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INDEPENDENT TD LUKE ‘Ming’ Flanagan this evening put forward a private members’ motion in the Dáil to introduce legislation to regulate the growing, selling and possession of cannabis in Ireland.
Wearing his infamous hemp suit, Flanagan introduced the motion to the Dáil, saying that the idea of legalisation cannabis “is not radical anymore”.
He said that, looking at the response from the public to media reports on cannabis legalisation, “the people of Ireland are actually ready for this legislation”.
We have a situation here where an issue is described as radical by many people in Dáil Éireann but the vast majority of people are in favour of it.
The Roscommon TD discussed the changes in law internationally, making particular reference to legalisation in some US states.
He commented that he was expecting the Taoiseach to “follow suit any time now because he always thinks they’re right”.
The TD’s Cannabis Regulation Bill, which was launched last week, would seek to regulate the drug in all areas and would still contain criminal sanctions for illegal production and possession by minors. He argued that regulating the drug would mean taking back the market from the criminals now benefitting from it.
“Who is John Gilligan accountable to? Who is Nidge out of Love/Hate accountable to?” he asked.
Flanagan also raised the issue of the 100,000 people who have criminal records because of cannabis, which causes problems for them when it comes to employment.
A number of TDs commended Flanagan for stirring up the debate which many described as “necessary”.
Dublin TD Maureen O’Sullivan said this was “part of a much wider debate” which she hoped would start tonight.
She said that decriminalising the drug would be a move towards taking the control of the cannabis market away from criminals and called on the government to “stop using prison to tackle drug issues”.
The TD made reference to the increased potency of the cannabis being used by under 18s who are mostly “young males, early school-leavers with a poor employment record”, which is having major negative impacts on mental health.
Fianna Fáil’s Niall Collins said the damage that legislating cannabis “would inflict upon innumerable people across the county is a breach of that duty”.
“Our time here is better spent focusing on the draconian budget introduced only weeks ago that will severely impact upon the young and old in Irish society,” he said. “This attempt to liberalise drug use is a deeply flawed view of what the common good is.”
“Deputy Flanagan’s misguided enthusiasm for this project down through the years belies the all too real dangers of cannabis,” the Fianna Fáil TD commented.
Minister for State Alex White spoke of the “devastating effects” of drugs on families and communities and said that while he had no objection to a debate on the topic, the government would not be supporting Flanagan’s motion.
He said there was “a body of evidence” that says cannabis use is detrimental to health, both physically and mentally and making this drug available “could lead to increased experimentation with other drugs”.
However he said the government is currently finalising an amendment to the Misuse of Drugs regulations to allow for the use of the cannabis-based medicine Sativex by Multiple Sclerosis sufferers.
The debate continues in the Dáil tomorrow with TDs due to vote on Flanagan’s motion.
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Some good news for a change..
FARCing great news.
“Obama vowed continuing support for Colombia, a key ally in the US war on drugs.”
Really Mr. Obama? Maybe have a look at your own security agencies who are up to their bloody elbows in the drugs business in Columbia and many other countries for over 70 years:
“The litany of this is a long one, with the OSS (the predecessor of the CIA) forming a strategic alliance with the Sicilian and Corsican mafia after World War II to prevent possible communist uprisings in Europe and to smash left-wing unions; the CIA’s assisting the Kuomintang with its opium trafficking operations to fund their joint anti-communist efforts in Asia; the CIA’s actual trafficking of opium out of Laos, Burma and Thailand to help fund the U.S. counter-insurgency effort in South East Asia; the CIA’s support of “the chief smugglers of Afghan opium, the anti-communist Mujahedin rebels in Afghanistan” in their efforts against the pro-Soviet government in Afghanistan, leading ultimately to Afghanistan becoming one of the largest opium suppliers in the world (a status only briefly interrupted when it was under Taliban control); and the Reagan Administration’s funding the Nicaraguan Contras (after such funding was outlawed by Congress) by, among other things, cocaine smuggling operations.
The book quotes the United Nations Drug Control Program (UNDCP) which concludes that, today, “the biggest heroin and cocaine trading institutions in the world are the militaries of Burma, Pakistan, Mexico, Peru and Colombia – ‘all armed and trained by U.S. military intelligence in the name of anti-drug efforts.’” In the case of Colombia, while the U.S., to justify its massive counterinsurgency program, vilifies the FARC guerillas as “narco-terrorists,” this title is more befitting of the Colombian state and its paramilitary allies.”
http://www.counterpunch.org/2012/02/16/the-u-s-war-for-drugs-of-terror-in-colombia/
Good news all the same though Wally.
