Passing of Jasmin’s Law Motion ‘amazing push forward’
‘Protection of life has to be a priority and these death dealers can not get away with distributing death on our societies any longer’ - Pauline Duddy
A Derry mother who has been campaigning for stiffer sentences for drug dealers since the tragic death of her daughter described as an “amazing push forward” a Stormont Motion on Drug Dealing Sentencing.
Pauline Duddy’s daughter Jasmin (21) died in February 2023 after taking pregabalin.
The Motion, brought on Tuesday by the SDLP, supported “the campaign for Jasmine’s Law to secure accountability for those who profit from the sale of drugs” and was passed unanimously.
Thanking Foyle MLA Mark H Durkan for bringing the Motion, Mrs Duddy said: “[Drugs is] such a major issue on this island. Thank you for representing everyone who is suffering with addiction and everyone that lost their lives, the families thank you.
“This Motion was passed unanimously, every person in that Chamber talked about robust sentencing, about the [need for] the sentences to reflect on the crime and the harm that is caused to each individual,” she added.
“I was really, really impressed with Paul Frew (DUP, North Antrim), the chair of the Justice Committee, with the speech he made, really impressed.
“Doug Beattie (UUP, Upper Bann) is another man I have never met who I was really impressed with. They all were, Órlaithí Flynn (Sinn Féin, West Belfast). It is not just Mark H Durkan that has worked with us on this.
“Ciara Ferguson (Sinn Féin, Foyle), couldn’t make it because she was in Brussels but she was on the phone to me twice that day. Gary Middleton who has now stepped down due to illness - I hope he recovers quickly - came on board straight away. I’ll be looking to meet with his wife now who has taken on the role and I’m sure she will engage as quickly as Gary did.
“We are not quite there yet but we’re getting there. There are too many lives being lost, too many and it’s escalating … But it was so amazing and I am so pleased that they have taken [Jasmin’s Law] seriously and it is getting looked at. We have a wee bit further to go but we’ll keep pushing and believe me, it will be put in place because believe me, protection of life has to be a priority and these death dealers can not get away with distributing death on our societies any longer. It’s just not happening. They are profiting out of misery and grief. No more. Enough is enough.” said Mrs Duddy.
Opening the Drug Dealing Sentencing motion debate on behalf of the SDLP, Mark H Durkan acknowledged Pauline Duddy’s presence in the Public Gallery on Tuesday. He described her as a “formidable and ferocious campaigner”.
Mr Durkan said the call for Jasmin's law had “emerged from personal tragedy and from the determination of one woman, Pauline Duddy, to ensure that no other family endures the same loss and pain”.
“[Pauline] has shown extraordinary courage in turning personal grief into public advocacy following the loss of her daughter Jasmin in 2023.
“Pauline has given a voice to families who often feel voiceless in the face of such huge loss, and her campaign is a stark reminder that what we are discussing today is real lives, real tragedies and the need for real action,” he added.
Mr Durkan described addiction as a complex public health issue.
“It is an issue wrapped up in trauma, poverty and mental illness — circumstances that can, and often do, leave people vulnerable to substance misuse and dependency in the first place. We need coordinated action across government from every Department, because addiction does not fit neatly into one departmental box. While addiction requires compassion and treatment, there must also be accountability for those who profit from misery. Across communities, families are living with the devastation caused by drugs. Those who sell illegal substances often exploit vulnerability. They target those who are already struggling, fuel dependency and poison communities.
“Sentencing must do more than simply process offenders. It must protect the public and hold their confidence. It must also act as a real deterrent. When sentences are reported, the reaction from the public is usually one of anger and disbelief, with many feeling that serious drug-related crimes have resulted in little more than a slap on the wrist.
“Those death dealers poison communities, exploit vulnerability, sow addiction, destroy lives and wreak devastation that filters across generations, yet, far too often, those who do appear before the courts receive suspended sentences and are often even given anonymity orders. They then return to the same streets, to the same communities that they have harmed, and the cycle continues,” said Mr Durkan.
The full text of the Drug Dealing Sentencing motion read: “That this Assembly expresses serious concern with the growing number of drug related deaths in Northern Ireland which have increased by 47% within a decade, recognises that addiction is a complex public health issue requiring early intervention and timely access to treatment, acknowledges the need for co-ordinated efforts between the Department of Health, The Department of Justice, the Department of Education and the Department for Communities, to improve prevention and recovering pathways, notes the devastating impact of the illegal supply of drugs on families and communities, supports the campaign for Jasmine’s Law to secure accountability for those who profit from the sale of drugs, and calls on the Minister of Justice to address sentencing frameworks for those convicted of drug supply offences within a Criminal Justice Sentencing Bill prioritising measures that ensure penalties properly reflect the harm caused by so-called death dealers, act as a meaningful deterrent and demonstrate that those who devastate lives and profit from addiction will face consequences proportionate to the gravity of their crimes."