Government must resource health services if new drugs approach to work – Lahart

Responding to the Government’s drug policy announcement Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Dublin, John Lahart, said that the emphasis on a health led approach means that resources need to be in place to deal with referrals to the health services.

“In 2016 Fianna Fáil suggested the introduction of a delayed criminalisation model where drug offences, currently defined for personal usage, are directed towards proper treatment and intervention services so healthcare is prioritised over a criminal justice and prison process that only reinforces addiction and deprivation. This is something the Garda representative groups have been calling for for some time now.

“A ‘three strike’ drug policy as proposed today is in keeping with that. It is important that this model would be properly codified, constructed and formalised to ensure that people with drug addiction are given the opportunity and chance to overcome addiction.

“However, the move to a health led approach can only reduce drug deaths with adequate treatment services in place. Local and Regional Drug Task Forces nationwide are only seeing very slight increases in their budgets, not nearly enough to cope with the problem.

“Rehabilitation services and the number of detox beds available to those seeking treatment for addiction or problem drug use remain grossly inadequate. So where will Gardaí be referring people?

“If as a country we have any hope of bringing this pandemic under control then first and foremost this Government needs to deliver on its commitment to fully implement our National Drugs Strategy.

“Key to this is education, and Fianna Fáil have been advocating for a national multi-annual education and awareness campaign centred around both recreational and problem drug use. If done correctly this would help reduce the prevalence of harmful substances being sold on our streets in the first instance”, he concluded.