The proposal by the Government to ban a range of substances sold in head shops by the end of June is too little too late, according to Labour councillor Harry Barrett.
“By naming the substances which it proposes to include in the Misuse of Drugs Act the Government is signalling its intentions four months in advance of taking action, and thus providing the producers of those drugs with ample time to remix the ingredients and create new substances not covered by the Misuse of Drugs Act. What is required by the Government is a much more sophisticated response,” said Cllr Barrett.
Last week the Labour Party moved a Private Members Bill in the Dáil which would require head shops to obtain specific planning permission to operate.
Cllr Barrett said there was also a need for a licensing regime. For example, many of the products on sale in head shops are labelled “not for human consumption”, yet he said they are sold “willy nilly to adults and to minors and are injected or ingested. A licensing regime would prevent such abuse”.
Planning and regulatory controls, a strict licensing regime, and enforcement of existing legislation providing for consumer protection must all be an integral part of the solution, said Cllr Barrett.
