Since 14 December 2020, a garda can give an adult caught with a small amount of cannabis for their own use a formal caution instead of sending them to court. On 13 October 2026, Newstalk reported new Garda figures: 12,000 people arrested for cannabis possession in the past two and a half years, and just 26% cautioned.
That number has been reported before, in different forms, at different times. Nobody has put the published figures side by side. We did, and dated every one.
In short
- Every published count since 2020 puts the caution share in the same range: 23% to 26%. It has not moved in five years.
- The number of cautions per year has fallen. Official counts for 2021 are 1,678 (by year issued) or 2,060 (by year the offence was reported), and 1,614 for 2022 to 30 November. In the last two and a half years it was about 1,250 a year (our calculation from the Garda figures reported by Newstalk). That is between 25% and 40% fewer than in 2021, depending on which 2021 count you use.
- Fewer people are being caught, too: about 6,300 a year detected (Dec 2020 to Feb 2024) against about 4,800 a year arrested now (our calculation; detected and arrested are not exactly the same measure).
- Garda analysis from 2024 says two thirds of people detected did not qualify for a caution. Of those who did, about three in four got one (our calculation).
- No yearly count of drug cautions has been published since December 2022 (figures to 30 November 2022).
Every published figure, dated
| Period | Cautions | Not cautioned | Caution share | What is counted | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Dec 2020 to 16 Feb 2024 | 5,139 | 17,125 charges or summonses | 23.1%* | Cautions vs charges (not individuals) | Minister for Justice Helen McEntee, Dáil answer to Gino Kenny TD, 22 Feb 2024 (reported 23 Feb 2024) |
| Dec 2020 to Feb 2024 (same period, Garda analysis) | about 5,000 | about 15,000 of about 20,000 people detected | about 25%* | People detected in possession of cannabis | Det Chief Supt Seamus Boland, Oireachtas Committee on Drugs, reported 17 Oct 2024 |
| Past two and a half years (to Oct 2026; exact dates not given) | about 3,120* | about 8,880* | 26% | People arrested for cannabis possession (12,000) | Garda figures reported by Newstalk, 13 Oct 2026 |
* Our calculation. 5,139 ÷ (5,139 + 17,125) = 23.1%. 5,000 ÷ 20,000 = 25%. 26% × 12,000 = 3,120. The three counts measure different things (charges, people detected, people arrested) over different periods, so read them as three snapshots, not a trend line.
Cautions per year are falling
| Period | Cautions for drugs (cannabis only) | How counted | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,060 | By year the offence was reported (PULSE, July 2022) | Dáil answer 1570 to Thomas Gould TD, 26 Jul 2022 |
| 2021 | 1,678 | By year the caution was issued (PULSE, 2 Dec 2022) | Dáil answer 460 to Catherine Murphy TD, 6 Dec 2022 |
| 1 Jan to 30 Nov 2022 | 1,614 | By year issued | Dáil answer 460, 6 Dec 2022 |
| 14 Dec 2020 to 16 Feb 2024 | 5,139 (about 1,620 a year*) | Total for the period | Dáil answer to Gino Kenny TD, 22 Feb 2024 |
| Past two and a half years to Oct 2026 | about 3,120* (about 1,250 a year*) | 26% of 12,000 people arrested | Garda figures reported by Newstalk, 13 Oct 2026 |
* Our calculation. The 2022 Dáil answer reports adult cautions under "Drugs"; cannabis possession is the only drug offence the scheme covers. Fewer than 10 drug cautions were issued in 2020 (the scheme covered cannabis from 14 December 2020). A Dáil answer of 26 July 2022 also gave 402 cautions for 1 January to 19 July 2022, counted by year the offence was reported; we leave it out because a mid-year count by that method misses cautions not yet processed.
In 2021, the first full year cannabis was in the scheme, gardaí issued 1,678 adult cautions for drugs (2,060 if counted by the year the offence was reported). They issued 1,614 in the first eleven months of 2022. Over the whole period to February 2024 the average was about 1,620 a year. Over the last two and a half years it was about 1,250 a year: 25% to 40% fewer than in 2021, depending on the count used.
Fewer people are being caught, too. About 20,000 people were detected with cannabis from December 2020 to February 2024 (about 6,300 a year). 12,000 were arrested in the last two and a half years (4,800 a year). That is about 24% fewer a year, though "detected" and "arrested" may not be counted the same way.
The CSO's recorded crime figures show the same direction for all drugs. Incidents of possession of drugs for personal use were 15,759 in 2020, the highest of the last seven years, and 10,257 in 2025, 35% lower. (CSO figures cover all controlled drugs, not only cannabis, and are published "under reservation".)
| Year | Possession of drugs for personal use (all drugs, recorded incidents) |
|---|---|
| 2019 | 15,594 |
| 2020 | 15,759 |
| 2021 | 13,856 |
| 2022 | 12,145 |
| 2023 | 11,487 |
| 2024 | 10,708 |
| 2025 | 10,257 |
Source: CSO, Recorded Crime Incidents, table CJA01 (offence 1022), downloaded 14 Oct 2026. The CSO revises these figures; the Q4 2025 release showed slightly different numbers for 2024 and 2025.
