Government must regulate 'HeadShop' sector
Issued : Monday 25 January, 2010
There is an urgent need for a framework to be put in place to regulate the operation of headshops. These shops have sprung up around the country and they are peddling substances that are untested and potentially very dangerous. As a result, parents are becoming extremely worried that the health and welfare of their children is being put at risk.
Few if any of the products sold in these shops, include a comprehensive list of ingredients on their packaging and many of them are sold with misleading branding and labelling. In addition, generally speaking, these shops do not take out product liability insurance, so if a problem does arise, the scope for a customer pursuing the matter is extremely limited.
In April 2009 Minister Mary Harney stated the following in a Parliamentary Question: "My colleague Mr John Curran, Minister of State at the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, who has responsibility for co-ordinating the National Drugs Strategy, has identified headshops as an area of concern, and is currently considering the options available to more effectively control the activities of headshops."
However in December 2009 six young people were admitted to Cork University Hospital suffering the ill-effects of these 'herbal highs'. The government must address these concerns as a matter of extreme urgency. Health Minister Mary Harney, Justice Minister Dermot Ahern and Minister of State John Curran must sit down without delay, and outline just how they propose to tackle this issue.
Cllr 
