We’re closer than ever to legalising Cannabis in Ireland. The pressure is on to have a Citizens’ Assembly on drugs this year, and the Minister responsible, Frank Feighan, has said that he wants to ‘end the war on drugs’. [1]
But, this Government is still insisting that legalising Cannabis isn’t on their agenda.
To put it bluntly, they’re nervous and confused. Right now, they don’t believe that legalising Cannabis will help communities, and they’re afraid it’s unpopular amongst their voters. [2]
That’s where we come in. We’re armed with our member-funded research which proves that legalising Cannabis helps build community wealth, keeps communities safer, helps farmers and benefits public health. We also have opinion polls that show how popular legalisation is in Ireland. [3]
But, if we’re going to get this over the line - we need hundreds of us to call, visit and speak directly to TDs in our communities. They need to hear it from us.
That’s why we held a training session this month for members - and if you missed it, now these resources are available for you. We walked through all the steps to show you how it’s done, from contacting your TD to delivering a great message.
Check out these training resource to get you prepared for talking to your local TDs about Cannabis.
- Uplift x TASC cannabis research here.
- Recording of the training on ‘How to talk to your TDs about Cannabis’ here.
- Slides from the training here.
Email your local TDs to ask for a meeting here
Cannabis prohibition isn’t working for Ireland. Small businesses are being targeted by the Gardaí, criminal records are piling up for small offences and people who could benefit from cannabis for medicine, agriculture and the boost to our economy are missing out. [4]
Research shows that with the establishment of crop growth, regulated supply and co-operative investment, communities would be better off. [5] This is why we want to get this in front of politicians who are currently making plans for a Citizens’ Assembly.
But if this is going to work - they need to hear it from people like us - those of us who live in their communities.
Will you talk to your TDs about cannabis? Here’s all the resources you need.
- Uplift x TASC cannabis research here.
- Recording of the training on ‘How to talk to your TDs about Cannabis’ here.
- Slides from the training here.
Email your local TDs to ask for a meeting here
Tell us how your conversations with TDs go! Get in touch by sending an email to [email protected].
NOTES:
[1] The Journal: 'War on drugs’ not an effective response to usage, minister tells committee, Irish Examiner: Growing expectation of Irish citizens’ assembly on drug use this year & MyUplift petition: We want a Citizens’ Assembly on Drugs now
[2] The Journal: Lynn Ruane: Prohibition has never worked anywhere, and it never will
[3] Uplift report blog: Cannabis: A (different kind of) Green New Deal & The Journal: Almost 40% favour legalising cannabis for recreational use, over 90% in favour of medicinal use
[4] Uplift report blog: Cannabis: A (different kind of) Green New Deal
[5] The Guardian: Why we must legalise cannabis now for the sake of public health
