Lynn Ruane (Independent)
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Sometimes when conversation goes back and forth and there are so many discussions, be they about decriminalisation or increasing drug use, what people hear concerns me somewhat. I will repeat how I understand things to be. Drug use is not just increasing in places where decriminalisation exists. Sometimes there seems to be an effort in conversation to mention decriminalisation at the same time as an increase in drug use, an increase in potency or all these other issues when they are separate. Does Mr. Leitão da Silva understand them to be separate? Ireland is reporting massive increases in the use of drugs and the use of different types of drugs. Decriminalisation itself is not associated with an increase in the use of drugs because that is also happening in places of criminalisation.