Ireland: Criminalisation of personal possession of drugs 'simply not working', committee told

The criminalisation of the personal possession of drugs was introduced with “good intentions” but the data shows the policy “is simply not working”, the Oireachtas Drugs Committee has heard.

The special committee has been set up to consider the report of the Citizens’ Assembly on Drugs, which recommended the decriminalisation of the possession of all drugs for personal use and the diversion of people to health services.

Kasia Malinowska-Sempruch, program director of Drugs Policy Open Society Foundations, told the committee that countries criminalised drug use in the hope it would “deter people from using drugs” — but said it had failed.

“Look at the data, more people are using today than ever before,” she said. “It is simply not working and it is also producing incredible violence and corruption.

“It had good intentions, but we have learned it's not working. Now decades later we continue to do the same thing. It’s time for change, it’s time for countries to be brave.”