Subj: Gardai in drugs war opposed to legalising cannabis

Date: Mar 12, 1998

Source: The Examiner

Gardai in drugs war opposed to legalising cannabis

by Brian Carroll, Security Correspondent

GARDA Commissioner, Pat Byrne, has pledged to continue the fight
against Munster's drug dealers after over £6m was seized by members
of the National Drugs Unit in Operation Blackwater in the past two
months.

Commissioner Byrne commended the Munster-based members of the
National Drugs Unit for their recent success and said the resources of
the Criminal Assets Bureau and the NDU would be used to root out
remaining drug dealers in the Munster area.

"Drugs are a national problem and we don't approach it in isolation;
looking at just one area. We have to make sure that all the different
branches are working together in the one direction. We didn't just look
at Dublin, it just happens that the majority of them are in Dublin. We
have sharpened our focus and we are working together on the
problem," Commissioner Byrne said.

Speaking in Cork, the Garda Commissioner also hit out at media
commentators calling for the legalisation of cannabis.

"Commentators who criticise the use of Garda resources seizing
cannabis worth millions of pounds as being wasteful seem clear in their
objectives. They promote a supposed soft drug as being harmless and
advise the Gardai to concentrate on heroin or drugs that are perceived
as being more dangerous.

"However Garda research shows that cannabis is used as a gateway
drug and that there is a very strong connection between drug taking
and crime," Commissioner Byrne said.

Garda research showed that among addicts, cannabis was the initial
drug for just over 50%.

"If a habit-forming drug is decriminalised, a consequent drop in price
and convenient availability will lead to increased consumption. Who
would supply cannabis? Would sale be permitted to those over 18 or
over 14 or on prescription under a legalised option?"

"Who would pay the compensation for the ill effects? Which parents
would volunteer or be happy to have their children participate in a
voluntary scheme.

If any restrictions applied would the black market continue as it has
with Methadone.

"As the abuse of drugs applies more in the poorer sections of society,
is it acceptable to simply offer them more convenient drugs as a
solution to their problems. If this is the goal of our society all of us
should be concerned," Commissioner Byrne said.

In a speech to members of the American Chamber of Commerce in
Ireland, Commissioner Byrne detailed Gardai efforts to clamp down
on money laundering and warned businesses to be wary of
involvement in such activities, deliberately or otherwise.