Ireland Decriminalizes Use of Heroin, Pot and Cocaine; Abortion Remains Illegal

Ireland plans to decriminalize small amounts of heroin, cocaine and marijuana. If you’re keeping score, abortion remains illegal there.

An officially sanctioned shooting gallery is also coming to Dublin by early 2016, said Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, the chief of National Drugs Strategy on Monday, according to the Independent. Subsequent “supervised injecting rooms” will follow in Cork, Galway and Limerick.

In addition to changing the stigma, Ó Ríordáin’s bold suggestion is motivated by a hope that this type of policy will decrease the number of new HIV/Aids cases caused by intravenous drug use.

“Research has shown that use of supervised injecting centers is associated with self-reported reductions in injecting risk behaviors,” he said.

In a speech on Monday, Ó Ríordáin said that drug treatment needed to move away from shame and criminalization. While taking drugs won’t be seen as criminal, profiting from their sale or distribution will remain punishable by law.