All-Ireland approach needed to tackle legal highs

Sinn Fein MEP, Martina Anderson, Has said that an All-Ireland approach is needed to tackle 'legal highs'.

As part of 'Legal High Awareness Week', Ms Anderson is to attend a conference in the Tower Hotel in Derry tomorrow.

Ahead of the conference, Ms Anderson has been speaking of the dangers of such substances, saying that the dangers of legal highs were well known and “unfortunately” there were families who had lost loved ones as a result of use of the substances – and that many others, particularly young people, have been severely damaged by taking legal highs.

She continued;

“And the problem is these substances continue to be sold legally over the counter.

“I am glad to see that this awareness week includes events in Derry and Donegal because the devastating impact of legal highs is the same everywhere.

“That is why we need an all-Ireland approach to dealing with legal highs.

“Currently, once a substance is banned in the North it can go back on the market if a single ingredient is changed. In the South a new license must be obtained before a product can be sold.

“Effective legislation is needed right across the island to protect people from these potentially deadly substances.”

Ms Anderson concluded: “I have been raising the dangers of legal highs in the European Parliament and will continue to have these products banned.”