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Home > Dail Eireann debate. Written answer 453 - Controlled drug sales [Black Mamba] [14008/12]

[Oireachtas] Dail Eireann debate. Written answer 453 - Controlled drug sales [Black Mamba] [14008/12]. (13 Mar 2012)

External website: https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/2...


453. Deputy Paschal Donohoe asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if there is a high prevalence of the legal drug Black Mamba; if the Garda has encountered many instances of it on the streets. [14008/12]

Minister for Justice and Equality (Deputy Alan Shatter): In 2010 following the introduction of further regulation of psychoactive substances under the Misuse of Drugs legislation and the enactment of the Criminal Justice (Psychoactive Substances) Act 2010, a series of test-purchasing operations was undertaken at so called headshop outlets by the Garda National Drug Unit.

These operations resulted in the seizure of a range of products including cannabanoid products, cathinone substances and substances suspected to contain benzylpiperazine or its derivatives.
 
With regard to the product referred to by the Deputy, I am informed by the Garda authorities that the product has, in the past, been marketed as an incense-blend but has frequently been misused by purchasers and smoked, similar to a tobacco-based product. When such products have been the subject of analysis, they have been found to contain a synthetic substance, JWH-018, which is a controlled substance having been included in the Schedule to the Misuse of Drugs Acts 1977 and 1984 which came into effect from 11 May, 2010.
 
The Garda National Drugs Unit continues to monitor the few remaining headshop outlets closely and no evidence of the product referred to being available for sale has been noted at this time. In addition, I am informed that there is no evidence that JHW-018 or any other synthetic cannabinoids are prevalent on the illicit drugs market in Ireland at present.
 
The Garda National Drug Unit is continually monitoring retail outlets involved in the sale of products traditionally sold by headshops and, in partnership with its European counterparts, is constantly monitoring trends in the headshop phenomenon in order to identify emerging trends and patterns with a view to the early identification of possible new products.
 
Social Welfare Benefits – Controlled Drug Sales
Tuesday, 13 March 2012
Vol. 758 No. 4
Item Type
Dail Debates
Publication Type
Irish-related
Drug Type
New psychoactive substance
Intervention Type
Crime prevention
Source
Oireachtas
Date
13 March 2012
EndNote
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Related (external) link
Subjects
B Substances > New (novel) psychoactive substances > Piperidines-pyrrolidines / Piperazine derivates > BZP (Benzylpiperazine)
B Substances > New (novel) psychoactive substances > Synthetic cannabinoids (Spice / K2 / OXIZID / HHC)
B Substances > New (novel) psychoactive substances > Synthetic cathinones
L Social psychology and related concepts > Legal availability or accessibility
MM-MO Crime and law > Crime > Substance related crime > Crime associated with substance production and distribution
VA Geographic area > Europe > Ireland

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