I like the Greens... but this policy is an awful mistake

YOU have to hand it to the Greens – they are never short of ideas and principles. We have forgotten one of the most principled people ever to enter Irish politics was Trevor Sargent, whwas leader of the Greens from 2001 to 2007. When he was a councillor, he brandished an unsolicited cheque he had received from a builder and challenged others in the chamber to reveal the money they had received from developers. For this principled act, he was grabbed by other councillors and was even held in a headlock by a Fianna Fáil member!

Elected the first official leader of the Greens in 2001, he steadfastly argued that the party should never enter a coalition with Fianna Fáil. But when realpolitik took over in 2007, Trevor, seeing the inevitability of the deal, resigned from leadership and opted not to take his rightful seat at the Cabinet table. He was an able junior minister in that government but resigned when he inadvertently contacted gardaí about a constituent who had been assaulted – even though his opponents were not calling for his head.

So I suppose it did not come as a surprise to many when he became a cleric in the Church of Ireland last year.

In fairness to the Green Party, it rarely tries to score petty party political points, and it doesn’t oppose things purely for the sake of opposition.

However, I fear its latest policy proposal on drugs may be a step too far.

All week I have been listening on Liveline to families devastated by drugs, including cannabis.

At the same time, we have been hearing new policy proposals from the Green Party that not only call for the decriminalisation of cannabis – which most people agree with – but want Amsterdam-style coffee shops selling the drug, with individuals allowed to grow their own dope.

I have heard too many parents tell me of how their children’s lives were wrecked by constant cannabis, a point seldom made in the ‘soft’ drugs debate. The legitimate campaign for the health service to administer medicinal cannabis to very ill people in rare and controlled circumstances is often used by others to argue for a cannabis free-for-all.

Others argue that legalising drugs will get rid of the criminal gangs – a naive, delusional claim which forgets that these thugs are in it for the easy life, quick money and luxury lifestyle; they’ll quickly find other products to sell.

The argument by some that legalisation will save Garda time and resources, and also generate tax revenue, crosses a line where almost anything is justified if the Government can make some money out of it.

Yes, we do need a debate on drugs in Ireland – and the Greens are right to call for it – but it should be full and frank. I said it before and I’ll say it again: in all my years as a probation officer and broadcaster, I have never met a happy drug addict.