Legalising drugs will increase their use, Chief Medical Officer tells Citizens' Assembly

Chief Medical Officer at the Department of Health, Professor Breda Smyth said that the legalisation of drugs, normalised drug use and expanded their use.  Picture: Danny Lawson/PA.

Legalising drugs will expand access to them, make drug use more normalised and increase drug use, the Chief Medical Officer has warned.

The view of Professor Breda Smyth was contradicted by Professor Catherine Comiskey of Trinity College, who said the EU drugs agency had examined the laws of European countries and found “no difference” or “no pattern” between a legal system and drug use.