Homeless charities warn about dangers of head shops

Focus Ireland published a report yesterday detailing several cases where young people’s lives spiralled out of control as a result of the abuse of the substances, which are sold in head shops as plant food or bath salts.

One young man in his early 20s became homeless when he spent his social welfare payments on head shop products and fell behind on his rent. Another young man who was addicted to heroin and methadone went missing for long periods following his purchase and use of products from head shops, according to the report, which asks the Government to take short- and long-term action to protect young people.

The Dublin Simon Community also issued a paper showing seven out of 10 homeless people have tried legal highs. Many of the homeless people they help are injecting the substances and experiencing adverse effects such as nose bleeds, paranoia and anxiety.

The charities’ warnings come amid rising public concern over the spread of head shops across the country, which has prompted protest marches and the commissioning of a Garda monitoring operation.

Uniformed gardaí were posted outside several head shops in north Dublin over the Easter weekend to monitor trade at the shops. A Garda spokesman said this was part of an “ongoing operation” but could give no further detail on the intention or likely success of the monitoring operation.

Under legislation head shop products, which have names such as “Blow” and “Snow”, are sold legally as they are not intended for human consumption. This leaves gardaí powerless to stop people buying products until the Government carries through with its promise to change the law.

Focus Ireland said one practical policy would be immediately to mandate all head shops to close by 11pm to prevent young people buying products when they were already drunk.

It also called for the restriction of mephedrone, a drug linked to 25 deaths in Britain that is still on sale in Irish head shops. Focus Ireland welcomed reports the substance would be banned but warned problems could arise later because medical firms use the substance for legitimate purposes.

“Focus Ireland would recommend that this specific problem could be overcome by medical companies having to gain a licence to use any of these listed substances,” said the report.

The Government has pledged to ban many of the substances sold by head shops by late June.

Source: Jamie Smyth, The Irish Times, 06/04/2010