Because the hashish legalization motion spreads throughout the globe, common customers are getting caught within the crosshairs of authorities determined to carry onto the previous regime. Eire is a rustic that lags approach behind its European neighbors when it comes to creating a brand new authorized framework for the legalization of hashish. John O’Regan is an Irish citizen who has skilled firsthand the price of getting caught with weed.
His run-ins with the legislation started seven years in the past, and have resulted in a variety of prices, together with cultivation, possession and trafficking. In November 2022, he was cleared of trafficking however was charged with possession and cultivation. He’s at the moment awaiting sentencing, which can embody a custodial sentence. Sadly, his story is just not distinctive, however it additionally clearly illustrates the trauma inflicted on common customers when they’re handled like criminals.
QUESTION: Are you able to clarify what first introduced you to the eye of the Irish Gardaí (the police pressure in Eire are referred to as Gardaí)?
In 2015 I used to be knocked off my bike, and the officer who questioned me in regards to the incident, a really good man, stated he’d do the whole lot in his energy to seek out out who did it. Six months later, he determined to name spherical to my flat to replace me on the case. Now, the one cause he known as to my home was as a result of he was a pleasant man and wished to indicate he was taking the case severely. So right here we’re, six months later and there are three officers knocking on my door at six within the night.
I’d simply had my dinner and was having a smoke. I couldn’t open the door as a result of they might have gotten the whiff of weed. They twigged one thing was up. The following day, the Gardaí got here again, this time with a warrant, and that was the primary time they raided my flat. That was the start of seven years of hell for me.
QUESTION: What was it like being raided the primary time?
Terrible. Once more, they known as round to my flat about six within the night, and this time I’d been in mattress all afternoon. So once they known as round, I caught my head out the window to allow them to know I’d open the door. The important thing was on my nightstand so I had to return inside to the room to get it, and I instructed them so. As soon as they heard that, they misplaced it, began shouting up at me, telling me to open the door instantly or they’d break it down. I used to be telling them I couldn’t open the door and not using a key. At one level, one of many officers picked up a rock and aimed for the window. The blood drained from my face. As quickly as that occurred, the officer smiled, like he was completely satisfied to see how scared or unnerved he’d made me. I had about 8 crops on the time, 4 flowering, and 4 in vegetative state.
QUESTION: When you’d come to the eye of the police, why did you continue to grow?
The way in which I calculate it, it prices me about 40euro to develop one plant, possibly a bit extra now that vitality costs have gone up, however round that. In fact, that’s not how the police take a look at it. They worth every plant at 800euro on the idea there’s a yield of 40grams from every plant. So once they caught me with the 4 flowering crops, they claimed my develop had a price of greater than 3,000euro. They’re serious about potential revenue whereas I’m serious about how a lot I can save.
QUESTION: Why had been you charged with cultivation and possession?
In 2018, I used to be going to a 420 occasion in Dublin, and determined to get some t-shirts printed up with The Irish Hashish Social gathering emblem on them. I’m undecided what occurred precisely however reckon that someone within the sorting workplace should have seen the brand by means of the packaging, and noticed the phrase “hashish.” I received residence someday on a Tuesday and 5 minutes later, the Ennis Drug Squad was in my flat anticipating to discover a drug haul. Once they noticed the t-shirts they had been fuming. I’m undecided what they had been anticipating?
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Who would ship a supply of hashish with the phrase “hashish” clearly seen on the bundle? Anyway, they didn’t discover any medication within the postal bundle however they did discover the crops that I used to be rising in my spare room. I had 16 crops within the room and so they calculated the full dry weight to be over the restrict of 13,000 euro. If the Gardaí discover an quantity larger than that, they mechanically assume you’re dealing.
QUESTION: Did they cost you right away?
Really no, that took a number of years. Once they got here round to the flat that day in 2018, they took my telephone, a ballast, a reflector and two followers. In 2020, greater than eighteen months later, I occurred to be speaking to a retired police officer, and I requested him if the statute of limitations had handed on the case? He stated they need to have charged me inside a 12 months. As a result of they hadn’t issued any prices, I despatched a registered letter asking for the return of my gear. That introduced me again to their consideration, and at last, virtually two years later, prices had been issued.
