No

The legalisation provides a control and ruling of the market, this will result in less bad effects of the drug from unkown sources. It also has multiple benefits in the health sphere as an alternative to other or non-existing drugs

Less or equally as harmful as alcohol, Yet it is legal, and holds medicinal benefits yet alcohol does not

weed is only a 'gate way drug' because the dealers also sell other drugs. People will do drugs no matter the harm or the law, harm reduction and education is the best foot foward.

Having first hand experienced living in a country with legal marijuana, I have seen the benefits. Access to pain relief and symptom suppression for medical patients, lower alcohol consumption, lower underaged drug use due to reduced stigmata and parents feeling more free to have a judgement free conversation with their kids, more tax income for government projects, more business opportunities for citizens and farmers.

I believe it should be regulated the same as alcohol, 18+, no driving etc but at the end of the day it is no more harmful than alcohol, if anything its less harmful you can die of alcohol poisoning but the most that happens when you smoke too much is you throw up and have to sleep it off

It’s less harmful than alcohol but should be treated in the same class ie DUI’s, public intoxication not allowed etc. it’s not the governments business what you do in your own house

It's less dangerous than alcohol.
Keeps the money out of the gangs.
Taxes from sales can go towards hospitals etc

Marijuana been sold everywhere. Drug dealers making money and no taxes been paid. Legalisation brings millions in taxes

This is a great alternative to a lot of medication. A huge tax income to the country. Makes sure there is a clean natural alternative from the drugs on the streets. Several country’s have adopted legalisation of marijuana and it has lowered the drug use in the country’s.

Prohibition of cannabis, like other substances, leads to a a dangerous situation where consumers buy their drugs on a black market, which funds organised crime.

Alcohol kills more than weed ever would.
It would provide funding for multiple social projects including I proved mental health care and allow it to be more tightly controlled preventing drugs to be controlled by criminal organisations.

Untapped source of tax, regulation would take it out of organized crime, it's less dangerous than alcohol and tobacco

If I were to say No to the legalisation of Marijuana, would I also say no to the ability of people who suffer from life long disabilities to be refused treatment just because they would have to use this drug to cure it?

Legalisation takes the power away from criminal gangs. It has proven medicinal uses. It is not as harmful as other similarly classed substances.

Weed can be used for medicinal purposes and can and should be controlled and legalised for this reason in my opinion

It has proven medical benefits, people are already using marijuana and our police force is wasted on this

Alcohol is a much worst drug and it's legal, just because something is illegal doesnt mean people dont do it. Tax from this trade could be hugely beneficial to the economy. Increase tourism.

The legalisation and celebration of alcohol in comparison to the rate of drunk driving, violence, assaults, and deaths caused by alcohol should be heavily looked into, and compared to the behaviour of people when engaging with marijuana. Stark, stark difference.

if you want to say no its your opinion but there is people out there that need the drug for pain related issues

If the government invested in the training and education for people to work in the industry and invested in a national socialist model for the marijuana industry we could use the profits from both that industry and the tourism it would bring to fund social housing, health care and education.

Quite frankly the fact that marijuana is still demonised as much as it is is mind boggling to me. It's been scientifically an medically proven to help with pain relief and symptoms of a multitude of diseases, and while I do understand that it may have some adverse effects, the benefits far outweigh the positives. To that point, if we are happy to have alcohol as a legal recreational substance (a substance with much more potential for mental and physical harm as well as addiction) why would we not do the same with marijuana. Additionally, legalising, regulating and taxing the substance would create industry, provide job opportunities, increase capital which could be reinvested in infrastructure and take a massive chunk out of the income of black market criminal organisations.

It has medicinal uses, it is less harmful and addictive than some legal drugs, it would reduce drug crimes, it would reduce underage drug use, it would decrease the amount of people who would choose to experiment with illegal drugs because some people would be satisfied having just tryed marijuana and not feel the need to do more drugs obviously that won’t be the same for everyone but it still would cover some people. It would also allow for a lot of new legal job opportunities which could decrease unemployment.

By legalising and regulating cannabis with dispensers like America I believe it would cut down on illegal activity

voting against legalisation only makes it harder for people to obtain, it doesn’t prevent it. legalising it will enable people to access it in a more safe and controlled way and take power and control away from gangs and dealers selling.

More people die whilst under the influence of alcohol compared to people who have died under the influence of marijuana and alcohol is Irelands biggest selling point to tourists.

Decriminalising drugs like Marijuana not only allows people to access safer marijuana through dispensaries, it also prevents the drug from being traded illegally. Furthermore, if marijuana is decriminalised, it can save a lot of space in prisons. It should be treated the same as alcohol, where only 18 year olds (or older) can legally purchase and access it, and it can only be done on your own property/in correct venues for it.

