Paul Birch is best known for being a co-founder of early social network Bebo - but he has now turned his attention towards promoting the decriminalisation of drug use in Ireland.

"I've been interested in drug policy for around ten years," Paul told Jonathan McCrea on today's Moncrieff. "I came to it through personal experience. I just found once I got past thirty that consuming alcohol became more difficult... It just got to the point where one week I realised I'd had three 24-hour hangovers".

After doing some research about different drugs online, Paul explained he was surprised "to find out how much safer something like cannabis was than alcohol".

Paul has become involved with Help Not Harm, which has set up a prototype campaign in Ireland in association with Students for Sensible Drugs Policy Ireland. The campaign could be extended to other countries if it proves successful here. 

Paul said that Help Not Harm is all about harm reduction, and argued that the system in Ireland and many other countries is simply not working. "It turns out there is another way of dealing with individuals that are consuming drugs, other than pushing them through into the criminal justice system," he pointed out.

He explained how the system has changed in Portugal, with those in possession of drugs are instead put in front of a panel of experts to try and help them get over any problem they might have.

"Criminals that are operating as criminal gangs and selling illegal drugs are still dealt with in exactly the same way," Paul pointed out, and added he does not believe the alternative system changes the supply of drugs in any 'way, shape or form'.

You can listen back to the full interview via the podcast below, where he started by discussing his work with Bebo:

You can contact Help Not Harm through their Twitter page or Facebook profile.