The possession of ecstasy, ketamine, crystal meth and magic mushrooms has been temporarily legalised in Ireland after the country’s Court of Appeal ruled an anti-drugs law was unconstitutional.
The Journal reports various additions to the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977 were declared to be in violation of article 15 of the Constitution as they were added without recourse to the country’s parliament, the Oireachtas.
Drugs added to the Act in this way included Methylcathinone – better known as ‘cat’, ‘jeff’ and ‘Charlie’ – which is a Class B drug in the United Kingdom, as well as crystal meth, ketamine, ecstasy and magic mushrooms.
Possession of these drugs is now effectively legal in Ireland thanks to the ruling, although Health Minister Leo Varadkar told reporters: “It is still the case that the sale, supply, export or import of such substances remains illegal, even now today.”
The Irish parliament is now due to sit late tonight to pass emergency legislation to re-criminalise the drugs, but the new ban cannot come into force until the day after it is signed into law, meaning the drugs will stay legal throughout tomorrow.
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