If you don’t want to buy it then don’t buy it, but it helps a lot of people, like it’s not that deep

Proven medical benefits. Controlled usage and amounts from a dispenser. Known makeup of what is being supplied. Not the same marijuana you’d get from some lad in a corner.

It has medicinal purposes. Other countries that have legalised it don’t have any ill affect on their people. We should treat it just like alcohol for recreational use and have medicinal purposes too for those with cancer and terminal illnesses.

If marijuana was legal and alcohol was illegal. A lot of children would remember sleepy hungry fathers rather than violent drunk ones

Less harmful than some legal substances, has potential medicinal uses, the legal sale can be taxed, decriminalisation/legalisation reduces prison overpopulation and can reduce overall crime rate.

It is less harmful than alcohol and has medical benefits. Criminilisation does not prevent use, it only causes buyers to support an underground unregulated market.

Cannabis prohibition has been just as ineffective, inefficient, and problematic as alcohol prohibition. Cannabis is objectively less harmful than alcohol to the consumer and to society. It is less toxic, less harmful to the body, less addictive, and less likely to contribute to violent or reckless behavior. Adults should not be punished for making the safer choice to use cannabis instead of alcohol, if that is what they prefer. Regulating cannabis like alcohol will replace the uncontrolled illicit market with a tightly regulated system. By legalising and regulating cannabis, authorities actua…  Read morelly know who is selling it, where it is being sold, when, and to whom. In jurisdictions where cannabis is legal, it is produced and sold by legitimate, taxpaying businesses instead of drug cartels and criminals. These businesses will be required to test their products and adhere to strict labeling and packaging requirements that ensure cannabis is identifiable and consumers know what they are getting. Government resources should not be wasted arresting and prosecuting cannabis consumers.

Marijuana is arguably better for you than alcohol; it has many positive uses; it doesn’t hurt anyone; and the government could tax and regulate it the same as alcohol, making it safer and also deriving funds that could be put to good use.

Not regulating cannabis leaves the profits in the hands of criminals, no tax revenue is collected, consumers are not protected from harmful synthetic or other adulterants being added. Children have easier access to cannabis in non regulated markets also.

Marijuana has been proven to be less harmful than currently legal drugs in Alcohol and Tobacco. Legalising and regulating the drug, using the taxes earned from the sale of Marijuana to fund harm reduction and education on substances in schools & rehab centres will help further destigmatise drug addiction and help addicts get help that they need.

Making marijuana illegal does not make it disappear, since it’s not regulated by the government people growing and distributing it can add harmful chemicals to it or it will simply be too harmful to use. Drugs will always be used no matter what, so at least make sure people aren’t harmed while doing so

The tens of thousands of cases that shows the positive benefits of therapeutic marijuana use to treat and ease numerous ailments, and how it has been a net positive for every country that has adopted legalisation policy.

It is a natural substance with plenty of medical and therapeutic properties used by many people to self medicate in supplement of this country’s failing mental health services

Illegal Cannabis is a subsidy to criminal organisations. If you legalised and regulated it, it would be consumed like alcohol and the producers wouldn't be doing murders on the side.

Marajuana is already a very commonly used drug in Ireland and making it legal would make it easier to keep users safe and make sure the drug they are using is safe

Legalization just ensures that marijuana's distributed safely. If we allow alcohol to be legal, a drug that has destroyed families and people alike, we should allow something actually medically benevolent and demonstrably so in quite a few cases to be legal as well.

medical benefits, can be a lot more safer compared to medication and have less dangerous side effects. obviously, control is needed and this is not talking about marijuana abuse.

The use of marijuana can help people in many different ways with mental health issues and sleep deprivation and medical sores and aches it is less impactful than alcohol in terms of disorderly behaviour and as long as no one is operating machinary or driving I don't see how it hurts anyone but the user in terms of smoking if cigarettes and vapes are legal and alcohol is legal there's no sense behind it, also the illegalisation of marijuana started centuries ago as a way to stop the Mexicans being able to benefit off their own crops coffee was exported and they were left with nothing so to continue this is an extension of the racism that Mexicans have been facing for centuries and I don't endorse racism nor should our country

It's a plant. Plants are usually good for us, this should be no different. It naturally helps with pain.

Alcohol is toxic and it's legal. The legalisation and taxation of cannabis products would benefit the user and the economy.

It's a low risk product that people are already buying regardless of the legality. When legal the government can regulate production and growth to ensure people are getting the best possible product akin to the alcohol and cigarette industries.

If you put the effects of alcohol and Marijuana side by side, could someone successfully argue that alcohol should be legal?

If you allow tobacco, then there is no reason for marijuana to be illegal, all arguments against it are the same as arguments against tobacco and that has been legal since the creation of the state

Depends on what the reason for no is. The drug is essentially harmless and a significant portion of Irish people partake in much more harmful drugs, such as cocaine, on a regular basis. Making someone a criminal for buying selling or using marijuana is nonsensical.