Good copy/paste job Billy. Wouldn’t call counterpunch a credible source though.
Can you identify anything incorrect in the article Tadhg?
The first rule of confirmation bias – go after the source
Billy, I can see something incorrect! – YOU!!
So no dispute as to the content of the article then Tadhg? Maybe you’d prefer the Nation Security Archive blow which also outlines the U.S involvement in drug trafficking:
“This electronic briefing book is compiled from declassified documents obtained by the National Security Archive, including the notebooks kept by NSC aide and Iran-contra figure Oliver North, electronic mail messages written by high-ranking Reagan administration officials, memos detailing the contra war effort, and FBI and DEA reports. The documents demonstrate official knowledge of drug operations, and collaboration with and protection of known drug traffickers. Court and hearing transcripts are also included.”
Evidently Ronald hadn’t heard about his wife Nancy’s “Just Say No” to drugs mass media campaign during the 80s.
@ Billy Mooney : North and South Korea are still technically at war, as they only signed an armistice, not a peace treaty. So that’s a longer war than the Farc one.
I won’t quibble with you over inconsequential technicalities Niall. When I asked Tadhg if there was anything incorrect in the article I was referring to the linked counterpunch piece.
@ Billy Mooney: no problemo. I was referring to the Journal’s abysmal record of exaggeration, lousy sub-editing, or simply getting things wrong.
This seems like great news, but in reality its a Trojan horse. The Farc were established as a Communist movement, they formed the guerrilla because Colombians voted in favour of Democracy and the Communist candidates never got enough votes. They were more popular in Rural Colombia, but still not popular enough to win an election. So what do you do when you are a stubborn Communist who always looses an election? Form a Guerrilla. These people are murderers, kidnappers, drug dealers. All with the pretexts of founding “the cause” Colombia gained the fame they have is thanks to Guerrillas, they enabled drug cartels. They made travelling by land impossible, because they would engage in kidnappings even having their own checkpoints in the roads, they had total control of rural Colombia and their roads. People up to date travel mostly by air within Colombia not to get kidnapped.
Many of the people who ruined Venezuela with Chavez and Maduro are Ex-Guerrilla members. They had the most senior positions in cabinet.
What will happen in Colombia its a What happened in Venezuela, but on Steroids. These assassins will now be free and be able to run for office and fool the vulnerable poor population with false promises just like Chavez did in the 1990s, Chavez even said that “He hates Socialism, he is pro free market and these Marxists ideas are outdated” And people bought it.
Don;t get me wrong, I am anti savage capitalism and anti oligarchy, this is the other extreme. But I dare any die hard leftists Marxists pro Cuba, Pro venezuela, Pro Communism to have the b.alls to come here and defend Farcs action, to defend Communism, Cuba and Venezuela without even been there for themselves. I dare someone who has been in in these places and say that Communism is the answer.
Ok Uribe.
Very good analysis Juan. You seem to know what you’re talking about.
FARC didn’t start this conflict, the army’s attacks on civilians did.
Colombia wasn’t a democracy- it was an oligarchy where only two parties could run for office until the early 90s. It was a ‘perfect dictatorship’ like Mexico, in the hands of an elite.
What happened every time FARC tried to demobilize? It’s members were assasinated. Google the genocide of the Union Patriotica.
Worried that poor people will vote for FARC? That speaks volumes about the country- the poor are so oppressed that they might vote for the hated guerrilla over the mainstream parties.
I’m no supporter of FARC but people need to stop acting as though they’re solely responsible for the war.
The United Nations are actually doing something useful! I need to lie down.
That’s good news ☮
Fantastic news for the SF bird watching society. They can now watch some birds in Colombia without coming under undue suspicion.
Congratulations to Eamon Gilmore as well.
What about the punishment for using child soldiers by farc.
Usually govt propaganda, helps to deprive your opponents of legitimacy
The army force poor Colombians who can’t bribe their way out to fight on the frontline. FARC aren’t alone in forced recruitment.
No more Sinn Fein/ IRA training trips. Whatever will they do with their free time?
All cause of the banana war started by the US and EU
http://www.triplepundit.com/2015/01/bananas-colombian-civil-war-u-s-supreme-court/
have your say