Anti-drugs campaigners yesterday criticised the Labour Party for even debating the legalisation of cannabis. The party kicked to touch a call for the decriminalisation, regulation and taxation of the supply of marijuana and cannabis. A motion at the party conference, supported by Labour chief whip Emmett Stagg, was passed on to the national executive for further consideration. Mr Stagg said the drug was available in every village, town, city, pub and club in the country, as well as in many schools. [continues 106 words]
DIEGO ARMANDO MARADONA, the greatest footballer of his generation and of all time for those too young to remember the heyday of the Boys from Brazil has arguably now completed his longrunning fall from grace. Argentina's World Cup winner arrived in Havana last week to receive treatment for his cocaine addiction. The former superstar now suffers from cocaine addiction, withdrawal symptoms, massive blood pressure and possible cardiovascular atrophy. Past personalities to have dabbled with the drug include Sigmund Freud, but in more recent years a litany of stars have suffered the consequences. [continues 420 words]
Supervised areas to enable homeless drug addicts to feed their habit have been demanded by the State's largest voluntary drug treatment project. The Merchant's Quay Project, based in Dublin, made the radical proposal at the launch of a report on out of home drug users. They believe specialised consumption rooms are required to allow safe injecting practices to occur and protect the general public from discarded needles. Project Director, Tony Geoghegan, said that the study showed a majority of homeless drug users were more inclined to risky behaviour such as sharing needles, and injecting in public places like parks and public toilets. [continues 226 words]
COCAINE with a street value of pounds 750,000 was seized and three people were arrested by gardai in Dublin yesterday. Seven kilos of cocaine were seized following the search of a room in a city centre hotel yesterday morning. The search was conducted as part of a joint operation between the Garda National Drugs Unit and the Customs National Drugs Team. The two men and one woman are being held at Store Street Garda Station under Section Two of the Drug Trafficking - Criminal Justice Act. Those arrested have not been charged but they can be held without charge for seven days. [continues 143 words]
THE Government has withheld a hard hitting report on the Irish prison system carried out by a European action group almost six months ago. The Council of Europe Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) submitted the report to the Department of Justice last April. The Irish Penal Reform Trust (IRPT) has called on the Government to immediately release the report, saying they are obliged to do so after six months. “I know the CPT were seriously concerned about services in the prisons. We are calling for the release of the report and a response from the Government to it,” IRPT Chairperson Valerie Bresnihan said. [continues 334 words]
HEALTH boards around the country report a definite decline in the level of solvent abuse by young people. While keeping an eye on the solvents problem, the boards feel youngsters have become more sophisticated with the drugs they use to get their kicks. The easy availability of ecstasy, heroin and alcohol has seen them become the preferred substances of the young abuser. “There is a lot of recreational drug use cannabis, ecstasy, amphetamines that certainly is on the increase. But the vast majority of youngsters do not do drugs,” said Eastern Health Board Drugs Education Officer, Stephen Harding. [continues 101 words]
HEROIN dealing on Dublin’s streets is worse than it has been over the past 20 years, say inner city community groups. Their view contradicts the statement by Minister of State Chris Flood that the game is up for the capital’s drug dealers. The Coalition of Communities Against Drugs says the heroin crisis is at its worst for 20 years in some inner city areas. “Reports on the ground from many areas in Dublin indicate the situation has reverted to 1996 levels with regard to open street dealing, while residents of some areas, notably the Thomas Street, Meath Street, Coombe vicinity of the south inner city, state that the situation is the worst they have seen in two decades,” a COCAD spokesperson said. COCAD refutes claims by Minister Flood, who is responsible for the National Drug Strategy, that there has been a sea change in heroin affected communities. [continues 160 words]
DRUG dealers are believed to be importing specially designed ecstasy tablets for Wednesday’s solar eclipse. The E tabs stamped with a sun and moon logo are known as “Clipse Trips”. Produced in Holland, Belgium and Germany, they were developed to target people heading to the many music festivals taking place in south west England and across the continent. The gimmick factor has seen the tablets reportedly spread across the UK and as a result into Ireland. Gardai are anticipating their appearance on the drugs scene. [continues 310 words]
