quality information is available for users and good quality health services are available for those who have health problems related to drug use, including prescription drugs. People Before Profit has been to the fore in fighting for a health led approach to drugs. Gino Kenny TD led the campaign to establish a medicinal cannabis access programme. He has introduced a bill in the Dail to decriminalise the possession of 7 grams of cannabis for personal use. The Citizens Assembly voted overwhelmingly to decriminalise drug use for personal possession and implement a health led approach. Our Bill is a first step in doing this. Anti-drugs laws are anti-people and they have failed.

People Before Profit has taken a principled stand on the drugs issue. We want drug decriminalisation but we acknowledge that decriminalisation alone has limitations. These limitations leave the sale and supply of drugs to the black market. We want more education on drugs and we want support for communities affected by drugs. While the government pays lip service to a health-led approach to drugs, they completely fail to put their money where their mouth is. This is seen in the scandalous underfunding of our Local Drug and Alcohol Task Forces which involve many of those on the frontline assisting people with drug abuse. We want to stop profiteering from drugs and a state led system for distributing and regulating drug use. 

We will:
• Immediately legalise cannabis. Promote Not for Profit Cannabis Social Clubs.
• Improve the funding for services and facilities, including Local Drug and Alcohol Task Forces, for drug users and their families, including counselling, occupational therapy, social support and psychotherapy to reduce the reliance on multiple drug prescriptions and illegal drugs;
• Increase funding for a public health educational campaign on drugs;
• Expand the Medicinal Cannabis Access Programme;
• Establish a State run distribution services with high levels of regulation and supervision including proper funding for needle exchange;
• Move towards a strategy of de-criminalisation of drugs. This will allow for drug dependence to be treated as a medical issue rather than as a policing issue.