Senators call to ease criminal sanctions on drug users

Senator Lynn Ruane and Senator Aodhán Ó Ríordáin submitted amendments to the Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Bill 2016 during the committee stage which would have eased criminal sanctions on those who possess banned substances in small amounts.

Senator Ruane’s amendment would add a provision amending the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977 to state that “possession of the substances listed in Part 1 and Part 2 of the Schedule not be subject to prosecution for amounts equating to personal use”.

Senator Ó Ríordáin’s amendment, which was discussed together with Senator Ruane’s, would have created a new legal defence during drugs possession prosecutions.

It read: “Notwithstanding anything in the Misuse of Drugs Acts 1977 to 2015, in any proceedings for an offence under those Acts it shall be a defence to prove that the defendant had in his or her possession a controlled drug for his or her personal use and for no other purpose.”

Neither amendment was pressed, but the senators insisted they would reintroduce them at the report stage today.