Poisons centre gets two calls a week about head shop products

The National Poisons Information Centre has said it received 85 calls about head shop products in the 11 months to April this year.

It also said staff took calls from about 49 patients who had taken a product called Whack and 28 calls about a variety of other head shop products in May and June this year.

The centre said most calls were from young men with increased heart and breathing rates and raised blood pressure.

Medics said they were mainly suffering anxiety and seven people experienced severe psychotic episodes difficult to treat.

A ban on certain named highs was passed in May and a second raft of legislation to stop the legal trade in psychoactive drugs is due to go through the Dáil next week.

The legislation is similar to controls used in food safety regulations.

Gardaí and the courts will have the power to issue prohibition and closure orders on a shop owner or premises where psychoactive substances are being sold despite warnings to stop.

Anyone convicted of selling psychoactive drugs could face up to five years in prison.