Head shop rows intensify

As news comes this week that the National Advisory Committee on Drugs (NACD) is seeking to commission an overview of substances sold in head shops to increase its knowledge of legal drugs sold across the country, parents in both Ballyconnell and Oldcastle are mounting campaigns to have head shops closed down. Both outlets in the respective towns are called 'Dream Shop' and sell legal highs to customers. Parents in Ballyconnell are outraged at the fact that a so-called head shop appeared in the town out of the blue, while parents and other concerned people in Oldcastle have organised a march in the town for this Saturday evening at 5pm. One of the chief organisers of the protest march is Cathy Guirke who is also chairperson of the Oldcastle Drug Awareness Committee. Cathy told The Anglo-Celt that they are also organising a petition and they are calling on people to sign it. When they have it completed, they will be taking it to Dáil Éireann. Those participating in the march around the town on Saturday evening are requested to assemble at the church on the Kells road at 4.30pm. Cathy said a very well attended public meeting took place on the matter in Oldcastle last Thursday night. "It is a disgrace and the government should have them banned and they are very slow to do it," said Cathy Guirke. Meanwhile in Ballyconnell, Cllr. Damien Brady said the owner of the premises was totally unaware that such an outlet was being established. The owner of the premises had requested a leasing agent to let it out and it was for retail. Cllr. Brady said he had spoken to a man who wanted to open a coffee shop on this same premises and was informed that he would have to look for planning permission. Because it had been a hairdressing salon, planning permission was required for a change of use. Damien Brady said the head shop opened up in the town without anyone knowing much about it. "There are four products on sale in head shops here in the South, that are banned in similar outlets in Northern Ireland," said Cllr. Brady. He said he had read in a newspaper that four people in Cork were hospitalised after taking products from a head shop. Parents' reaction Lorraine O'Loughran said she was the mother of a young child and she was totally opposed to a the shop opening in the town. "Nobody knew it was opening here and I would be calling for it to be closed down." Caroline Crowe said she was the mother of teenage children and there is enough pressure on young people "without the likes of these shops opening". She was concerned that if young people start taking happy pills, then they may progress onto harder drugs. "I am totally disgusted that this shop opened overnight and nobody knew about it. I think they should all be closed down," she said. Bridie Rogers said she was a grandmother. "I'm worried for my grandchildren and for the young people of the town. Any type of pills mixed with alcohol or Red Bull could have disastrous consequences." Janna Tierney who is a parent of three teenagers said that it was sending out the completely wrong message to young people - that it was alright to get high. "If we accept this kind of thing, then our young people are destined to go only one way. I am very worried about the consequences of these so called legal highs." John Conaty said these head shops are encouraging young people to experiment with substances. "Young people are being given an impression that the use of these substances is quite OK. It will only lead them onto something else. These shops should be close down," he said. Cavan town shop Cavan Town Council recently discussed the matter of the head shop 'Cosmic Closet' in Cavan town and agreed that legislation should be enacted immediately to deal with this complex area. Cllr. Brian McKeown said that Fianna Fáil are in power and they should get on with implementing the relevant legislation to sort out this issue. There has been enough talking done in Council chambers and other places, he said. A couple of weeks ago, the Minister for State with responsibility for drugs, John Curran said that synthetic and herbal substances that mimic the effect of illegal drugs should not be sold in the Republic. Last month, Britain introduced a ban on a range of so-called legal highs including GBL, BZP and chemicals sprayed on herbal smoking products such as Spice. BZP (party pills) was banned in Ireland in March, 2009. Deputy Curran said he was also examining issues around planning permission for head shops, public liability insurance, product liability insurance and consumer protection. Some head shops are staying open until 4am at the weekend to attract business from young people leaving nightclubs. Dr. Des Corrigan, chairman of the National Advisory Committee on Drugs, said recently at a conference in Mullingar that he was concerned about the lack of basic safety data on many head shop products. "Because the drugs they appear to contain have never been tested for safety in humans, we have to rely, at present, on user reports," he said.