Cannabis Prohibition And Decriminalization

Cannabis prohibition, decriminalisation and legalisation have a history of being some of the most controversial arguments worldwide. When one thinks of cannabis they immediately conjure up the image of hardcore drugs, ruthless criminals, addicts and drug lords. Many Irish people are uneducated when it comes to cannabis. The public perception of cannabis is that it has no positive uses and therefore must be classed the same as all other illegal drugs in Ireland. Cannabis is a separate entity to controlled drugs as it is a naturally occurring material as opposed to manufactured/synthetic drugs. Cannabis was classed as a ‘controlled drug’ until 1984 when its definition was changed in The Misuse Of Drugs Act 1977-2015. This change came about due …show more content…
This act was introduced to ‘regulate and control the importation, exportation, manufacturing and sale of drugs in Ireland’. The law developed over the years and The Misuse of Drugs Act was introduced. This Act is the main Irish drug law. This law ‘prevents the misuse of certain dangerous or otherwise harmful drugs’.
The main question coming to the fore is why should we decriminalise or legalise cannabis? Is it because prohibition never works to the extent planned? Or is it that we will never be able to control it fully? Prohibition of certain substances only drives its activity underground, creating a black market. The prime example of the negative effects of prohibition is the Volstead Act in the United States of America which prohibited the manufacturing, consumption and sale of alcohol. This prohibition reduced the amount of alcohol consumed but it also increased the amount of organised …show more content…
The penalties for being in possession of cannabis in Ireland also differ from the penalties arising from being in possession controlled drugs. The Misuse of Drugs Act differentiates between possession for personal use and possession for sale. Ireland has a three strike system in relation to personal use; on your first offence you can receive a fine not exceeding €2500. On your second offence you can receive a fine not exceeding €2500 and on your third or subsequent offence you can receive a jail sentence not exceeding three years or to a fine of such amount the court considers necessary. In association to possession for sale the penalties vary from one year to life imprisonment. Irish law states that a minimum of a 10 year sentence is attainable for supplying cannabis of more than €13000 street