NO Irish Government is going to legalise cannabis because it causes cancer, a former Minister of State with responsibility for drugs said yesterday.

The prohibition against illicit street drugs should be ended as hard-line legislation against drugs is doomed to failure, a US police chief warned today.

A FORMER US head of police will tell a conference of Irish drug awareness groups that the “war on drugs” was a waste of time and resources.

IT would appear that Minister of State Noel Ahern, who has responsibility for drugs strategy and community affairs, is quite right in stating that the war on drugs is not being won.