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To: People interested in human rights, drugs policy and social justice.

Reject Coercive Medical Interventions for Cannabis Use

The Citizens' Assembly on Drugs Use has the potential to bring justice-based reform to the archaic and abusive Irish drugs policy.

However, figures within the HSE, Department of Health and the Irish Government are pushing for a new system which will see all those caught with small personal amounts of cannabis coerced into 'brief' SAOR medical interventions in order to avoid criminal sanctions.

This policy will have massive consequences on human rights, bodily autonomy and basic dignity.

It will also have disproportionate impact on:

  • Marginalised communities and people.
  • Medical cannabis users and patients.
  • Those in need of addiction treatment.

The proposed system will clog up addiction treatment services, filling it with people who use cannabis and will result in people who need genuine help waiting longer.

What we really need is a harm-reduction based approach to cannabis which focuses on safe consumption and cultivation, similar to what has been done in Malta with their cannabis social club model.

Why is this important?

The Citizens' Assembly on Drugs Use has the potential to bring justice-based reform to the archaic and abusive Irish drugs policy.

However, figures within the HSE, Department of Health and the Irish Government are pushing for a new system which will see all those caught with small personal amounts of cannabis coerced into 'brief' SAOR medical interventions in order to avoid criminal sanctions.

This policy will have massive consequences on human rights, bodily autonomy and basic dignity.

It will also have disproportionate impact on:

  • Marginalised communities and people.
  • Medical cannabis users and patients.
  • Those in need of addiction treatment.

The proposed system will clog up addiction treatment services, filling it with people who use cannabis and will result in people who need genuine help waiting longer.

What we really need is a harm-reduction based approach to cannabis which focuses on safe consumption and cultivation, similar to what has been done in Malta with their cannabis social club model.
Ireland

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Updates

2024-06-15 17:40:59 +0100

1,000 signatures reached

2024-06-14 11:14:45 +0100

500 signatures reached

2024-06-13 17:41:10 +0100

100 signatures reached

2024-06-13 17:10:18 +0100

50 signatures reached

2024-06-13 16:53:41 +0100

25 signatures reached

2024-06-13 16:49:48 +0100

10 signatures reached