Nice timely bump. And actually, this thread is moving faster than the UK government, who I'm satisfied were very relieved, in regard to this matter and their absolute determination to dodge it for as long as possible, when Covid came along and stole the headlines, took all the heat and spotlight off their shocking resistance.
I would hazardva guess even, that somewhere up the ladder, going back two years, some far-seeing owl was telling them- "Just style it out for a bit, pawns back and forth. Portray incompetence, stall as much as you can, there's something big coming soon gonna take all the focus away from this "issue" ".
I know they were running bizarre simulation models for the pandemic back in 2018.
On the Ireland thing, I wonder how that will play out. I myself was fortunate to receive a rare two cautions for Cannabis posession decades ago, both in Wales.
The strong understanding, and kind of unwritten law or protocol effectively, as I understood it back then, was only one single caution, then any following "offence"(!!! lol, a flipping 10 draw or 1/4 of deadly Pollen right old crim me) would automatically result in an official charge and criminal record.
I did a remarkable job the 2nd time, as a student, my young articulate self, in the sergeant's room at the end of my stay in the Swansea station, with the overwhelming strong support of a beautiful young dark haired Police Lady, who I figured as training, officially "took" the arrest, i.e. under her name and file, only she, I and the sergeant were in the little room at decision time....
But she had taken a liking to me during the police bust leading to this 2nd arrest for posession in Swansea 2003, they busted 50 homes at dawn that day trying to crack down on heroin dealers, I was just caught in the fire, only my 1/4 of pollen in my friends house, and I was just drifting off to sleep, in company of two friends at 6 am, after we had been up all night on acid smoking pollen buckets, and she was literally pleading with all her beauty in the sergeant's ear not to charge me.
He was reluctant but her influence on him was powerful. He confronted me eye to eye, demanding one good reason why he should not charge me, seeing as my one entitled caution was already used up.
I gave a good answer basically, still tripping and very tired, and he conceded, on the provision I met next door with some drug counsellor woman.
I tried to politely decline, but it was made clear to me it was essentially a formality process, by agreement, to avoid a criminal charge.
I accepted, spent 1 minute in the room with the lady, told her I don't use drugs hardly, did not need help- I was paranoid about saying more to be honest, I just wanted to get out of that Police Station fast as, and I was free to collect my belongings and walk home by about 2 pm.
But the sergeant strongly assured me if he saw me in that station again, he would charge me no question, insisting how fortunate I was to get a rare 2nd caution.
So I wonder how this caution thing will work in Ireland. I will read the link now, just typed this first. Unless it's unlimited cautions, it's only a thin veil away from a criminal record still.
Covid definitely bought the government lots of time on moving this along, taking so much pressure and focus of the matter.
I wonder if we are still on track for at the least, potentially, decriminalisation within 5 years from now? It was looking like maybe 5 years from "then", whenever that was now lol (18 months?), possibly 10.
Who knows what may swing. It could be 2 years. It could be 10. Will Brexit at last have an impact one way or the other?
@blackstone hope you are well my UK amigo and making the best of the holiday (pah, what does that, Friday, Monday, or March even mean anymore lol) period.
