Due to a strange loophole in the law, a number of once illegal drugs are legal for today in Ireland, as TDs move to pass emergency legislation on the issue.
The cause of the reclassification of the drugs comes from a ruling in the Court of Appeal on the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977 which, according to The Journal, means that "certain drugs that had been declared illegal are currently legal."
The problem was that the Act was being added to "via regulations without recourse to the Oireachtas, in violation of article 15 of the Constitution" (which sets out the powers and the format of the Oireachtas) and therefore the Act was struck down as a result.
Emergency legislation from @campaignforleo to be passed in Dáil this evening, after court strikes down a law banning otherwise 'legal highs'
— Gavan Reilly (@gavreilly) March 10, 2015
The drugs that are now legal include a number of products on offer from so-called 'head shops' such as Methylcathinone, while ecstasy, ketamine and crystal meth also fall under the reclassification and are technically not illegal as of today.
The Misuse of Drugs Amendment Bill will appear before the Dáil today between 8.30 and 11.30 pm, and will then go before the Seanad tomorrow, and if all goes smoothly the drugs will once again be declared illegal tomorrow. It is believed that TDs were informed of the possibility that this could occur as a result of the judgement, but the information was to be kept classified until the ruling was passed.
This song is back in the charts though, so it's all starting to make sense really.
Via The Journal. Main pic via epsos.de/Flickr