Head shops will tackled head on- Margaret Conlon TD

Fianna Fáil TD for Cavan Monaghan and member of the Dáil Health Committee, Margaret Conlon, has rejected the claim made by Fine Gael MEP Jim Higgins today that the Government is doing nothing about head shops.

She reiterated the fact that new regulations to control “legal highs” sold in head shops will be introduced in a matter of weeks by the Minister for Health and Children, Mary Harney TD.

“New laws will make the possession and sale of these substances illegal and subject to criminal sanction. It is very complex to legislate in this area as many of the chemicals used in these “legal highs” have other legitimate uses.”

“The Government takes the risks posed by these head shops very seriously and that is why we are looking at tackling them in a range of ways from consumer protection through to planning permission.”

“As a parent of young children myself I appreciate that head shops are a huge concern but to accuse the Government of inaction on the issue is simply not true,” concluded Margaret Conlon TD.