Drugs

The High Court has ruled that mandatory-minimum sentences for those with previous convictions for serious drug trafficking is contrary to the Constitution. Under section 27(3F) of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977, a person had to receive at least 10 years’ imprisonment if they had previously been

Prosecutions for the possession of cannabis have declined dramatically in the UK over the past decade, according to new figures. New analysis from House of Commons researchers shows that the number of prosecutions fell by around a third from 160,733 in 2010/11 to 110,085 in 2019/20.

The Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal from a man convicted under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977 for being in possession of drugs with a value of more than €13,000. The man had claimed that the drugs had a market value worth less than €13,000 because, when sold between dealers, the drug

Prisons should offer free cannabis to drug-dependent prisoners to determine whether it could stem overdose deaths and reduce violence, a police and crime commissioner has said. Arfon Jones, North Wales PCC, said if the authorities seriously wanted to reduce violence in prisons, “they should be

Gardaí will now issue cautions to adults caught with small amounts of cannabis and cannabis resin in a significant expansion of the adult cautioning scheme introduced nearly 15 years ago. The scheme provides "an alternative to the prosecution of certain persons against whom there is evidence

Vancouver, one of the biggest cities in Canada, has become the first jurisdiction in the country to take steps towards decriminalising personal possession of drugs including heroin and cocaine. City councillors unanimously backed proposals from Mayor Kennedy Stewart to adopt a "health-focused" appro

Gardaí have arrested a woman in an ongoing operation to disrupt the supply of drugs and contraband to prisoners attending a court in Co Cork. Officers said they searched a number of people in the vicinity of Mallow Court House under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977 yesterday morning.

Around 140,000 tablets intended for illegal distribution over the internet have been seized in Northern Ireland in part of a global operation co-ordinated by Interpol. The Northern Ireland operation, carried out by Organised Crime Task Force (OCTF) partners, was part of the global "Operation Pangea

Drugs prosecutions in Scotland have plummeted following a change in policy. Figures show that cases have halved in four years, with prosecutors applying what they say is "smart", not "soft touch" justice, our sister publication Scottish Legal News reports.

Cocaine use is "rampant" in cases coming before the family courts in Dublin, a solicitor has said. Family lawyer Sandra McAleer said cocaine is no longer a "rich man's drug" and is increasingly playing a role in domestic violence cases in particular.

The Government has announced what it calls "significant reforms" to the possession of drugs for personal use in Ireland, introducing alternatives to prosecution for first and second offences but rejecting decriminalisation. Liam Herrick, executive director of the Irish Council for Civil Liberties (I

A man who was found with drugs valued at nearly €270,000 during a search of his house has had his sentence decreased in the Court of Appeal. Finding that the original sentence of ten years with the final three suspended was “an error of principle” due to the very strong mitigation w

Proposals to establish Ireland's first medically supervised injection facility (MSIF) for drug users have been rejected by Dublin City Council. The council said the proposed facility would be bad for tourism and the local area, TheJournal.ie reports.

A man who was convicted of cultivating over one hundred cannabis plants in the attic of his home in Tipperary has lost an appeal against the severity of the five-year sentence imposed upon him by Clonmel Circuit Court. Finding no error in principle with the sentence, Ms Justice Máire Whelan s

The Government will tomorrow consider a series of recommendations on personal drug possession from an expert group chaired by Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan. According to the Irish Independent, the group has not recommended decriminalisation but has set out proposals for cautions for those caught with d