Semi-synthetic cannabis will be criminalised 'within weeks'
It follows a call from doctors to outlaw the drugs, which are commonly obtained in vape form, following a rise in their popularity among teenagers and young people.
Aontu TD Paul Lawless asked Minister Carroll MacNeill the date for when legislation will classify hexahydrocannabinol, known as HHC, as a schedule 1 controlled drug under the Misuse of Drugs legislative framework, with a particular focus on its use in vaping and the risks of accessibility to minors.
The Minister confirmed the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2017 will be 'amended to include HHC as a Schedule 1 drug subject to the strictest levels of control'.
She added: 'While I cannot put a precise date on this, I expect it to happen within the next weeks.'
Controlled drugs in Schedule 1 have the most restrictions on them because of their strong potential for abuse.
Other Schedule 1 drugs include heroin, LSD, marijuana, MDMA and ecstasy. Deputy Lawless told us he welcomed the impending ban as he questioned how these products were being marketed to young people.
He said: 'I welcome the news that the government will classify HHC as a controlled drug but we also need legislation to deal with how these products are marketed.
'They're being displayed like sweets in a sweetshop. The HHC vapes are brightly coloured and with scents of cotton candy and bubblegum. They are strategically designed to get children and young people hooked on them at an early age.
'These companies know what they're doing and there needs to be legislation to deal with this. When a young person in Mayo says HHC has torn their life apart, we have to listen.
'The fact that this substance can still be bought legally across the country is deeply alarming. The Government has a responsibility to act swiftly.'
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