Around March this year, Ireland took its first step in its effort to rectify its laws on drugs – and sort out the problem. While it legalised only certain drugs for a short time period, the move has since progressed. On Monday, the land of green announced that it will be decriminalising every drug under the sun as part of a radical cultural shift. Even more progressive? As of next year, addicts will be able to shoot up in special clinically controlled rooms in the country’s capital, Dublin – which will hopefully spread to other cities.

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin is the chief of Ireland’s National Drugs Strategy and put forth the decisions to the London School of Economics, emphasising that there is a difference between decriminalisation and legalisation (Preach, brother) and that attitudes needed to change in shaming addicts. Very reminiscent of Russell Brand’s various speeches on the same topic.

While Portugal has had this policy for 15 years and seen massive amounts of improvements, perhaps putting money into the rehabilitation of addicts instead of the imprisonment of them will yield better results for all.

[source: independent]