Dr Cian Ó Concubhair and Dr Ian Marder have written a piece for The Journal in response to comments on drug use made in the Dáil this week.
In this article, they critically assess comments made by Minister for Justice Simon Harris about the culpability of drug users for violence within drug black markets. They argue that the Minister's comments run counter to best evidence on drug policy, and contradict the Government's own efforts on harm reduction and the announcement of the citizens assembly. They also argue that the Minister's privileging drug user culpability for drug market violence ignores how deeply complicit the Government is in that violence, because its own policies have created and perpetuated the black market for drugs.
You can read their article here.