More than half of Irish people believe illegal drug use is a serious problem in their community

The survey ranks Ireland in first or second position in respondents saying it was easy to get cocaine, MDMA (ecstacy), heroin, or synthetic opioids within 24 hours.

The survey also highlights a significant trend among Irish people in their views on banning or legalising drugs, with 50% saying cannabis should be regulated — down from 66% in 2021.

The research, conducted in the 27 member states last September, shows Ireland is:

• Fourth highest in people believing those using drugs resort to violence — 52% (compared to EU average of 42%);
• Second highest in believing gender-based violence from drug use is a problem — 58% (41%);
• Highest in believing mental health and stigma are major problems related to drug use — 83% (62%);
• Sixth highest in believing drug traffickers using violence and intimidation is their local area is a problem — 39% (32%);
• Below average (41% v 49%) in believing the involvement of children and teenagers in drug trafficking is a problem;
• Third highest in believing drug problems have greatly increased — 22% (13%);
• Third highest in people believing the availability of drugs is central to reducing the quality of life in their area — 58% (39%).

The survey found more Irish people (77%) have never taken cannabis, compared to the EU average (74%).

But Ireland was joint highest in terms of people smoking cannabis within the last 30 days (8% v 3%).

Ireland was fourth highest (63%) in terms of people saying it was easy to get cannabis within 24 hours (EU average 58%).

Ireland was highest for access to cocaine (58%) and compared to EU average of 32%. It was joint highest for heroin and synthetic opioids and second highest for MDMA or ecstasy.

Decriminalisation of drug possession

Asked should cannabis be regulated or continued to be banned, 50% of Irish respondents said it should be regulated — a significant drop from 66% in 2021.

Correspondingly, 40% of Irish respondents said it should continue to be banned, up 15%.

The EU average in terms of regulation of cannabis was 53% — but this has dropped from 62% in 2021.

Portugal, which has a policy of decriminalisation of drug possession that has been examined as a possible model of reform by many European countries, including Ireland, has seen a similar trend.

Some 51% of Portugese respondents want cannabis to be regulated, down from 62% in 2021, with 41% saying they would like it to be banned, compared to 32% in 2021.

The Citizens Assembly on Drugs, which reported last January, overwhelmingly recommended that Ireland adopt an “Irish” version of decriminalisation of all drugs.

This would see drug possession remain illegal, but people caught with drugs for personal possession would receive potentially limitless diversions from the criminal justice system to a health service.

Last September, the Oireachtas Committee on Drugs recommended full decriminalisation of drug possession and the repeal of the law making it an offence.

Fine Gael came out strongly against decriminalisation in the election campaign.