More people faced drug possession charges in 2025 than in any of last five years

Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon said he believed gardaí were using Section 3 of the Misuse of Drugs Act as a form of 'stop and search'. Picture: Stock

More people were charged with possession of drugs in 2025 than in any year over the last five years, figures show.

The Department of Justice has said there were a total of 8,287 people arrested and charged with possession of drugs in 2025.

This is the highest level of charges for possession of drugs in several years, with 7,404 charges in 2024 and 7,693 in 2023 respectively. There were 6,359 charges in 2022 and 6,618 charges in 2021.

The details were provided to Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon through a parliamentary question, with the Dublin Central TD raising concerns about the rise in recent years.

Mr Gannon said he believed gardaí were using Section 3 of the Misuse of Drugs Act as a form of “stop and search”.

“It’s been overused to intervene and to arrest people for crimes where there isn’t enough evidence to arrest them for what gardaí actually want to arrest them for,” Mr Gannon said.

'Balanced' approach

In his reply, justice minister Jim O’Callaghan said there is a need for a “balanced”, health-led approach to dealing with drugs, while also allowing for gardaí to reduce access to illicit narcotics.

He said the Government’s draft national drugs strategy supports vulnerable drug users, adding that it is “matched with strengthened enforcement measures across Government to tackle the supply of illegal drugs”.

“This represents a whole-of-government response to reducing demand and associated harms, while balancing this with limiting access to illegal drugs to the greatest extent possible,” he said.

Mr Gannon said he did not believe either Mr O’Callaghan or gardaí were interested in progressing a health-led approach to drugs.

He cited a recent appearance of senior gardaí before the Oireachtas drugs committee, who backed the use of a health diversion model. However, Mr Gannon said this still provides for criminal sanctions against people.

“We’ve all heard the evidence. Criminal sanction does very little in terms of stopping people from taking drugs, helping people to recover from drugs,” Mr Gannon said.

“It actually just impacts life chances.” 

Mr Gannon, who chairs the Oireachtas drugs committee, said he was surprised the draft strategy was published before the committee completes its work.

He said he believed the Government would continue with its “failed model” on drugs, calling for a policy of decriminalisation to be pursued.