Suspicious devices found outside two headshops

drunkmonkey

linky http://breakingnews.ie/ireland/suspicious-devices-found-outside-two-headshops-449439.html

Time for action by the Government before someone gets killed, and by action I don't meant shut the shops down. I mean a good clear and fair substance policy that respects the rights of the individual to make their own choices in life.

Onikage

Oh great :rolleyes:

http://www.irelandlogue.com/craic/daily-dose-22-sept.html

Athlone sure brings the crazies

My name is URL

They're gonna be all but closed down in a few months when most of the substances become illegal. It's completely unnecessary for these scumbags to go on targeting businesses. The Gardai should set up a task force specifically to deal with the attacks.. if the target was for instance Polish shops they'd have done that by now

Dublin_Gunner

drunkmonkey wrote: »

linky http://breakingnews.ie/ireland/suspicious-devices-found-outside-two-headshops-449439.html

Time for action by the Government before someone gets killed, and by action I don't meant shut the shops down. I mean a good clear and fair substance policy that respects the rights of the individual to make their own choices in life.

All the policy in the world won't stop people wanting these places closed. Particularly as the threats are thought to be coming from the 'illegal' drug trade...

bazmaiden

So drugs(legal or otherwise) can kill

AnonoBoy

Onikage wrote: »

Oh great :rolleyes:

http://www.irelandlogue.com/craic/daily-dose-22-sept.html

Athlone sure brings the crazies

That story would be hilarious if it wasn't so pathetic.

Caliden

bazmaiden wrote: »

So drugs(legal or otherwise) can kill

Only death I've heard of is when some fella used legal highs with illegal ones (estacy if I'm not mistaken)

c0rk3r

So when the headshops close are you going to give your money to these bomb planting, ruthless, vicious, violent psycho's ?

Answer - Yes

Biggins

So highly illegal drug pushers are supposedly targeting shops now and so far getting away with it?
Would I correct in reading the media stuff that way?

Sharpey

I wonder who is behind this activity

Dempo1

What about the suspicious devices (products) to be found inside? I see a new one opened and closed in Oldcastle, Meath. Last about three weeks i believe, apparently a protest march was planned.

Dublin_Gunner

Biggins wrote: »

So highly illegal drug pushers are supposedly targeting shops now and so far getting away with it?
Would I correct in reading the media stuff that way?

Thats what I'm taking from it anyway.

The media were reporting some time ago that there would be an apparent 'backlash' from drug dealers over these head shops popping up everywhere, and eating into their profits.

Now we have a report saying that headshops are being targeted with 'suspicious devices'.

Putting 2+2 together doesn't need to come up with 5 to figure out the implications.

Why don't illegal drug dealers open up 'legal' headshops?

Everyone would be happy

MaybeLogic

Biggins wrote: »

So highly illegal drug pushers are supposedly targeting shops now and so far getting away with it?
Would I correct in reading the media stuff that way?

As far as I understood it's the RIRA wots doing it, including shooting the headshop owner in Derry and a drugdealer in Cork.

mike65

Its not often terrorists, armed gamgs and the government are on the same side.

DrumSteve

i dont understand why the head shops arent staying open. If i was buying it id rather do it legally than give my money to some gangster. (although if you count the goverment as gangsters i suppose it could work both ways).

ScumLord

Caliden wrote: »

Only death I've heard of is when some fella used legal highs with illegal ones (estacy if I'm not mistaken)

That's very obviously untrue in so many ways.

I'd love to know who's doing this, surely the moral majority can't justify protecting children by planting bombs? This is just unreal, are there warnings or any kind of message going with all these attacks?

gollem_1975

were they labelled "not for human consumption"

HoPpiE

Dublin_Gunner wrote: »

Why don't illegal drug dealers open up 'legal' headshops?

Everyone would be happy

I believe that to be the case in one of the shops in Castlebar.

genericguy

Username-in-use wrote: »

So when the headshops close are you going to give your money to these bomb planting, ruthless, vicious, violent psycho's ?

Answer - Yes

that's the point. the government can't honestly be stupid enough to believe that the removal of certain products from headshops will prevent people wanting to get high. so, they are therefore knowingly handing the trade back to the type of people who will shoot/bomb/burn their competitors, and probably your children aswell.

something that has struck me in the last few months of listening to the "think of the children" brigade - the government has presided over the catastrophic degeneration of the health service, closed down specialist wards in childrens' hospitals, offered public support and sanctuary to the priests who raped your children and refused point fcuking blank to punish them for it, and now by criminalising the best-selling products in the head shops they are literally giving gangland criminals who will stab and shoot your children a pay increase.

this doesn't sound to me like a group of people who someone concerned about their children should be supporting.

