Cannabis users urge the reclassification of drug

CANNABIS users in Ireland yesterday called on the Government to follow the lead of the British Government and downgrade the criminal status of the drug.

Cannabis is to be reclassified in Britain and Northern Ireland today, putting it on the same level as steroids and tranquillisers.

In practice, this means users will be able to smoke it in their own homes without fear of arrest. If they smoke in public, police policy is to caution rather than arrest, unless people are caught smoking repeatedly or are smoking outside a school or playground.Young people under the age of 18 smoking are still liable to be arrested.

“It is definitely a step in the right direction. People should not be arrested for smoking cannabis,” said a spokesman for Cannabis Ireland. “But it’s probably not going far enough. The supply of the drug is still prohibited.”

He said he would like to see the Irish Government taking a lead from Britain.

“We would call on the Minister for Justice to review current garda arrest policies. They can arrest people, no matter how small the quantities. “We would like the see the Government take control of supply, where a lot of the crime comes from, similar to the way its licensed in Holland.”

Gráinne Kenny of Europe Against Drugs (Eurad) said the reclassification of cannabis from class B to class C was a mistake. “It is giving out the message to young people that this drug is legal, but it’s not legal. People under 18 will be arrested. It’s also giving out the message that this drug is somehow safer than other drugs, that it’s not dangerous and that people are smoking it and doing fine. That’s not the case.”