'Tackle legal highs before lives are lost'

DEPUTY Mayor, Councillor Brian Heading is leading a campaign against websites which promote and sell 'legal' highs.

He said sickening websites are targetting young people, selling drugs cheaply and advertising them as products such a bath salts.

Mr Heading raised the issue at Tuesday's Monthly Council meeting as he called for statutory bodies and voluntary agencies to join forces and roll out plans to educate young people about the dangers of so-called legal highs.

In his motion, Councillor Heading said he was calling upon "all statutory and appropriate voluntary agencies to collaborate in formulating an information campaign to inform parents, teachers and young people of the health risk from legal highs."

He added that he would like to "convene a meeting with appropriate bodies such as, the PSNI, Health Officials, Youth organisations and Drug Awareness groups to assess the availability, consumption and distribution of legal highs in the Lisburn area and to co-ordinate as required actions to raise awareness of the health risk from these drugs."

The legal high Ivory Wave, which is sold for about 15 a packet and is advertised as relaxing bath salts, was last month blamed for the death of chef Michael Bishton, 24, whose body was found in the sea in Whitecliff Bay, near Bembridge, Isle of Wight, and Councillor Heading said he fears it will not be long before there are deaths in the Lisburn area if there is not a crackdown on these websites soon.

"We need to get round the table and come up with an education programme," said Mr Heading. "This has to be done pro-actively to warn parents and to decide what sort of education programme is needed. We need to get this rolled out as quickly as possible before there are deaths in the Lisburn area."

Experts have warned that the drugs are "unknown quantities", and councillors welcomed the issue being raised.

Councillor James Tinsley commented: "This issue hit the headlines several months ago when we heard about Methadone. There are so many different substances being sold and unfortunately a lot of shop owners sell products knowing where they are going or not questioning where they are going. The use of these drugs is leading to a lot of suicides and ruining peoples' lives and ruining families."

He added: "It appears it is all sample and trial and error, but unfortunately trial and error can claim lives."

Councillor Trevor Lunn said this was the "latest attack on young people and children" and praised Councillor Heading for his "actions to raise awareness."

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