Press Release

Head Shop Legislation Must Be Fast-Tracked

Sinn Féin councillors in Cork today welcomed the banning of a range of products sold in Head Shops but warned that the government’s proposed legislation to regulate the sector must be fast-tracked.

Cllrs Jonathan O’Brien and Thomas Gould stated: “Today’s ban on a range of legal highs is welcome and long-overdue.”

“However the government must now move quickly to introduce promised legislation which will make it an offense to supply psychoactive substances. Otherwise today’s initiative will quickly become redundant, as Head Shop proprietors rush to get around the law by producing new kinds of legal highs not covered by the ban.”

“Sinn Fein published a bill outlining our proposals to tackle this issue some months ago. We await with interest the details of the government’s planned legislation. Hopefully it will be adequate to deal once and for all with the problem of legal highs.”

“However, it remains the case that while the government has dragged its feet on the issue for several years while the number of Head Shops around the country has proliferated. Meanwhile, Sinn Féin has actively campaigned against legalised drug dealing and the threat these outlets pose to the health and well-being of the community. Here in Cork we have held a series of protests outside Head Shops over recent months.”

“We intend to watch developments carefully in the coming weeks. If the government’s legislation is unduly delayed or turns out to be inadequate, and the Head Shop industry remains in business, the protests will resume.”