The honest objection: most people don't qualify
The low share is not only about Garda discretion. In October 2024, Detective Chief Superintendent Seamus Boland told the Oireachtas Committee on Drugs that two thirds of the 20,000 people detected with cannabis from December 2020 to February 2024 (13,400) did not meet the criteria. He listed reasons: they denied the offence, did not want a caution, had multiple previous offences, had already had a caution, or faced supply or other charges as well. About 5,000 were cautioned, leaving about 1,500 who qualified but were not.
On those figures, about three in four people who qualified got a caution: 5,000 ÷ 6,500 = 77%, or 76% if you take 20,000 minus 13,400 as the eligible group (our calculation; the source's own figures add to 19,900).
The scheme rules back this up. The Garda policy document says a caution "should be applied only once to an offender", that a recent conviction or more than one conviction "would point to the person being unsuitable", and that the person must admit the offence and consent.
Two things follow, and neither is settled:
- We don't know the eligibility split for the last two and a half years. The Garda figures reported by Newstalk give the 26% share, not how many of the 12,000 qualified.
- The once-only rule may explain part of the fall in cautions. Every caution given since 2020 is one fewer person who can get one again. This is a possible explanation we have not been able to test, not a finding.
Dr Cian Ó Concubhair, Assistant Professor in Criminal Justice at Maynooth University, speaking on Newstalk's Claire Byrne Show (reported by Newstalk on 13 October 2026), said that the caution system for cannabis "has not been a success", and pointed to a prosecution culture linked to clearance rates and performance indicators.
What isn't published
- Cannabis cautions by year after November 2022.
- Cautions by Garda region or division. (Figures released to Gino Kenny TD in February 2024 gave regional growth in drug possession charges, for example the Eastern region from 967 in 2019 to 1,685 in 2023, but not cautions.)
- How many people detected each year were eligible, and why the rest were not.
- How many cautions were refused by the person, or not offered.
These figures sit on the Garda PULSE system. A parliamentary question could release them.
What to watch
- Any new Dáil answer on adult cautions for cannabis (we will add it here, dated).
- The CSO's Recorded Crime Q3 2026 release.
- Any change to the Adult Cautioning Scheme rules on repeat cautions.
- The HSE Health Referral Scheme, which took effect in September 2026. Gardaí can now refer some people found with drugs for personal use to a health appointment instead of prosecuting or cautioning them, which could lower future caution counts.
Common questions
What is an adult caution for cannabis?
A formal warning from a garda instead of prosecution, for adults (18 and over) caught with cannabis or cannabis resin for their own use. The person must admit the offence and agree to the caution. It applies to cannabis only, not other drugs.
Is cannabis decriminalised in Ireland?
No. Possession is still a criminal offence under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977. The caution is a way of dealing with some first offences without a court case.
Can you get more than one caution?
Normally no. The Garda policy says it should be applied only once. A second caution needs the consent of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
How we did this
We collected every published count of adult cautions for cannabis possession since the scheme was extended on 14 December 2020: Dáil written answers, Garda statements to an Oireachtas committee, and Garda figures given to the media. We kept each figure with its own period and its own unit (charges, people detected, people arrested). We calculated caution shares and yearly averages ourselves and mark them with an asterisk. The period from 14 December 2020 to 16 February 2024 is 1,159 days (3.17 years). The Newstalk period is "the past two and a half years" (2.5 years). Where a source gives approximate figures ("about 5,000"), we keep them approximate. We did not adjust for the different units, so the shares are not strictly comparable.
Spotted an error or have a newer figure? Email briancusack88@gmail.com and we will correct it and note the change here.
Sources
- Newstalk, "Why the decriminalisation of cannabis has 'not been a success'", James Wilson, 13 Oct 2026, 16:16: newstalk.com
- Letterkenny Live (staff reporter), "Drug cautions 'clearly not working' as cannabis possession charges top 17,000", 23 Feb 2024 (figures from the Minister for Justice to Gino Kenny TD, Garda PULSE as of 16 Feb 2024): letterkennylive.ie
- Irish Examiner, "Garda policies on illegal drugs 'evolved to more humane approach' to users", Cormac O'Keeffe, 17 Oct 2024: irishexaminer.com
- Dáil Éireann, written answer 460 (60304/22) to Catherine Murphy TD, 6 Dec 2022, via HRB National Drugs Library: drugsandalcohol.ie
- Dáil Éireann, written answer 1570 (40692/22) to Thomas Gould TD, 26 Jul 2022, via HRB National Drugs Library: drugsandalcohol.ie
- An Garda Síochána, Adult Cautioning Scheme policy document, v1.1, effective 14 Dec 2020: garda.ie
- An Garda Síochána, "Introduction of new offences to the Adult Cautioning Scheme", 16 Dec 2020: garda.ie
- TheJournal, Health Referral Scheme for drug possession takes effect, September 2026: thejournal.ie
- CSO, Recorded Crime Incidents (CJA01), and Recorded Crime Q4 2025 release, 26 Mar 2026: cso.ie
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Related data: Cannabis seizure values in Ireland: €20k to €14k a kilo · Forensic drug analysis backlog