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New party would legalise drugs
10.09.10
‘Legalise drugs and
decriminalise users’
by Caoimhinn Barr, Inishowen
Independent
A Carn man, who has co-founded a new political
party, claims that we should legalise drugs to
defeat the dealers.
Charlie Williams, a spokesman for Ireland’s newest
political party Fis Nua (New Vision), said that
prohibitionist government policies on drugs have not
worked.
“Making drugs illegal simply drives the users into
the hands of dealers and crime. We must
decriminalise drugs and users to end much of the
crime across the country,” he said.
“Drugs should be controlled at chemists and
regulated by prescription. There are more people in
hospital because of addictions to nicotine, caffeine
and alcohol than there are because of cannabis.
Studies have also shown that cannabis is effective
in the treatment of cancer.” |
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A former member of the
Green Party, Williams urged local Green supporters
to get behind Fis Nua.
“John Gormley has abandoned the Green Party
principles. Supporting NAMA was the final nail in
the coffin. It will become a burden for future
generations,” he said.
The Fis Nua constitution, up for adoption,
incorporates a new type of political structure aimed
at empowering the grass roots membership. The
constitution incorporates many clauses aimed at
ensuring that no political elite can gain a
stranglehold on the organisation.
"The structure includes a one |
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Charlie Williams |
person one vote at
conventions and regular re-election of our
co-ordinating committee. We want to ensure that we
would not develop a comfortable leadership elite.
Our aim is to open up politics in Ireland - not to
create yet another dynastic line,” Williams said.
Some of Fis Nua’s key aims include the use of
properties seized by NAMA for social housing and
other community projects, setting a maximum pay
level on TDs and extra controls on expenses. The
ending of TDs' and Senators' travel allowance in
favour of free bus and rail passes.
Ireland’s only federated political party also wants
free and universal health service, establishment of
community councils with fund raising powers and the
Aarhus agreement to be transposed into Irish law
immediately.
Fis Nua will hold its inaugural convention and first
public meeting on September 11th in the Teacher’s
Club, 36 Parnell Square West, Dublin, starting at 12
noon. The convention is open to the public from 3
pm.
“We invite those community groups and individuals
involved in campaigns throughout Ireland, to
organise together to stand candidates in the next
election, under the Fis Nua umbrella, so that a
united voice can be presented to the electorate for
change in the political arena,” said co-founder Pat
Kavanagh. |
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