Drug cautions ‘clearly not working’ as cannabis possession charges top 17,000

Minister for Justice Helen McEntee released figures on cautions and charges for cannabis possession (Brian Lawless/PA)

A system that aims to reduce the number of people brought to court for possession of controlled drugs such as cannabis is “clearly not doing what it was meant to do”.

Data released by the Department of Justice shows the number of court actions dwarfed the number of adult cautions for cannabis possession in the past three years.