‘Legal high’ legislation welcomed in Clare

THE announcement this week that certain substances currently being sold in headshops are to be made illegal has been welcomed by Clare politicians.

Fine Gael’s Pat Breen has given a cautious welcome to the news that the Minister for Health and Children Mary Harney is to blacklist certain “legal highs”, which are currently on sale in headshops.
A number of substances currently being sold in headshops, including certain narcotic and psychotropic substances, are being covered under the new legislation.
“It is important that Minister Harney introduces a system of ongoing monitoring of headshops and the internet in tandem with the banning of these products as new legal alternatives to illegal drugs are coming on the market as soon as products are banned and we need to be vigilant as these products pose a serious danger to the health of our young people,” Deputy Breen said.
Fine Gael Deputy Joe Carey also welcomed the announcement but said the decision should have been made last year when the minister banned BZP, which was used in magic mushroom products.
“I am concerned, though, that the ban will not come into effect for several months,” he added and called for funding to be released to help schools and community workers educate young people, in particular on the dangers of these products,” he said.
“Banning them alone will not help solve the problem. We must also get much tougher on any headshops that remain, applying stricter planning restrictions on their operation and have regular inspections of their premises and products.”
Meanwhile Fianna Fáil Deputy, Timmy Dooley, said he was sure that parents would be relieved at the news.
“Headshops are a scourge on Irish society. This action is being taken to prevent our young people, and some of our older citizens, from getting hooked on these so-called ‘legal highs,” he said.
“I am also encouraging the Government to undertake measures to curb the actions of these shops, such as regulating the planning laws or consumer laws and I will continue to press for further action on this issue. This is a strong statement of intent by the Government against the headshops and I hope we will see further laws brought to bear on them,” Deputy Dooley added.
Fine Gael Councillor Martin Conway said that Ireland had finally been brought into line with other European countries but warned that further regulation, as well as licensing laws, were needed.
“The reality is that headshops currently operate as legitimate businesses and until proper legislation is implemented, they will still be able to sell ‘legal highs’,” he said.