CAD says Ó Ríordáin plan will lead to increase in use of cannabis and cocaine.
Measures such as expunging minor convictions for cannabis use should be considered before decriminalisation of the drug, a community drug-education group has suggested.
Responding to the decriminalisation proposals by Minister of State for the National Drugs Strategy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, the Community Awareness of Drugs (CAD) group expressed concern that if laws were relaxed the perception of harm would diminish and use escalate.
Mr Ó Ríordáin has said there was “wide consensus” at a meeting last week on the national drug misuse problem that drugs across the board should be decriminalised.
Representatives of local and regional drug and alcohol taskforces, service users, representatives of the community and voluntary sectors and the Health Service Executive attended the event at the Mansion House in Dublin.
Source: Elaine Edwards, The Irish Times, 03/08/15