News (Media Awareness Project) - Ireland: Stagg Says Cannabis Should Be Legal |
| Title: | Ireland: Stagg Says Cannabis Should Be Legal |
| Published On: | 1999-11-04 |
| Source: | Examiner, The (Ireland) |
| Fetched On: | 2008-09-05 16:23:49 |
STAGG SAYS CANNABIS SHOULD BE LEGAL
Emmet Stagg wants the Government to consider decriminalising the use
of cannabis.
The former junior ministers suggestion has drawn an embarrassed
silence from the Labour Party who stressed this approach is not party
policy. A party spokesman said all further questions should be
directed to the Kildare TD.
Mr Stagg said a recent youth survey showed 60% of people under the age
of 24 use cannabis as their drug of choice. He said there is a higher
level of cannabis use than of alcohol use among this age group.
Under current circumstances this kind of cannabis use places people in
the market for very hard drugs as well as this, their drug of choice,
he said.
Speaking in the Dail he addressed the junior minister responsible for
drugs policy, Chris Flood, who was handling replies at question time:
"Would he consider decriminalising the use of cannabis? It is not
sustainable to have 60% of the young people of the country in criminal
capacity," Mr Stagg said.
The junior ministers reply left no scope for doubt: "Under my watch,
I will never consider putting forward the proposal that cannabis be
decriminalised".
Mr Flood said he had heard various arguments advanced for Mr Staggs
proposition over the years and was aware there was a debate in
progress. He believed that cannabis could, in some circumstances, be a
gateway type drug leading to other drug abuse.
He said the long term effects of cannabis use were yet to be
determined and opinion was divided on these issues. There is no
question of moves to decriminalise cannabis.
"We would be sending the wrong signal in my opinion to the young
people of Ireland," Mr Flood concluded. But Mr Stagg said that by that
standard the government should ban tobacco and alcohol as their
harmful effects were clearly documented.
Afterwards, he said he had been expressing a personal view. "I have
merely posed the question for debate. I believe it is time we had a
real debate in this country on this issue.
"Everyone who knows me knows I smoke too much and take very little
alcohol. I dont touch cannabis."
The Labour TD is the first elected member of either the Dail or Seanad
to broach the issue of cannabis de criminalisation. He is also one of
the few politicians to take this stance.
Emmet Stagg wants the Government to consider decriminalising the use
of cannabis.
The former junior ministers suggestion has drawn an embarrassed
silence from the Labour Party who stressed this approach is not party
policy. A party spokesman said all further questions should be
directed to the Kildare TD.
Mr Stagg said a recent youth survey showed 60% of people under the age
of 24 use cannabis as their drug of choice. He said there is a higher
level of cannabis use than of alcohol use among this age group.
Under current circumstances this kind of cannabis use places people in
the market for very hard drugs as well as this, their drug of choice,
he said.
Speaking in the Dail he addressed the junior minister responsible for
drugs policy, Chris Flood, who was handling replies at question time:
"Would he consider decriminalising the use of cannabis? It is not
sustainable to have 60% of the young people of the country in criminal
capacity," Mr Stagg said.
The junior ministers reply left no scope for doubt: "Under my watch,
I will never consider putting forward the proposal that cannabis be
decriminalised".
Mr Flood said he had heard various arguments advanced for Mr Staggs
proposition over the years and was aware there was a debate in
progress. He believed that cannabis could, in some circumstances, be a
gateway type drug leading to other drug abuse.
He said the long term effects of cannabis use were yet to be
determined and opinion was divided on these issues. There is no
question of moves to decriminalise cannabis.
"We would be sending the wrong signal in my opinion to the young
people of Ireland," Mr Flood concluded. But Mr Stagg said that by that
standard the government should ban tobacco and alcohol as their
harmful effects were clearly documented.
Afterwards, he said he had been expressing a personal view. "I have
merely posed the question for debate. I believe it is time we had a
real debate in this country on this issue.
"Everyone who knows me knows I smoke too much and take very little
alcohol. I dont touch cannabis."
The Labour TD is the first elected member of either the Dail or Seanad
to broach the issue of cannabis de criminalisation. He is also one of
the few politicians to take this stance.
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