Cannabis in Ireland

Mimon

biko wrote: »

Pure populism but will probably get them a bunch of votes.

Totally agree it needs to be legalised and more importantly regulated but would never vote for that shower of glorified student union politicians.

Mimon

biko wrote: »

The established parties should respond somehow to this so their views are known.

Remember Leo saying when he was health minister that he viewed it as a health issue not a criminal justice issue.

I'm sure a majority in the Dail would be in favour of legalisation but many rural TDs may be afraid of supporting it.

Mimon

Deleted User wrote: »

Rubbish. Most Irish people know it's nothing like heroin or meth.

Most Irish people I know have smoked cannabis at some time in their lives.

There are huge numbers of people throughout the country smoking cannabis as an irregular habit, especially with the costs (and dismal decline) of the pubs/nightlife throughout the countryside.

The Portuguese model makes the most sense. I used to be a smoker, but I doubt I'd ever return to smoking it regularly.. all the same, I see few negatives to having it available, and a lot of positives.

Think it's an opportunity to regulate and get rid of the really strong THC weed that seems to be prevalent.

Don't get it myself and I was a stoner for years. Fecking monged after one toke. Nice to be a bit stoned and be still able to function/talk ****e/have the craic.

Mimon

KiKi III wrote: »

Pros and cons of illegal cannabis

Pros:
- it’s possible a very small minority of users are put off using based on its illegal status

Cons:
- funds gangs
- no quality standards/ regulation of THC levels
- no age restrictions (dealers will sell to your 14yo, a licensed tobacconist most likely won’t)
- prevents more widespread medicinal use
- means otherwise law-abiding people need a dealer
- gives young people a permanent criminal record for personal use
- massive waste of Garda and judiciary resources prosecuting personal use

Decriminalise it under the Portuguese model.

Great post! Need to find the right balance of regulation. Don't want it overly regulated that only large companies can get a licence to supply it. This might keep the black market alive as it will make it very expensive.

Sleeper12

Haven't been a pot smoker in decades but it should be made legal. Obviously it will be made legal eventually but sooner rather than later imo

Vestiapx

KiKi III wrote: »

Pros and cons of illegal cannabis

Pros:
- it’s possible a very small minority of users are put off using based on its illegal status

Cons:
- funds gangs
- no quality standards/ regulation of THC levels
- no age restrictions (dealers will sell to your 14yo, a licensed tobacconist most likely won’t)
- prevents more widespread medicinal use
- means otherwise law-abiding people need a dealer
- gives young people a permanent criminal record for personal use
- massive waste of Garda and judiciary resources prosecuting personal use

Decriminalise it under the Portuguese model.

I'm put off because the older I get the more I don't want to talk to the lads I know that are still in that scene. When I was 16 they were harmless and when I was 23 they were getting their lives together but the ones that can still sort me out are low level hard core at this stage. They have turned a bit of teenage misbehaving into a carear complete with the associated money laundering and true hard core contacts that that means.

doublejobbing 2

Mimon wrote: »

Think it's an opportunity to regulate and get rid of the really strong THC weed that seems to be prevalent.

Don't get it myself and I was a stoner for years. Fecking monged after one toke. Nice to be a bit stoned and be still able to function/talk ****e/have the craic.

Would Irish smokers go for this?

Hash is still out there (or at least was prior to the Covid era), but it is a fairly minority interest these days, any smokers under 30 I know prefer the "buzz" of feeling you have unshakeable brain cancer for 40 minutes that most greenhouse weed knocking about seems to give you.

Horrible, soul sapping stuff.

Ironically, from my interactions with hundreds of mainlanders down the years I would say the Dutch I've met are, proportionately, the least likely to be stoners. Nowhere near the level of French, Spaniards, Italians etc.

Mimon

Mimon wrote: »

Think it's an opportunity to regulate and get rid of the really strong THC weed that seems to be prevalent.

Don't get it myself and I was a stoner for years. Fecking monged after one toke. Nice to be a bit stoned and be still able to function/talk ****e/have the craic.

Ahh well... I was always a lightweight with the more mainstream cannabis that could be found. I was happy with half a joint for the night. All the same when I found weed, everything changed.

I smoke weed sometimes because it helps with my shaking disorder.

IMHO The advantage of regulating it is that there will be greater interest in providing alternatives that don't involve smoking, and the quality will reduce most of the negative side-effects. People are going to continue smoking it regardless, because it's still a cheaper night than alcohol, and doesn't have the buyers remorse afterward.

chrissb8

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

Big pharma will never allow it to be legalised here.

Yes. Because tiny Ireland a population of 5 million, is a big concern to Pharmaceutical companies as opposed to states in America or countries over 10 times the population where cannabis was made legal.

But oh no, Ireland will be where the line is drawn.

Cookie_Monster

giles lynchwood wrote: »

Once again my usual post on similar threads.Check out the results in Portugal,number's don't lie.Bring it on I say.A quote I came across lately,"Banning a plant is like saying God was wrong".

Banning a plant was one of the first things he did...

Agent Coulson

I read the title of the thread as Cannibals in Ireland which would have made for a lot more interesting thread.

Eric Cartman

Is it just me or does gino kenny actually look exactly like every time dave mcsavage played a junkie in the savage eye

KiKi III

Vestiapx wrote: »

I'm put off because the older I get the more I don't want to talk to the lads I know that are still in that scene. When I was 16 they were harmless and when I was 23 they were getting their lives together but the ones that can still sort me out are low level hard core at this stage. They have turned a bit of teenage misbehaving into a carear complete with the associated money laundering and true hard core contacts that that means.

