A €25 product which was bought in a headshop in Castlebar has been found to cause behavioural excitement.
Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny TD received the information in respect of a sample following a mass spectrometer analysis.
The compound has been revealed to be methyl benzene methanol; the effects of which are poorly documented as well as the long term effects being completely unknown. This particular substance is not banned in Ireland as it appears to be a relatively new compound but was described as causing ‘behavioural excitement’ in the test results.
While legislation has been promised to restrict these types of compounds over the coming months, it does nothing to deal with the problem in the interim period.
“It is my understanding that this product was purchased from a headshop in Castlebar at a cost of €25 for nearly three quarters of one gram,” Deputy Kenny said. “The product had no ingredients and was merely labelled as ‘Ey Up’ and ‘not for human consumption’ while containing a white powder similar to cocaine.”
The Fine Gael leader said it was of “huge concern” that this sort of money is changing hands for something that weighs less than one gram as well the lack of information available on this chemical compound.
According to Dep Kenny the Fine Gael councillors in Castlebar have done tremendous work in picketing the premises selling these products and he said Fine Gael would continue to monitor the proposed legislation to ensure that it is tough enough to deal with the problem.