QUESTION: Why develop 16 crops, why not develop much less and keep beneath the radar?
It was purely experimental. I’d really simply purchased one other reflector and wished to see if I may make higher use of the room I used to be utilizing to develop. I didn’t spend a lot cash on the gear, in reality, I used to be utilizing the most cost effective stuff I may discover. I even have a good friend with MS, and had it at the back of my thoughts to start out giving him flower to assist him out. However to be trustworthy, there was nothing skilled about this develop room. All of the crops had been at totally different heights, some flowering, some not. The Gardaí known as it “a complicated operation,” which was laughable. The room was a multitude.
QUESTION: Why did you ship that letter?
As a result of I’m additionally taken with altering the legislation, and know there are absolutely hundreds of individuals in Eire ready for the day that they’ll mild up in peace at residence with out having to fret about that dreaded knock on the door. Plus, I assumed it was secure. However I used to be improper. They might nonetheless prosecute me, and so they did.
QUESTION: Your courtroom case got here up in November 2022. What was it like?
What actually struck me in regards to the courtroom proceedings was the way in which the Gardaí manipulated language when presenting proof. For instance, one of many officers referred to my timer as a “thermostat,” and the lamps as “heaters,” and known as the develop, “refined.” In actuality, I had a few LED bulbs and crops in pots dotted across the room, however they made it sound very totally different to the decide and the jury. I imply everybody is aware of what bulbs are however should you begin calling them “heaters,” and calling timers “thermostats,” it’s going to confuse folks.
QUESTION: What’s your sentence?
I used to be discovered responsible of possession and cultivation within the circuit courtroom. There’ll be a listening to in December, and at that listening to they determine the date for sentencing, which might be a while subsequent spring. I’ve no concept if it is going to be a custodial sentence, however I’ve to be ready for that chance.
QUESTION: What are the alternative ways this case has affected you?
I don’t get stopped on a regular basis however generally it feels that approach. At this stage, my flat has been raided six or seven instances, and I’ve been picked up off the road twice. Now, each time I go away my flat and spot a cop automobile on the road, I freeze. That’s what occurred Christmas week 2020. It was about half previous 9 within the morning and I used to be going into city to do some procuring. The Gardaí station is subsequent door to the grocery store. A Garda automobile got here racing across the nook with three officers, pulled up alongside me, one among them jumped out and began shouting: “You’re beneath arrest.” It was like being in a film.
They saved asking for my title, however I wouldn’t give it. And once they instructed me to get into the automobile, I requested what I used to be being arrested for? On the time, they stated it was drug-related. Later, I discovered I used to be arrested beneath Part 20, which is Public Order Offense, and apparently should you’re arrested beneath this part, you’re obliged by legislation to present your title and deal with. I imply, it was half 9 within the morning, I wasn’t drunk, wasn’t bothering anybody. They introduced me all the way down to the station, strip-searched me, and put me in a cell. And after I was within the station, one of many officers who knew me got here in and requested what was happening, why they’d picked me up? They replied it was one thing to do with the way in which I used to be them. And this Garda replies: “He was you as a result of we hold arresting him.”
After I lastly spoke to my solicitor about it, he stated I’d must plead responsible as a result of it’s an offense to not give your title beneath Part 20. As quickly as I pleaded responsible in courtroom, the decide roared on the high of his voice, “Medicine!” He wouldn’t let my solicitor apply for something, saved reducing him off, repeating the phrase, “medication, medication,” and fined me 200euro. So, not solely did they wreck my Christmas, they managed to get a conviction out of it. Now, that’s on my file, and I’m positive it affected the result on this case.
If a decide appears at a case and see simply cultivation, for instance, it’s one factor, however lined up subsequent to a Public Order conviction, after all, he’s going to imagine this individual is a nuisance. It sounds small however all these items add up, and actually take a toll. Proper now, getting caught with weed in Eire has a value, mentally. I’m on a ready checklist to speak with a counselor.
This interview has been edited and condensed.
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