Ireland - ‘Fight drugs, alcohol as one’

[Lunar Loops]

This is from The Irish Examiner (article link):

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

‘Fight drugs, alcohol as one’

By Cormac O’Keeffe

A GOVERNMENT working group has called for an integrated framework in the fight against alcohol and illegal drug abuse, but has stopped short of recommending one combined strategy for both substances.

A copy of the working group’s draft confidential report, seen by the Irish Examiner, sets out two options for the Government.

The first is a single strategy for alcohol and drugs, while the second is a continuation of separate strategies, but with the addition of a new substance co-ordination framework.

It is understood that while medical and community groups want a single strategy, the drinks industry and the Department of Health want to keep the strategies separate.

One source said a letter was circulated between certain departments before the working group had finalised its work saying the strategies should be kept separate.

The National Drugs Strategy (NDS) is coordinated by the Department of Community Affairs, under a minister of state. Alcohol is included only in the context of people under 18 and polydrug use.

Alcohol itself comes under the Department of Health, which has published a number of documents, including two reports by the Strategic Task Force on Alcohol.

Proponents for a combined strategy argue that alcohol does not have the structure, focus, community involvement and political backing that illegal drugs has under the NDS. The working group did not reach consensus on this.

It said arguments for a single strategy were that alcohol and drugs could both lead to addiction; the distinction between alcohol and drugs such as cannabis and cocaine was increasingly blurred.

It said reasons against a combined strategy were that alcohol was a legal drug, alcohol issues could be overlooked and alcohol was too broad an issue.

The working group did agree that local and regional drug task forces could be expanded to help communities address alcohol.

But it said this should be done incrementally with adequate resources, targeted in distinct areas and aimed at specific age groups.

[Nature Boy]

GRR!! This sort of roundabout nonsense is infuriating. Biddies and clowns fumbling with strategy structures that won't work however they're streamlined. How much taxpayer money is being wasted on this bullshit? The only possible measures are to loosen or tighten current legislation and things certainly won't be getting anymore lenient in the foreseeable future. I just wonder what they can do next. Reduce alcohol access to the point where people just won't bother? Doesn't seem likely to me. Just more nuisances and more inconveniences.

[killosaurus]

I don't think alcohol should be made illegal, but if it becomes illegal or strictly controlled so much that an underground trade forms, perhaps the public would realise the futilities of the war on drugs?
For example:
A middle-aged Joe bloggs wont say:
Now that I cant get booze I'll go out and get some other drugs!
But he MAY say:
Now that Im treated like a criminal for buying alcohol, i see how it feels to be treated as a criminal for buying a bag of weed.


thoughts?

[Lunar Loops]

Alcohol will not be made illegal and as such a co-ordinated approach is not going to happen (let's face facts legalisation/decriminalisation of other substances is not coming anytime soon).

There are too many vested interests in the alcohol industry and many a TD would be resorting to stills in the hills to continue pickling their internal organs.

Funny (sic) how most people in this country would look on someone running a poteen still as 'a bit of a charcter', but if they read of someone growing cannabis plants, they are degenerate criminal scum.

[silenius]

10 years ago that statement would have been "true" for tobacco as well.

Originally Posted by Lunar Loops

Alcohol will not be made illegal and as such a co-ordinated approach is not going to happen (let's face facts legalisation/decriminalisation of other substances is not coming anytime soon).

There are too many vested interests in the alcohol industry and many a TD would be resorting to stills in the hills to continue pickling their internal organs.

[Lunar Loops]

Originally Posted by silenius

10 years ago that statement would have been "true" for tobacco as well.

Well, it still is effectively. Tobacco is not about to be made illegal and as such it will not be treated the same as other, currently illegal, substances. As stated in the article, alcohol and tobacco are even handled by a different department in Irish political circles.

[silenius]

Originally Posted by Lunar Loops

Well, it still is effectively. Tobacco is not about to be made illegal and as such it will not be treated the same as other, currently illegal, substances. As stated in the article, alcohol and tobacco are even handled by a different department in Irish political circles.

No, but I think prohibition of tobacco is not as unthinkable as it was 10 years ago. In fact, at least in Germany, some people in the federal ministry of health are actually planning on such a thing (and they are paid to do just that). It's nothing concrete yet, but lots of "what if"/"how could we implement this"-games that eventually might turn into reality.

[Lunar Loops]

Originally Posted by silenius

No, but I think prohibition of tobacco is not as unthinkable as it was 10 years ago. In fact, at least in Germany, some people in the federal ministry of health are actually planning on such a thing (and they are paid to do just that). It's nothing concrete yet, but lots of "what if"/"how could we implement this"-games that eventually might turn into reality.

Now that would be interesting; can't see it happening though. This does all serve to highlight the disparity in the way drug users are dealt with though.