Harney accused of blaming EU for head shop ban delay

A EUROPEAN anti-drugs campaigner has accused the Government of falsely blaming EU laws for the delay in banning head shop drugs such as mephedrone.

Health Minister Mary Harney has said she cannot ban head shop substances for three months under the EU law.

However, Gráinne Kenny, honorary president of Europe against Drugs, said the principle of “subsidiarity” clearly states there is an exemption in special circumstances including health. The law states that for “urgent reasons relating to public health,” member states can act in matters alone without any consultation with the EU.

Ms Kenny’s comments came after gardaí issued a serious warning to teenagers in Sligo after two youngsters were rushed to hospital from a party.

About 30 youngsters, aged between 13 and 16, were at the party in a derelict house in the woods at Hazelwood outside the town. Partygoers panicked when two boys aged 15 became ill.

A senior garda said there was concern for the others who were at the party.

“They could have gone home and fallen unconscious – or worse. Luckily, there were no further casualties and we have no reports of any casualties for the other 15 we were unable to get hold of overnight.”

The two boys admitted to hospital were released within hours before 12 midnight on Tuesday.

No arrests were made and there were no drugs found at the party scene.

One officer said: “It’s difficult to say what they took.

“Hospital staff could not help except to say that the youngsters they treated appeared to have smoked whatever they ingested.

“Even if they get their substances in a head shop, it would be difficult to prove anything illegal.

“The shops sell some substances which are marked not for human consumption and they sell it as fertiliser. We’re hamstrung until the law changes.”

Meanwhile, Junior Fisheries Minister, Sean Connick, said he was keeping an “open-mind” about head shops.

In an interview with Hotpress magazine, the Fianna Fáil TD for Wexford said he did not know if they should be shut down.

“People are saying, ‘Oh, these are terrible. Close them down’. And then at the same time, I have people saying, ‘Well, hang on a second, these guys are not owing money now, they’re not in situations where they’re being chased down by guys giving them the hard stuff’… Whether or not we need to ban them, I don’t know yet, but I am open to a wider debate on it.

“But I think it’s certainly something we need to look at carefully, rather than go in and shut them all down.”