Ireland is about to go through what it is calling a "radical cultural shift."
Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, the chief of the National Drug Strategy for Ireland, is making the move to decriminalize substances for personal use, including - but not limited to - heroin, cocaine, and cannabis. In addition, Dublin is going to offer addicts "injection rooms" as part of a detox program, according to Independent.
Ó Ríordáin, who is set to announce the move in a speech to the London School of Economics on Monday, hoped the new bill would be enacted "early next year."
"I am firmly of the view there needs to be a cultural shift in how we regard substance misuse if we are to break this cycle and make a serious attempt to tackle drug and alcohol addiction," he said, reported The Irish Times. "Research has shown that the use of supervised injecting centres is associated with self-reported reductions in injecting risk behaviours."
The rooms wouldn't be opened to just anyone - they are being aimed toward use for the homeless community.
"This will be a wider discussion under the next government but once people get their head around the argument, about what decriminalization actually means, that policy won't be about the drug but about the individual. Then regardless of the drug the individual needs, an intervention and society will be saying, 'the substance is illegal, but you are not a criminal for taking it,'" said Ó Ríordáin, according to Fact Mag.
He expects the doors to open for the injection rooms in Dublin next year, and eventually Cork, Galway and Limerick will follow suit.
"Together with countless other tireless advocates, I've for years argued that we should treat drug use as a health issue, not as a crime. While the vast majority of recreational drug users never experience any problems, people who struggle with drug addiction deserve access to treatment, not a prison cell," said Richard Branson, reported Daily Mail.