ScumLord

Username-in-use wrote: »

So when the headshops close are you going to give your money to these bomb planting, ruthless, vicious, violent psycho's ?

Answer - Yes

One point here, weed production throughout the world has gone local thanks to people putting instructions on growing weed in small spaces. Much of the weed bought in Ireland is now grown in Ireland, this move to lots of grow ops has liberated weed to a certain extent. Now anyone can grow weed, anywhere. In my experience I'm dealing less and less with scumbags and more and more with ordinary smokers that grow.

molloyjazz

lol that happebed in Athlone.. i'll go down to the headshop in an hour and get the low down.

Dublin_Gunner

molloyjazz wrote: »

lol that happebed in Athlone.. i'll go down to the headshop in an hour and get the low down.

You wouldn't mind, er, picking me up something, would you?? :D

drunkmonkey

just in, turns out they were hoaxes

from breaking news:
The Defence Forces say two suspicious devices found at headshops in Athlone town today were hoaxes.

They were found at two separate headshops in the Irishtown and Mardyke Street areas this morning.

The scenes have since reopened.

Read more: http://breakingnews.ie/ireland/devices-found-near-headshops-declared-hoaxes-449459.html#ixzz0hmUgH8uY

somebody must have got their bongs & bombs mixed up:rolleyes:

Biggins

To be honest, I'm starting to think that headshops are no more a risk to health than the HSE under Harney.
Seriously...

drunkmonkey

Biggins wrote: »

To be honest, I'm starting to think that headshops are no more a risk to health than the HSE under Harney.
Seriously...

You'll definitely come out of a headshop felling better than if you went to a hospital. Headshops also answer the phone. All in all they offer a much better service. More bang for your buck as they say in the states.

Sea Sharp

To be honest, I'm starting to think that headshops are no more a risk to health than the HSE under Harney.
Seriously...

Good point.

People have a seriously distorted priorities if they think that closing down head-shops is what they should focus their attention on

bazmaiden

drunkmonkey wrote: »

somebody must have got their bongs & bombs mixed up:rolleyes:

Maybe they meant this...

http://www.bolinat.com/unique/products/reg/6947.jpg

Mona Lott

Stop panicing, sure it was only two bong hoaxes

msg11

Whats the ****ing problem with these shops?

If you don't like them or need anything in them, keep the **** out of the shop. Don't bitch about something you don't know about.

I don't use head shops or drugs except smoke cigs. Christ on a bike, what is it with Irish people and getting there noses in everywhere?

Tryna get these places closed down that are legal, pay taxes and hire people for work.

While drug dealers do the opposite. And the goverment/majority of people want to hand this trade back to them? Are they ****ing off the bat?

Few friends of mine, that were into the coke stopped. And tried the legal 'snow blow', pay legally for it, pay taxes and it's controlled.

If that gose there back to the drug dealer. Has everyone just lost there mind?

The bombs should be outside these scummers that sell the illegal stuff.

I am sick of it, people giving out yards about these shops, oh no they opened one in your area, so ? You don't seem to care if a Spar opens up selling Drink and Smokes, there all drugs, addictive and can kill. Also controlled, again different sets of rules for different people. Bloody joke.

And again, if you don't like the shops, fair play, stop pissing me off with this bloody crap. Just keep away from them.

molloyjazz

I was chatting to a sound fella that owns one of em in athlone today.. he said he didn't even notice the pipe like object leaning on the shop to the side of the door. His colleague actually picked it and brought it into the shop! He said the gards came in then a few minutes after, and that was the first they heard of a bomb?

Id say its kids ****in around, inspired perhaps by all the recent media coverage of headshops.

Although the guy did say he felt quite threatened by the whole thing, can't blame him really. But theres always some risk from high profit gains.

admiralofthefleet

parking meters?

Sheeps

420

http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0310/athlone.html

Two viable explosive devices have been made safe outside separate head shops in Athlone, Co Westmeath.

The alerts were in the Golden Island area of the town.

A number of buildings were evacuated during the alert.

Traffic restrictions have since been lifted.

Truley

msg11 wrote: »

I am sick of it, people giving out yards about these shops, oh no they opened one in your area, so ? You don't seem to care if a Spar opens up selling Drink and Smokes, there all drugs, addictive and can kill. Also controlled, again different sets of rules for different people. Bloody joke.

