The future of two head shops in Kilkenny city remain uncertain following the introduction of new legislation banning a number of popular legal highs.
The Government’s crackdown on the legal drugs market has been roundly welcomed among local politicians but the proprietor of one local head shop lamented being labelled a criminal overnight.
The government announced last Tuesday that a number of legal highs, commonly available from head shops, were to be banned immediately under the Misuse of Drugs Act. These include synthetic cannabinoids, BZP (‘party pills’ ), and mephedrone (a synthetic amphetamine ).
Gardaí in the city confirmed that both premises operating in Kilkenny city, the Hemp Shop on Dean Street and the Hemporium on Kieran’s Street, had been inspected in the wake of the ban.
Both shops closed on Tuesday after the announcement.
“Both shops have been inspected and they have handed over the substances named as controlled substances,” a Garda spokesperson told the Kilkenny Advertiser.
“We will continue to inspect them but at present they are compliant. One of the shops, on Kieran’s Street, remains open but they have no prohibited substances at present and we will keep a watching brief on that.”
Gardaí also warned that anyone selling or purchasing the substances risked prosecution, with a seven-year jail sentence attached to a possession charge. Any member of the community with concerns about the issue can contact the gardaí.
Meanwhile, Mark Clancy, owner of the Hemp Shop on Dean Street, has slammed the attitude of an older generation which has threatened his livelihood and seen him branded a criminal overnight.
He proclaimed it “a great day for criminals” and said the Government should be concentrating on education over prohibition rather than criminalising people for “choosing to smoke a herb that makes our lives better”.
“Some people sit down in a pub and start talking about banning all psychoactive substances,” he said.
“Alcohol is the top of that list. Are they going to ban that? No, because there is too much money involved.
“I’m sick to death of people being made criminals, it’s absolutely wrong in my eyes,” he said. “I’m a criminal because I smoke a bit of stuff.”
Mr Clancy said the sale of synthetic cannabinoids accounted for between 80 and 90 per cent of his business. He admitted that cannabis could have adverse effects on certain people but advocated its legalisation as a regulated substance, and said people needed to be educated not removed from the issue.
He said his shop would remain closed for now until he could get further information about any actions that might be taken, and added he had brought all his stock which fell under the ban to the local gardaí.
But there was little sympathy from local politicians who welcomed the swift ban as a victory for the community.
“The information coming across from organisations like the Aislinn Centre is that instead of taking customers away from drug pushers, these shops are recruiting a new generation to drugs that the pushers couldn’t get to,” said Labour councillor Seán Ó hArgáin.
“The fact that people have to go to illegal pushers to get illegal drugs was a huge deterrent and head shops were turning that around.
“This is a huge victory for community action. All it takes for evil to succeed is good men to stand by and do nothing.
“We have to seriously look at planning legislation to control what goes into the shops and business premises in our city. We had it with the lap dancing club on Parliament Street, it is outrageous that people can come into the city targetting vulnerable people.”
Fiann Fáil councillor Joe Malone also welcomed the ban and said users of these substances should seek support from local addiction and counselling services.
“They will need treatment, they will need help, they will need advice,” he said.
“I am happy to see that there is a senior minister [Pat Carey] with responsibility for drugs. It is an indication of how serious the Government is taking it.
“I hope these drugs don’t go underground, but it’s quite possible. Drugs remain a major issue, we need to make people more aware and educate them on the effects of legal or illegal drugs.”
