This follows the passing of the Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Bill 2016 by the Oireachtas today
According to the Department of Health the “primary purpose” of the Bill is to protect public health by bringing certain substances, which are open to misuse and known to be traded on the illicit market under the scope of the Misuse of Drugs legislation, “thereby aiding the law enforcement activities of An Garda Síochána.”
Both Minister for Health Simon Harris TD and Minister for State for Communities and the National Drugs Strategy, Catherine Byrne TD stated that this Bill was one part of the whole-of-government approach in dealing with the serious crime situation in the north inner city of Dublin.
The Bill also controls the benzodiazepine phenazepam and a number of new psychoactive substances which Ireland is required to control under our EU and UN obligations, as well as two substances found in the headshop drug ‘Clockwork Orange’. The Bill provides for a small number of other amendments of a technical nature.
