Bring This Story to The Dáil
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It is June 2023, John* (23) is standing before a judge in Naas District Court. This is John’s sixth appearance in court of the single charge of possession of €45 worth of cannabis.
When the judge asked John at what age he started smoking cannabis and for what reason, John replied in a hushed tone. John explained that he started using cannabis at the age of 12, because it helped him to cope, and it made him feel better.
John’s story in not uncommon; despite previous fines and convictions, no resolutions from the courts whether lenient or strong are equipped to tackle the underlying mental health and trauma-based issues that John uses cannabis to suppress. Addiction will not be overcome through court-based sanctions.
John’s key worker from Solas Project informed the court that John was also engaging in a harm reduction step down approach to work on reducing his cannabis use. Despite making positive progress within this approach, due to the criminalisation of cannabis in Ireland, John continues to be caught within the justice system that is not designed to tackle the contributory factors of addiction.
The judge struck out the case stating that there was nothing the justice system could do to change John’s behaviour. Instead, he believed that John’s story should be heard by those in Dáil Eireann. He proposed that lawmakers need to hear the stories of 12-year-olds who feel the need to start smoking cannabis to survive.
At Solas Project we agree that John’s story should be heard, by the Dáil as well as the Citizens Assembly on Drug Use, and the Irish community at large. A new approach to managing and supporting addiction is needed that focuses on addressing the underlying causes of addiction rather than punishing the behaviour.
October 10th is World Mental Health Day, an international day for global mental health awareness, education, and advocacy against social stigma. Let’s continue to make mental health care a reality for people like John through tackling the issues that lead people to find solace in drug use.
*Name changed to protect anonymity.
