BISHOPS in the North have said that treating drug use as a social, not a criminal issue, can help tackle the substance use crisis here.
Ahead of last Thursday’s General Election, the bishops urged voters to press candidates to support drug decriminalisation and the creation of facilities to help addicts.
In their Pastoral Reflection, the bishops, headed by All-Ireland Primate Eamon Martin, highlighted an increase in drug use as contributing to problems faced in Northern Ireland society today.
However, they have said it was time to address drug use as a social issue, and not a criminal one, and that the removal or reduction of criminal penalties for possession of small amounts of drugs was now needed.
“There is an urgent need to address the drug crisis in our society in a well-resourced, multi-disciplinary way, primarily as a social and medical issue, rather than as a criminal issue to be dealt with as a revolving door phenomenon by the police and prisons,” the bishops said in the joint statement.
“The Irish Bishops’ Drugs Initiative has previously proposed the removal or reduction in criminal penalties for the possession and use of small quantities of drugs, in favour of treating such situations as a public health issue, and prioritising treatment, care, education programmes and longer-term personal development.
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