Judge hits out at disparity in smoking fines

A DISTRICT Court judge has hit out at unbalanced smoking fines, whereby smoking a cannabis cigarette can get you a maximum fine of €100, while smoking a Sweet Afton cigarette can incur a maximum fine of €3,000.

Judge David Anderson, when dealing with a case in Gorey District Court, said that smoking a normal cigarette can incur a maximum fine 30 times larger than the maximum fine for smoking cannabis.

He made his comments during a case where Steven Fynes, of the Stable, Ballygarrett, Gorey, Co Wexford, was charged with unlawful possession of drugs at Main Street, Gorey, on July 6 last.