Home News Latest News 'Head' shop sparks anger

'Head' shop sparks anger

Thursday, 26 November 2009

A NEWLY opened ‘head’ shop in Finglas has sparked uproar in the village from furious locals. The shop, named Head Candy, which opened for business two weeks ago in the Drogheda Mall, specialises in ‘herbal highs’, smoking pipes, bongs, weighing scales and ‘imitation’ drugs. Pills and powders are also packaged and are readily available to customers as well as bulk packs of sealable plastic bags. While there is no suggestion that the business is in breach of any laws, some local people feel that the shop is inappropriate for the area Local resident Cepta Brennan is calling for the Finglas community to protest against the store’s opening. “I’ve seen loads of young people going in there and the word is quickly spreading,” she told Northside People. “I went in there myself to see what was going on and I was absolutely stunned to see all these hash pipes and rollies for sale. In my view, these products encourage drug use, plain and simple. I can’t believe it’s legal to sell such things.” Suzanne Nolan (25) said it was inevitable that teenagers from the local area would be attracted to the shop. “People are slowly starting to realise exactly what this shop specialises in,” she said. “There’s no way that people should just sit back and let a shop like this open for business.” Concerned parent Sean Mooney said he was shocked and furious that such a shop could begin trading in the heart of Finglas village. “It is beyond belief that this should be inflicted upon our community,” he told Northside People. “The wording of these so-called legal highs and herbal products makes my blood boil. I just worry that youths will be influenced into taking these pills and powders.” He added: “It’s an absolute disgrace that these highs are sold over the counter under the guise of being bath salts or pretend pills and cannabis. What do these people take us for? Complete idiots?” A local trader claimed the shop was already attracting a lot of “undesirables” to the area. “We need this shop like a hole in the head,” he said. “People from all age groups are hanging around here in their hoodies since the shop opened.” He added: “It will undoubtedly affect business.” Local councillor Dessie Ellis (SF) said several people had contacted him to vent their fury over the shop. “We have enough problems in Finglas as it is and we don’t need this. I can’t understand why there aren’t stricter regulations,” he stated. However, two other local traders said they had no real objection to the store. “The shop was lying there idle anyway so I guess once a business is there then that’s a positive thing,” one business owner said. “There’s nothing we can do about it now.” Another trader said he was indifferent to the shop’s opening. “I neither agree nor oppose the shop,” he said. “The kind of clientele it will attract isn’t exactly ideal but at least there is some business there now.” When contacted, a spokesperson for Head Candy said the store operates a strictly over 18s policy. “If we were selling illegal products we would be shut down immediately, which is more than you can say for the drug dealers on the street corners,” he stated. He declined to comment further.