A radical 'three-strike' plan that will see people caught with small amounts of illegal drugs avoid criminal conviction on the first and second occasion but face the courts on the third will be unveiled by the Government today.
Reforms to how those caught in possession of illicit substances are dealt with stop short of full decriminalisation, but represent an unprecedented shift in the State's approach to drug use.
The plan will see a health diversion programme established whereby a person caught by gardaí in possession of an amount of drugs deemed to be for personal use will be referred to the HSE for screening and intervention.
If that person is caught a second time, gardaí will issue the person with an adult caution.
Only on the third occasion this person is caught with drugs for personal use will the criminal justice system be applied and the matter dealt with by the courts.
In effect those repeatedly caught in possession will still be dealt with by the criminal justice system and many existing drug laws are set to remain on the statute book.
The measures are aimed at breaking the cycle of drug addiction, with Health Minister Simon Harris having spoken about a policy of "the helping hand rather than the handcuff".
Source: Hugh O'Connell, Independent.ie, 02/08/19
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