Alcohol is much worse for physical and mental health. Marijuana legalisation will boost our economy and level up our society

Why allow alcohol but not marijuana?
Alcohol destroys families and people's lives yet is celebrated as a cultural norm

I can see no logical argument against the legalisation, regulation and taxation against cannabis, particularly in a country with historic alcohol abuse and legalised tobacco products.

Why should non-violent crimes be used as a means to lock people who may perhaps struggle with addiction, while allowing those who tske advantage of the system and government benevolence to go unchecked eg Apple windfall

If alcohol is a legal tender where research shows that aggression and violence is more common in alcohol users than marijuana users. I don’t see how marijuana is illegal and illicit whereas alcohol is a legal drug.

it's legal in many countries and I feel it's unfair that someone goes to jail for a plant and when someone commits a horrible crime they get less time

One of the strongest counterarguments to the “No” position on marijuana is that legalizing and regulating cannabis could lead to significant public health and economic benefits. When legalized, marijuana can be safely regulated to ensure quality and prevent contamination, thus reducing health risks compared to unregulated, illicit versions. Legalization also allows for substantial tax revenue generation, which can fund public health, education, and social programs. Furthermore, research shows that marijuana is less harmful than many legal substances, such as alcohol and tobacco, and it has medical potential for managing chronic pain, epilepsy, and anxiety, making a compelling case for a shift in legal perspective.

A substance that alters your mind and does not actively damage your body, in my opinion is significantly better then one that is damage a vital organ

Medical benefits. Similar to alcohol as it is most time non-lethal. If yes to alcohol why no to marijuana?

If you don’t agree with cannabis don’t partake in it but let the people who use it for personal use or medical use let them use it.

If you don’t legalise it then there will be consistent back door selling mixed with anything. To regulate and promote a safe environment and use of it it should be legalised and sold in pure form

Marijuana is far less destructive than alcohol and has less of a death rate while also helping people medically not just for psychical issues ( eg pain ) but also mental issues ( eg anxiety ) if legalised it should still be monitored but not with the impression of illegality and prosectution.

Alcohol Is legal and has many negative effects thc legalisation would create many new jobs with dispenseries opening and would be safer to consume it would also help the economy and promote its use medicinally compared to the surplus of alcohol related problems

Look at the medicinal effects for various diseases all over the world, the drop in crime rates in legalized countries or states. With the amount of marijuana currently on our streets, would you not rather it be sold legally in a store, with information about what you are buying, side effects, and sold to you by an educated professional, rather than some dodgy characters around the street, in the flats or down a dark laneway?
Taxing it such as alcohol would bring money to the country and clean up the way which people are holding themselves in the streets. Just take Canada for example. They have it down to a tee.

- Drug Dealers don’t check ID.
- Regulation results in safer drug use
- Tax income
- Less spent on police

That alcohol can cause more damage and has caused more physical damage on people through domestic abuse or out straight just attacking people while intoxicated and alcohol is still legal

it is already commonly used and it would be safer to have people access to regulated version so it is also safer for the people who use it

It's a great way to help keep addicts clean from more harmful and aggressive substances like heroin and meth - which causes much greater antagonist side effects which are visible in our streets nowadays

control will remove both additional health dangers from polluted product and take money away from criminals. Taxation can fund a significant number of social reforms / initiatives.

The regulation of the drug industry is the only option; there is no other. It will continue to be used no matter what penalties are introduced, and the best thing the government can do is legalise it and tax it

As I see it marijuana is a plant that grows in the ground if you look at the statistics no one has ever died from an overdose of weed but thousands of people have died from alcohol poisoning or liver failure due to drinking and thousands of people have overdosed on drugs such as cocaine and herion I believe marinuana is a lot safer then alcohol

Alcohol kills more than weed ever would.
It would provide funding for multiple social projects including I proved mental health care and allow it to be more tightly controlled preventing drugs to be controlled by criminal organisations.

the legalization of it will make it easier to keep regulated so that people can be safer when using and buying as they can know what it is exactly that they are purchasing.

Marijuana is not only used for recreational purposes, but also as an affordable alternative to Western medicines. The people who have been charged with crimes for possessing marijuana are overcrowding the jails it is not necessary. It should be given in regulation.

People are going to be doing it anyways. At least if it's legal people won't risk other substances in their Marijuana and it'll be safer.

marijuana does not cause an aggressive reaction, nor is it as dangerous as alcohol. it also helps with severe pain relief. i don’t get how marijuana is illegal while alochol is not. i’ve seen far worst reactions to alochol than weed.

There are health risks associated with heavy cannabis use that legalised regulations would be needed for

it is not a severe drug but i think once it gets to the point of drug abuse or addiction it should be properly dealt with.

