Subject: Ireland: Labour may set up commission on cannabis law



Source: The Examiner (Ireland)



Pubdate: 6 November 1999





Labour may set up commission on cannabis law

by Carl O'Brien



THE Labour Party is expected to discuss a proposal to set up a commission

to look into the issue of decriminalising cannabis next week.



Senator Joe Costello said yesterday a body to discuss the issue was long

overdue and the idea of a commission was likely to be raised at its next

parliamentary party meeting.



"We have been operating in the darkness for far too long. We have never had

a proper forum to take on board all views surrounding the decriminalisation

of cannabis. Once a commission is set up we would have scope for debate and

legislation if necessary," he said.



The call for a commission also has the backing of Green Party TD John

Gormley and Socialist Party TD Joe Higgins.



Senator Costello said the Government had a duty to keep informed on all

information available on cannabis and needed to obtain up to date medical

views on the effects of the drug.



"This is a drug which has been around for 40 years and it's high time the

legislators decided to do something about it," he said.



A commission would need to get the green light from the Department of

Justice before setting up, according Senator Costello. It would be chaired

by a judge who would take proposals from interest groups, professionals,

the medical community and international researchers, he said.



He warned that unless the issues of decriminalising cannabis were dealt

with, drug pushers would continue to profit.



"At present young people are voting with their feet and are using cannabis

and drug pushers are making money out of it. In this situation drugs will

continue be presented in the context of hard drugs."



The call to set up a commission follows a suggestion by former Labour Party

junior Minister Emmet Stagg this week to consider decriminalising cannabis.

However the Labour Party made it clear that Mr Stagg's comments were

strictly personal, and not those of the party.



Senator Costello said yesterday the call for a commission was a logical

extension of what Mr Stagg had suggested and the proposal was expected to

be raised shortly at a party meeting.



Senator Costello also voiced his opposition to drug laws which grouped both

hard and soft drugs together provided mandatory 10 year sentences for

possession of drugs, including cannabis, worth pounds 10,000 or more.