A Significant Day
Today is a “significant day” for Irish society.
Or so our illustrious Minister for Health Simon “it will be fixed next month” Harris tells us.
People caught for the first time with drugs for their own use will be dispatched forthwith to the HSE for treatment.
Oh dear. What the fuck have they done to deserve that? The endless waiting, sitting on hard seats with only watery “coffee” in the dispensing machines only to be lectured and hectored by some underling? I think I would prefer a few weeks in The Joy. There is far less chance of coming out with some life threatening disease. Incidentally, the HSE just doesn’t have the resources for this so the would-be addict will just end up back on the streets again while he [or she] waits a few years for an appointment.
I presume they are working on the misguided belief that some kid who has been shooting up for years will have some kind of Damascus Revelation and will walk out swearing never to touch the stuff again. Fat chance of that. He’ll be straight off to shoot up again, and fair play to him.
Equally suppose I am caught with a few spliffs in my pocket? Do I get the same lectures on the evils of dope, despite that fact that I would probably be twice the age of the lecturer? Equally I would be straight out to light up a toke just to settle my nerves, and would probably do so on the hospital grounds just to piss them off.
I’m all for them telling us that this is bad for us and the other is bad for us and everything else is bad for us if it makes them happy. Frankly it would make me a lot happier too if they just left it at that. Tell us that smoking is bad and alcohol is bad and drugs are bad and being fat is bad and being unhealthy is bad, but for fuck’s sake leave us to make up our own minds after that.
Just stop criminalising things and “shaming” people or passing laws that may “help” a tiny minority but just discriminate against the rest of us.
Just leave us alone.
But every cloud has a silver lining of business opportunity. If all those users are being sent to the same places for 'treatment', the local weed-dealers will soon be lining the streets on the routes to and from the 'treatment centre', offering their wares to a concentrated market of already committed users. Much more efficient than standing round in a dangerous city centre at night or paying commission to takeaway drivers: sales will boom, profits will boom, volumes will increase, prices will fall, saves time, trouble, risk and money for the users, everyone's happy – well, happily spaced-out anyway.
So spaced-out that they won't even notice what a dick Leo is when it comes to dealing with a proper PM in London. Maybe that's the plan.
That's a fair point. We cn expect to see a few "pop up" shops appearing around the various centres. All I really need is a chair [foldable for a quick getaway]?
I'm beginning to think that your government really sucks. I know our Federal gubmint is a shambles and the Pennsylvania gubmint has it's problems but Geez, We decriminalized small amounts of grass a few years ago. Now because of the epidemic of people OD'ing on Heroin and Fentynal there are harsh penalties for that stuff. We have the single most liberal Governor in the country. He's an asshat. A real turd but his Leuitenant Governor if he had his way would legalize grass. He has been campaigning for it since he was sworn in. We have Medical grass available [at great cost]. I think we should alll be like Portugal and leaglize it all. Just be done with it. Tax it and let everyone be.
That's what I think
Beginning to think? What took you so long? We have only just legalised the medical stuff within the last couple of months. Why can't they just look at Portugal and see for themselves that criminalising drugs just doesn't work? There again, if grass was legal it would hit sales of pharma products which says a lot!
"…your government really sucks…"
Offhand, Brian, I'm hard pushed to think of one which doesn't.
Wise words Grandad- but will those that impose taxes listen? Don't hold your wheezy breath, cough?
Those that impose taxes are only interested in ways to impose more taxes.
"…Equally suppose I am caught with a few spliffs in my pocket? Do I get the same lectures on the evils of dope..?"
I suppose you'd just have to take pot luck.
OK, I'll get my coat.