Legalizing marijuana offers several benefits, including economic growth through taxation and job creation in the cannabis industry. It also allows for better regulation and quality control, ensuring safer products for consumers. Additionally, legalization can reduce the burden on the criminal justice system by decreasing arrests for marijuana-related offenses, allowing law enforcement to focus on more serious crimes. Medical use of marijuana provides therapeutic benefits for various conditions, such as chronic pain and epilepsy, enhancing patients' quality of life. Overall, legalization promotes public health, safety, and economic development.

decriminalisation/ legalisation greatly reduces the profits of criminals in the country as well as allows grown adults to make their own educated decisions

Legal or Illegal, marijuana use is rampant in Ireland and is still happening and will continue to happen for the foreseeable future, legalising it means it can be done in a safe and monitored environment as opposed to doing it with the risk of being laced with potentially fatal drugs.

Compared to alcohol, marijuana cannot and will not kill you. The drug only kills a person because it’s being sold by criminal organisations who use chemicals and pesticides to grow it. Legalisation allows the government to add regulations and tax to the plant allowing safer and controlled usage.

control will remove both additional health dangers from polluted product and take money away from criminals. Taxation can fund a significant number of social reforms / initiatives.

in comparison to substances already on the market that are chemically addictive, (ex. nicotine products) there is no substance in pure marijuana that is chemically addictive, plus it will be much safer to regulate the use and prevent “bad batches”, it will boost the economy, more job availability due to this new market, if it’s going to be done anyways, might aswell make a profit from it 🤷‍♀️

There has been no recorded deaths or prolonged health issues linked to the direct use of marijuana. The effects cause the user to be cheerful and relaxed rather than angy and sick when compared to alcohol which has proven to be a much more harmful drug than marjuana while still being legal in ireland.

Marijuana has been shown to have better health benefits than alcohol with less long term damage to health and public disturbances.Alcohol is legal. I believe it should be treated the same.

thousands of people suffering treatment resistant depression, anxiety, ptsd, bpd, bipolar, and also physical ailments such as cancer etc should have access to medical marijuana

huge benefit for tourism in ireland

It provides mesicinal benefits, cannot directly kill anyone from an overdose on the drug itself, can be easily regulated

eliminates black market, gang violence, reliefs health sector as product is regulated, can apply excise duty to its sale.

Alcohol is so much worse and it's legal, weed actively helps people with cancer, mental health issues and chronic pain among many other things

People with disabilities could gain from the use of the substance, cbd has many benefits medicinally

Making marijuana illegal does not prevent the selling and buying of the drug at all, it only makes it less regulated and dangerous. When people are buy street level drugs, the risk of overdose or harm increased tenfold. Legalizing marijuana would also contribute positively to the economy, bringing in more money.

By decriminalizing Marijuana, we help make this drug which is as harmful as alcohol and less harmful than cigarettes less likely to become a gateway drug to harder stuff. As well as this, we ensure that when people do Marijuana, they have a clean batch which helps decrease the liklehood of a Fent problem here like they have in the US. To add to this, this could be a great revenue stream for the government which theoretically should lead to lower taxes for us. However, that depends on the government.

You will end all illegal selling and stifle criminal organisation. This has been backed by nobel laureates such as Milton Friedman

The legalisation of marijuana would bring in more money to the country than anything ever has. It will also help people with addiction problems and substance abuse to fight such problems when it is regulated, tested and approved officially and not just graded "banging" by some local drug dealer. Legalisation and regulation will also contribute to less and less underage smoking and use of marijuana just like licensing the sale of alcohol has done. Legalisation would also see an immense decrease in antisocial behaviour, violence and hate/fear of garda presence and/or interaction and would allow gardai to focus on real crime like rape, murder, kidnapping and theft/fraud. It would also encourage positivity within communities, businesses and towards local authorities.

Marijuana has low addiction potential, proven benefits and low risk, certainly much lower than alcohol, for which few people reasonably advocate a ban.

You can't walk through town without smelling it everywhere anyway, clearly the demand exists. At that point regulation and taxation is the next best step. I believe a system like Spain would be ideal.

The legality of alcohol ruins lives every year, people will smoke cannabis regardless so why not legalize, tax and regulate it. The income every year can be huge and this will undercut the synthetic market

There’s evidence from other countries that show that legalisation of Marijuana has proven to be successful. Many people, particularly young adults, use marijuana. With the legalisation of it, there would be little to no risk of it being laced due to it being sold by licensed companies. Unlike drugs like Alcohol, marijuana also has medical uses and can help with mental health or physical health issues. Since the use of HHC is legal in Ireland and has caused little issues (compared to alcohol) it’s only right that the government consider taking steps to legalising cannabis.