Health Minister misses key meeting about legal highs

Tuesday 2 March 2010

SDLP Health Spokesperson Conall McDevitt has expressed his concern that the Minister for Health has missed his second British Irish Council meeting in a row to discuss the misuse of drugs in Britain and Ireland.

"The Minister for Health is sending out all the wrong signals about tackling the drugs trade and consumption in across these islands.

"Last week's meeting of the British Irish Council discussed the availability of legal highs as well as the drugs crisis in prisons.

"Minister McGimpsey should have been present for this important discussion to demonstrate his commitment to tackling this problem. He needs to send a much stronger message about the need to deal the drugs crisis, which is particularly severe here in Northern Ireland.

"Some paramilitaries are now taking matters into their own hands against legal high outlets.

"The Minister, along with the Justice agencies needs to take much greater control over this issue and move very quickly to control the import and distribution of legal highs as well as educating young people as to the serious health risks these present.

"The British Irish Council will not meet to discuss drugs for another year.

It is time for the Minister for Health to bring forward proposals immediately to deal with legal highs."