Yes

Portugal decriminalized drugs and has seen a reduction in crime rates and drug use. personal possession should not be criminalized.

Drug dealing is not inherently violent and does not necessarily cause harm to others. People want drugs and drug dealers fill that gap in the market.

They should be given support and help through public healthcare. They are in need of medical help, not criminal rehabilitation. It is a waste of resources and their time, health and their potential life.

I do not think drugs should be decriminalised as it portrays drugs as something kids can turn to. If they’re shown as non criminal it means the rate of younger years doing drugs will go up. Drugs will become a much bigger problem as they will not be seen as a big deal and more people will engage in doing drugs. Instead people who are doing these drugs deserve the proper help they need

In Amsterdam, cannabis is legal, and there are not as many drug dealers operating because of it. It gives jails more room to arrest people with serious offenses.

These individuals deserve a chance of rehabilitation and if you don’t decriminalise drugs the stigma will only grow stronger meaning less people will reach out for help and likely en up incarcerated.

I know plenty of people who struggle with addiction and they are worth so much more than their problems with drugs. if they want to make the personal choice to use knowing the risks then they're only harking themselves, but if drugs aren't regulated then you just CANT know all the risks and that's a huge problem. if alcohol and nicotine can be legalised even though they're vastly unhealthy and/or can directly cause violence, and that decision can be left to the individual to decide for themselves, then the same should apply to any addict.

Court delays and backlog, how many with personal use drug possession? Overcrowded prisons, how many on charges for personal use drug possession? Garda vetting challenges post conviction to find employment further ostracising. More than 70% of prisoners have addiction issues and leave with even greater issues, worsening the problem. This causes continued generational problems. One thing is very clear current policy is not working and penalising people has not improved the issue in any western democratic society. Waste of Garda and other justice agencies time and resources.