'Mood for change' as Drugs Assembly votes, says chair Paul Reid

Chairperson Paul Reid said the 99 members of the Citizens’ Assembly on Drugs “have nothing but amazed” him by their capacity to listen to 150 experts, often with a range of different views, and work their way through detailed legal issues, complicated policy matters and moving human stories.

The task facing members of the Citizens’ Assembly on Drugs, as they meet this weekend to make their recommendations, is to “balance the risks” between changing Ireland’s drug laws and keeping them as they are, the assembly chair has said.

Paul Reid said the 99 members of the assembly “have nothing but amazed” him by their capacity to listen to 150 experts, often with a range of different views, and work their way through detailed legal issues, complicated policy matters and moving human stories.