As a treatment, methadone is problematic. Treating addiction shouldn’t be about substituting one drug for another. A holistic, multifaceted approach that addresses the causes of addiction along with the substances one is addicted to is a long, arduous, complex process. So, sure, methadone is a blunt instrument, but for some people, it’s a necessary – or perhaps the only available – port of call en route to being opiate-free.
As a result of this new policy proposal, about 10 per cent of the 12,000 people who come in contact with the gardaí every year for drug possession for personal use, will be affected by the changes. Those 1,200 people may be referred to the HSE as opposed to being processed through the criminal justice system. If they are caught a second time, a garda may issue an adult caution.
Criminalising drug use does not prevent drug use. Punishing addicts does not prevent drug use. Denying people treatment does not prevent drug use. Confining addicts to small geographical pockets, a type of social kettling, does not prevent drug use. Condemning drug users does not prevent drug use.