If it was legal that wouldn’t have happened though.

jh79

Did the press release come out yet?

drunkmonkey

Is this just an update to the previous announced plan where they direct you to the HSE instead.

https://merrionstreet.ie/merrionstreet/en/news-room/releases/ministers_harris_flanagan_and_byrne_announce_health-led_approach_to_the_possession_of_drugs_for_personal_use.html

gerrybbadd

jh79 wrote: »

Did the press release come out yet?

The only place I've seen this reported on is The Journal, a piece of hot garbage. I wouldn't trust them as far as I'd throw them to be honest. Buzz.ie picked up on it, but they are quoting The Journal.

I see nothing official anywhere on this

dasdog

gerrybbadd wrote: »

The only place I've seen this reported on is The Journal, a piece of hot garbage. I wouldn't trust them as far as I'd throw them to be honest. Buzz.ie picked up on it, but they are quoting The Journal.

I see nothing official anywhere on this

Not seeing anything in the press myself but some incognito searching led me to the garda site and they have released an updated Adult Cautioning Scheme Policy document today.

https://www.garda.ie/en/about-us/our-departments/office-of-corporate-communications/news-media/introduction-of-new-offences-to-the-adult-cautioning-scheme.html

gerrybbadd

dasdog wrote: »

Not seeing anything in the press myself but some incognito searching led me to the garda site and they have released an updated Adult Cautioning Scheme Policy document today.

https://www.garda.ie/en/about-us/our-departments/office-of-corporate-communications/news-media/introduction-of-new-offences-to-the-adult-cautioning-scheme.html

Fantastic, there it is in official text!

DublinWriter

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

Big pharma will never allow it to be legalised here.

Conspiracy theories and flights of fancy aside, the VFI would lobby government heavily for this to never happen.

Remember FF is more Publican than Republican party.

jh79

Wonder would thus apply to discreetly growing a couple of plants ?

dasdog

jh79 wrote: »

Wonder would thus apply to discreetly growing a couple of plants ?

The change is for possession of a small amount which is at the discretion of the gardaí - the cultivation status remains as is.

Due cognisance must be paid to that criteria, i.e., that the following conditions must be met
before a caution can be administered:

- There must be prima facie evidence of the offender’s guilt,
- The offender must admit the offence,
- The offender must understand the significance of a caution and,
- The offender must give an informed consent to being cautioned.

The investigating member must consider the type, quantity and value of the drug and whether in all the
circumstances the offence disclosed amounts to simple possession

It's a small step to free up garda time which makes sense but really doesn't change all that much.

That's a solid first step.

harr

Haven’t smoked cannabis in years myself but would love to see it legal especially for those who need it for medical reasons . I have an uncle in his 60,s who has bad arthritis and does be in a lot of serious pain. He eats the usual painkillers the GP gives him nearly to the extent they do **** all for him. His son made him some edibles during the year and he got some great relief for a few hours . The legal side of things is holding him back from trying them again , so hopefully today’s announcement might change his mind.

Stateofyou

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

Big pharma will never allow it to be legalised here.

They said that in the US also but people overwhelmingly supported it and so politicians began to as well.

Mimon

Stateofyou wrote: »

They said that in the US also but people overwhelmingly supported it and so politicians began to as well.

Problem in the US now is that not big pharma but big cannabis has taken over with licences only going to these large producers so they control the market.

Tig98

harr wrote: »

Haven’t smoked cannabis in years myself but would love to see it legal especially for those who need it for medical reasons . I have an uncle in his 60,s who has bad arthritis and does be in a lot of serious pain. He eats the usual painkillers the GP gives him nearly to the extent they do **** all for him. His son made him some edibles during the year and he got some great relief for a few hours . The legal side of things is holding him back from trying them again , so hopefully today’s announcement might change his mind.

I completely agree and for the same reasons. My father has osteoarthritis and a few other problems. His pharmacist said that the medication he is taking will do serious long term damage to his liver and kidneys and to raise the issue with his doctor, the doctor said "we'll cross that bridge if we get there"!?
I know some weed won't make him feel 30 again but as his biggest complaint is pain Id love to see him be able to relax at night time and not have to feel bad all day.

Stateofyou

Mimon wrote: »

Problem in the US now is that not big pharma but big cannabis has taken over with licences only going to these large producers so they control the market.

It's a problem depending on who you talk to :pac:

The upside though is it brings the price down and the end product is quality controlled and lab tested.

My family and lived on the west coast USA last (several stints there) and there were plenty of niche producers & brands though. Some specialise in therapy products, or edibles, others would be a organic/sustainable farming angle, etc.

And at the same time it was legal to grow a few plants yourself so there's only so much control they could have I suppose...

Stateofyou

Tig98 wrote: »

I completely agree and for the same reasons. My father has osteoarthritis and a few other problems. His pharmacist said that the medication he is taking will do serious long term damage to his liver and kidneys and to raise the issue with his doctor, the doctor said "we'll cross that bridge if we get there"!?
I know some weed won't make him feel 30 again but as his biggest complaint is pain Id love to see him be able to relax at night time and not have to feel bad all day.

Has your da tried a cbd cream yet for the arthritis? It works wonders.

Mimon

Mimon wrote: »

Problem in the US now is that not big pharma but big cannabis has taken over with licences only going to these large producers so they control the market.

We should definitely learn from the mistakes they made in the US.

Ireland learning from mistakes...I know...

gerrybbadd

Another move in the right direction

https://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/medicinal-cannabis-programme-to-begin-this-year-1067888.html