Sir, – I support Eamonn McCann ( "Decision looms for Government on legalising marijuana", October 29th) when he suggests that legalising marijuana would be a shift towards common sense.
He refers to Portugal’s experience in decriminalising all drugs in 2001. Drug use in that country has declined overall among the 15- to 24-year-olds, drug-related deaths have decreased steeply and HIV infection rates among injecting drug users have been reduced. There has also been a decline in the percentage of the population which has ever used a drug and then continue to do so.
The Portuguese model of decriminalising drugs while supporting drug users through the medical services is a practical and realistic one. Ireland has one of the highest levels of drug-related deaths in Europe. Many addicts live in misery and die while illegal drug producers and sellers live in luxury, using criminality to market their deadly wares.
Illegal drugs pose two huge problems for society. One is demand fuelled by addiction. The other is the criminal mayhem generated by illegal supply. Neither is easily solved.
A long-term policy of social development and education will bring some improvement but will probably never completely eradicate the demand for drugs. The problems associated with the illegal supply of drugs can be dealt with by legalising their supply with appropriate controls and medical support.
We should be taking a lead in this country and we should also persuade our partners in the European Union to evolve similar regimes which will face up to the problem realistically.
We need to be honest and open enough to consider making the necessary changes.
– Yours, etc,
JACK MORRISSEY,
Dundrum,
Dublin 16.