Minutes of the 5th Meeting of the 161^st Session

25^TH October 2007 ~ Cannabis Debate

AND so it was that the fifth meeting of the year took place here in the Kirwan, with Paddy Cluskey chairing. Main business for the evening was that old chess nut of a motion; ‘That This House Would Legalise Cannabis’. But before that, we had Private Members’ Time.

Conor Kelly (2^nd Arts, but only just) proposed the motion ‘That This House Would Support Turkey’s Actions in Iraq’. Conor said how Kurdish rebels, the PKK, had been repeatedly attacking Turkey in recent months and then scurrying across the border into that safe haven and all-round paradise that is Iraq. He told us how Turkey was justified in making incursions into Iraq in order to protect it’s military and it’s civilian population from attack, and that the Turkish government is obliged to protect it’s citizens no matter what.

Sean Butler (Earl of Ormonde) said how Israel’s invasion of southern Lebanon last year showed us how military plans don’t always go according to plan, and how this kind of response is an over-response to what are essentially a bunch of peasants with rifles. He also said how Turkey’s actions could lead to long-term violence and instability in, of all places, Iraq.

Ronan Harrington spoke in proposition of the motion.

Julie Maher opposed the motion, saying how Turkey’s plans are a mistake as Kurdistan is the only area in Iraq not suffering from civil war and other not-too-great things.

James Hope, our illustrious Students’ Union Guy, told us how America’s short-sighted foreign policy had allowed their only friend in the Middle East to come under sustained terrorist attack.

Tony McDonnell opposed the motion, and told us like a surrender monkey how we should recognise Kurdish independence immediately and give them everything they want.

Muireann O’Dwyer, former head of the college Human Rights Society, and now (presumedly) head of the college ‘I Love Genocide Society’, said how invading Kurdish Iraq will only drown out the voice of the moderates.

With that, the motion was put to the House, and was narrowly defeated.

And so onto Main Business; ‘That This Would Legalise Cannabis’.

To open the case for the proposition was Cllr. Luke ‘Ming’ Flannagan, the man who sent weed to every member of the Dail and got away with it, and also the man who broke my watch in the pub last Thursday while dancing to 500 miles. Ming told us how cannabis use had increased ten-fold in Ireland in recent years, but without any increase in mental illness rates. He also told us how cannabis is far less dangerous to users than tobacco and that if legalised, the supply could be made safe and different strengths be made available. Finally, he said how it would benefit the economy if we were all able to grow weed, presumably if we sold and had it taxed, rather than just smoked it all ourselves.

Mark Campbel, NUI Galway’s ‘Drugs-Are-Bad’ Officer opposed the motion, saying how cannabis is a harmful substance. He also gave a very interesting run-down of which types of cannabis are the best for getting high, I mean, which types are really for you and your definitely shouldn’t use. He told us how if legalised, it would be companies selling us weed, and that they would only be concerned with making profits. Mr. Campbell compared cannabis to alcohol, saying how as drink became more available over the past few years, fun-time alcohol abuse has gone up like a sky-rocket in flight.

Fr. Tony O’Riordáin proposed the motion, telling us how the 25-year War on Drugs has been lost and that all the legislation and increases in sentences have only led to more addicts and a bigger supply. He also told us how 27% percent of students had admitted to trying cannabis, which more worryingly indicates that about 73% of students are liars. Finally, Fr. Riordáin told us how the failed prohibition on cannabis has led only to such tragedies as widespread gun crime, the isolation of addicts, and the City of Limerick.

Sharon Dillon-Lyons opposed the motion, saying how the internet studies used by the proposition were unreliable as anyone can say anything online and call it fact. She said how transferring responsibility for drugs from the Gardaí to the HSE is like switching baby sitters from Louise Woodward to Michael Jackson, or as I would have said it, the McCanns. Sharon told us how tobacco shouldn’t be the benchmark as to what’s safe for use, as something that’s less bad than something that’s proven to kill you doesn’t mean it’s all sunshine, puppy dogs, and unimaginative metaphors. She also told us how civil liberties aren’t absolute, with the example of how we can’t consent to having ourselves being hilariously eaten by cannibals. Finally she said how the weed-tolerating Dutch are simply way cooler than the Irish, possibly owing to the ready supply of cheap and cheerful prostitutes.

With that, the motion was opened to the floor.

Brian McGowan (Science) said how this is part of a wider civil liberties issue, and that the State should not act in such an authoritarian way, and should instead just provide us information on cannabis and let us make up our own mind.

Dan Colley (Arts) said how Amsterdam isn’t all shits and giggles, and that it’s designed to drag in druggies and crooks. Legalising cannabis in Ireland, he argued, would have the same effect here.

Paul MacEoin (Science) said how there are medicinal benefits to cannabis in relieving pain. He also told us how it’s all about self-control, saying how although we have a College Bar and we like to drink, we don’t turn up drunk to lectures. He also said how alcohol is more dangerous to the man drinking it and the other men around him (cause let’s face it, women can’t drink). Paul gave the example of how no one could possibly beat their wife up while nicely stoned, as they would be physically incapable of doing so.

Áine Mulloy (Arts) suggested we decriminalise cannabis instead of legalising it. She gave us an example of how reducing the smoking age would just create more smokers, starting their habit earlier in life. Áine also said how we should tackle harder drugs like The Cocaine, and The Heroin.

With that, the motion was put to the House and was narrowly defeated after a recount, and afterwards one and all retired to the pub until the State decided it was time for us to go to bed.

These are the Minutes as Recorded.