Mayor of Castlebar Michael Kilcoyne has welcomed the Government ban this week of substances on sale as ‘legal highs’ in headshops. Cllr Kilcoyne and his colleagues on Castlebar Town Council led a protest march earlier this year against the two head shops in town calling for them to be closed. “I welcome the ban, but my big question is why did it take so long? When this was raised first we were told it had to go through Government approval, then to the EU which we told the Government was rubbish. But the fact that these substances have been banned has to be welcomed as it’s a start.”
The products listed under ministerial order from Minister for Health Mary Harney include synthetic cannabinoids, benzylpiperazine and piperazine derivatives, mephedrone, methylone, butylone, fleherone, MDVP, GBL, and 1.4BD.
Cllr Kilcoyne added that the delay in the criminalising of these substances could be too late for some people. “There are people who have become addicted to these substances and their families seriously affected. If this ban was introduced when it was called for first, some of these people wouldn’t have become addicted,” he added.
While the head shops have become a major issue of public concern, when asked if the banning of the substances was going to play into the hands of those who traffic in illegal drugs, Cllr Kilcoyne said that every resource should be given to the gardaí to fight illegal drug dealers. “This move is a step in the right direction and the Government should be giving the gardaí every support they require to tackle the problem.”
