Fmr Boss of Drugs Squad Calls for Legalisation

[musashi]

The former head of the Drugs Squad is calling for a novel approach to dealing with our illegal drugs trade on Marian's show on RTE 1.

In an interview the retired Garda said we should follow the Portugese in partially legaising marijuana (and its derivatives) in Ireland. This should be supported by a nationwide education/public awareness campaign. We need a bit of joined up thinking in regards to drugs.

"Law and Order will never solve the drugs problem", he's right but prohibition is the MO of this and every preceding government since the formation of the State.

Wise man say;
If you've got a headache, stop banging your head on brick wall.

Download podcast (http://www.rte.ie/podcasts/2010/pc/pod-v-13111034m09smfs.mp3)

[janepaisley]

The former head of the Drugs Squad is calling for a novel approach to dealing with our illegal drugs trade on Marian's show on RTE 1.

In an interview the retired Garda said we should follow the Portugese in partially legaising marijuana (and its derivatives) in Ireland. This should be supported by a nationwide education/public awareness campaign. We need a bit of joined up thinking in regards to drugs.

"Law and Order will never solve the drugs problem", he's right but prohibition is the MO of this and every preceding government since the formation of the State.
Wise man say;
If you've got a headache, stop banging your head on brick wall.
"Education will destroy the market" for illegal drugs

great to hear someone in authority coming out with this. will the government pay any heed is the question

any links to this plz?

[wickedfairy]

he is right, good on him, dont know if any of you saw the three parter on the drugs trade recently in which the argument for this line of thinking has been proved. Will try and dig it up. And supervised clinics for the "heavier" drugs, a bit of progress at last.

[mutley]

great to hear someone in authority coming out with this. will the government pay any heed is the question

any links to this plz?
Doubtful, in the UK when the chief executive of the medical council came out and stated that ecstasy and weed were less harmful than alcohol he was sacked by the government

[mutley]

he is right, good on him, dont know if any of you saw the three parter on the drugs trade recently in which the argument for this line of thinking has been proved. Will try and dig it up. And supervised clinics for the "heavier" drugs, a bit of progress at last.

There was a good documentary on channel 4 about this, is it the same one?


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[musashi]

great to hear someone in authority coming out with this. will the government pay any heed is the question

any links to this plz?

See OP

[Design for Life]

Solpadeine is legal and there's a problem with addiction. Governments need to work very hard on getting messages across in an affable manner that aren't too "nanny state comin in tellin me wot I cant hav!" Our governments are terrible with this really though the cynicism doesn't help.


Here's a good opinion piece from the IT:
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/opinion/2010/1109/1224282958466.html


Talking to an alcoholic is not as disturbing as talking to an addict desperate to buy to a hard drug, but the false smile of an alcoholic somehow seems sadder. From what little I have seen, alcoholism is far more common and, in some ways, far more debilitating than drug addiction in Ireland.


http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/oct/28/dublin-ireland-drug-heroin-addiction


A growing army of female traders is dealing in the tablets which are smuggled in from Pakistan and China via Europe. Some are re-packaged in countries such as Croatia and Germany. They cost about €20 (£17.50) for 10 tablets on Dublin's black market.

With 9,500 registered heroin users across Ireland, drugs experts warn the problem is likely to grow, fuelled by a recession that has led many otherwise ordinary people to become dealers.

[wickedfairy]

There was a good documentary on channel 4 about this, is it the same one?


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yes that was it Mutley, we recorded it, will look it up and let u know.

[wickedfairy]

Our Drugs War Channel 4
http://www.channel4.com/programmes/our-drugs-war

[mutley]

Our Drugs War Channel 4
http://www.channel4.com/programmes/our-drugs-war


Well worth a watch

[truth.ie]

In Spain you're legally permitted to grow 9 marijuana plants per household.
Any more than this is seen as, "taking the piss" to use the legal term.
You do see plants growing in balconys in City Centre streets, but it does not seem to be as abused as you'd imagine.
I never smoked dope in my life, but I would welcome it's legalisation for the following reasons.
1. To pull the rug from the criminal class.
2. To enhance the economies of Third World countries who could provide the market in a legal and transparent manner.
3. To increase revenue.
As a Republican, I'm very much in a minority in this line of thinking however, and this is my personal opinion.

[C. Flower]

Home grown cannabis for personal use ?

But Class A drugs are a curse and are flooding in from Afghanistan/Columbia.

Good for keeping the "structurally unemployed" politically passive and impotent.

[moss]

The former head of the Drugs Squad is calling for a novel approach to dealing with our illegal drugs trade on Marian's show on RTE 1.

In an interview the retired Garda said we should follow the Portugese in partially legaising marijuana (and its derivatives) in Ireland. This should be supported by a nationwide education/public awareness campaign. We need a bit of joined up thinking in regards to drugs.

"Law and Order will never solve the drugs problem", he's right but prohibition is the MO of this and every preceding government since the formation of the State.

Wise man say;
If you've got a headache, stop banging your head on brick wall.

Download podcast (http://www.rte.ie/podcasts/2010/pc/pod-v-13111034m09smfs.mp3)

A step in the right direction.

He'd have made more of an impact though if he'd made this call before he retired.

[moss]

Home grown cannabis for personal use ?

Why not ?


But Class A drugs are a curse and are flooding in from Afghanistan/Columbia.

Good for keeping the "structurally unemployed" politically passive and impotent.

Quite a jump from weed to coke and smack. Very different substances.

[truth.ie]

A step in the right direction.

He'd have made more of an impact though if he'd made this call before he retired.
People in well paid, cushy jobs rarely do.

[moss]

People in well paid, cushy jobs rarely do.

True, though in the case of the peelers I usually believe it's more an example of politics controlling policing. Toe the party line or get sacked/demoted.

[truth.ie]

At the very least, surely we can legalise hemp for paper and other products for environmental reasons.
The most ridiculous law EVER!!!

[Cáthasaigh]

True, though in the case of the peelers I usually believe it's more an example of politics controlling policing. Toe the party line or get sacked/demoted.

Or even toe the line or be falsely imprisoned and intimidated by senior officers.