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22/07/2016
New Misuse Of Drugs Bill Passes Oireachtas
The new Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Bill 2016 has finished its legislative passage through the Oireachtas.
The Bill aims to protect public health by bringing certain substances which are open to misuse and known to be traded on the illicit market under the scope of the Misuse of Drugs legislation.
The Bill was introduced by the Minister for Health Simon Harris and Minister for State for Communities and the National Drugs Strategy, Catherine Byrne. The Ministers thanked TDs and Senators who contributed to the debate and facilitated the passage of the Bill through the Houses of the Oireachtas.
Both Ministers stated that this Bill was one part of the whole-of-government approach in dealing with the serious crime situation in the north inner city of Dublin following the recent murders and reaffirmed the Government's commitment in the Programme for a Partnership Government to a health-led response to drug problems.
The Bill also controls the benzodiazepine phenazepam and a number of new psychoactive substances which Ireland is required to control under its EU and UN obligations, as well as two substances found in the headshop drug 'Clockwork Orange'. The Bill provides for a small number of other amendments of a technical nature.
Controlling the substances in the Bill is part one of a two-step process. Regulations are also required to allow legitimate users (for example patients with a prescription, health professionals) to possess the substances. Work is underway on drafting the regulations.
The Act will be commenced when the associated regulations are ready but this is expected to happen "relatively quickly", the ministers said.
(MH/LM)
The Bill aims to protect public health by bringing certain substances which are open to misuse and known to be traded on the illicit market under the scope of the Misuse of Drugs legislation.
The Bill was introduced by the Minister for Health Simon Harris and Minister for State for Communities and the National Drugs Strategy, Catherine Byrne. The Ministers thanked TDs and Senators who contributed to the debate and facilitated the passage of the Bill through the Houses of the Oireachtas.
Both Ministers stated that this Bill was one part of the whole-of-government approach in dealing with the serious crime situation in the north inner city of Dublin following the recent murders and reaffirmed the Government's commitment in the Programme for a Partnership Government to a health-led response to drug problems.
The Bill also controls the benzodiazepine phenazepam and a number of new psychoactive substances which Ireland is required to control under its EU and UN obligations, as well as two substances found in the headshop drug 'Clockwork Orange'. The Bill provides for a small number of other amendments of a technical nature.
Controlling the substances in the Bill is part one of a two-step process. Regulations are also required to allow legitimate users (for example patients with a prescription, health professionals) to possess the substances. Work is underway on drafting the regulations.
The Act will be commenced when the associated regulations are ready but this is expected to happen "relatively quickly", the ministers said.
(MH/LM)
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