In the past number of days, there have been reports in the media about people having adverse reactions to cannabis. This is quite concerning but where there is no regulation, someone will fill the gap and that is the black market. It is in everyone's interest in respect of harm reduction and regulation that there would be a different model for cannabis. In the absence of regulation, people will have adverse effects from cannabis use because of the potency and because they do not know what they are consuming. Does the Taoiseach agree that we have to change course on the laws around cannabis and that a regulatory system would be better than what we have at the moment, where there is no regulation?

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue as he has sincerely on a number of occasions. The best way to proceed on this from a policy point of view is via the Oireachtas joint committee that will consider the outcome of the Citizens' Assembly on Drugs Use. That was an honest and genuine effort to get civil society together to debate what is a difficult and important issue. There are real health concerns around the use of cannabis and there is also a need to ensure we support people with addiction. A variety of issues need to be addressed and the new committee is best placed to bring forward its view on the citizens' assembly.