Taoiseach totally opposed to legalising drugs

TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern yesterday stressed he was “totally and fundamentally” opposed to legalising drugs in this country.

Dismissing calls for such legislation, he also said the question would not be looked at while he was Taoiseach. When asked about a call by broadcaster Gay Byrne that the possibility of legalising drugs should be looked at and debated, Mr Ahern said Mr Byrne was entitled to his opinion.

The Taoiseach was speaking to reporters during a visit to Kerry on a day when the removal was taking place of Rowland Blennerhassett, aged 20, who is understood to have died after taking cocaine at a party in Tralee.

The late Mr Blennerhassett’s uncle, former Tralee Independent councillor Billy Leen, said he agreed with Gay Byrne that the current battle against drugs was not being won. He told Radio Kerry his nephew was a hardworking blocklayer and was not a habitual drug user. He said most young people used drugs recreationally and they did not know what quantities they could take, or what was in them.

“What one person could take would kill another.”

While he was not calling for drugs to be legalised, Mr Leen said it was time to find a new tactic in the battle against drugs and the debate on the issue of legalising drugs should be opened.

However, Mr Ahern, interviewed at Kerry Airport, said he would not even consider looking at the question of legalising drugs.

“I am totally and fundamentally opposed to the legalisation of any drugs in any respects. I live in a constituency that has more drug deaths and more drug problems than anywhere else in the country for the last 30 years. I have attended more funerals than I’d like to ever think of, of families that I know, of people who have died of drugs.”

He was in favour of the National Drugs Strategy and of trying to educate young people to keep away from drugs. While he had huge sympathy for everyone who fell into the drugs habit and wanted to help them, he was an “absolute conservative” when it comes to legalising drugs.

“I am not in favour of legalising cannabis, or any drug either up the scale or down the scale. I think it’s the wrong way to go. There is no evidence anywhere in the world that this has helped to decrease drugs level.”