CANNABIS TO REMAIN OFF LIMITS

Proposals To Legalise The Use Of Cannabis Were Rejected By Gardai Yesterday.

Mid-ranking members of the force warned that decriminalisation would not
take the major money out of drug importation and contribute positively to
diminish the problem.

General secretary of the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors,
George Maybury declared: "If you want to reform an alcoholic you hardly
increase his access to a full range of alcohol."

"Similarly, if you want to reform drug addicts, you do not allow free
access to these mentally and physically destructive substances," he told
the annual conference.

Mr Maybury said cannabis was a gateway drug which led to the taking of more
lethal drugs and damaged attention spans and motivation to achieve.

The drugs menace presented a complex problem which required:

* strict legal enforcement by gardai and customs in relation to the
importation and sale of illicit substances

* counselling and rehabilitation for addicts striving to kick the habit of
drug taking and

* a well resourced education of young people at an early age.

Mr Maybury also emphasised the expanding role played by Europol in the
fight against crime across Europe and said it would develop further as
eastern European nations joined the EU. This would make the work of the
force more complex and demanding than ever.

He said his members were facing into an era of major change with the report
of the SMI review group identifying rosters, performance development,
civilianisation and information technology as key issues to be addressed in
improving the efficiency of the force.