Very true. I wonder why people haven't started attacking pharmacies. Seeing as perscription drugs have killed more people annually than anything a head shop has sold.

twinQuins

ScumLord wrote: »

That's very obviously untrue in so many ways.

I'd love to know who's doing this, surely the moral majority can't justify protecting children by planting bombs?

I think the case of self-appointed moral guardians bombing abortion clinics in the US, sadly, proves otherwise. You're dealing with people so far removed from reality that to them, any means of shutting these places down is acceptable.

Kurtosis

msg11 wrote: »

Whats the ****ing problem with these shops?

If you don't like them or need anything in them, keep the **** out of the shop. Don't bitch about something you don't know about.

I don't use head shops or drugs except smoke cigs. Christ on a bike, what is it with Irish people and getting there noses in everywhere?

Tryna get these places closed down that are legal, pay taxes and hire people for work.

While drug dealers do the opposite. And the goverment/majority of people want to hand this trade back to them? Are they ****ing off the bat?

Few friends of mine, that were into the coke stopped. And tried the legal 'snow blow', pay legally for it, pay taxes and it's controlled.

If that gose there back to the drug dealer. Has everyone just lost there mind?

The bombs should be outside these scummers that sell the illegal stuff.

I am sick of it, people giving out yards about these shops, oh no they opened one in your area, so ? You don't seem to care if a Spar opens up selling Drink and Smokes, there all drugs, addictive and can kill. Also controlled, again different sets of rules for different people. Bloody joke.

And again, if you don't like the shops, fair play, stop pissing me off with this bloody crap. Just keep away from them.

(my emphasis added)

How is snow-blow controlled?

Precious flower

MaybeLogic wrote: »

As far as I understood it's the RIRA wots doing it, including shooting the headshop owner in Derry and a drugdealer in Cork.

The gardaí are not sure if it's them but they haven't ruled them out as suspects as far as I know, mainly because they pride themselves on 'protecting' communties. :rolleyes: Their doing a fine job if it's them they solution seems to be just burn everything down!:mad:

drunkmonkey

penguin88 wrote: »

How is snow-blow controlled?

Your protected under your consumer rights, you don't get that with drug dealers.
If it's not fit for purpose you can take it back, if it kills someone i'm sure the producer or supplier are "legally" liable.

Coriolanus

Precious flower wrote: »

The gardaí are not sure if it's them but they haven't ruled them out as suspects as far as I know, mainly because they pride themselves on 'protecting' communties. :rolleyes: Their doing a fine job if it's them they solution seems to be just burn everything down!:mad:

Of course, far much safer for the kids to be going to the RIRA for their drugs rather than the head shops.

They're protecting their profit margins and that's about all.

Kurtosis

drunkmonkey wrote: »

Your protected under your consumer rights, you don't get that with drug dealers.
If it's not fit for purpose you can take it back, if it kills someone i'm sure the producer or supplier are "legally" liable.

Will give you the consumer rights point. The other one, hmmm...not so sure. The same way if someone died from consuming some "Mom's Old Fashioned Fertiliser", I'd have thought as long as the product was suitably labelled with warning of not for human consumption, Homebase and Mom's Old Fashioned Fertiliser Co. wouldn't be liable. Then again, these headshop products are "not for human consumption ", so that argument could be made if there was a court case.

I still think however the poster might have meant "controlled" in a different sense.

c0rk3r

msg11 wrote: »

If that gose there back to the drug dealer. Has everyone just lost there mind?

Don't your mates have a choice to make? Give these psychos money or not. When does personal responsibility go out the window ? Personally, i dont mind drugs its just the deluded users that annoy me.

msg11

penguin88 wrote: »

(my emphasis added)

How is snow-blow controlled?

Never taking the stuff, but I can imagine to be sold legally it would have to meet some sort of quaility requirment to be sold, and it can't be like the other stuff mixed to the nines with all sorts.

The problem here is not the drug on its own, it's the user. Not knowing when too give it a rest and let your body take a break. Which in turn leads to someone on the ground in a life or death situation.

Another problem I have is the goverment. They are not educating people on drugs, the effects, the after effects and how these effects can change;

Your attitude
Your mindset
Your health
Your life

I was watching a programme on BBC on Cannabis. It killed a young lad, not because of the Cannabis, but because he was just smoking too much of the stuff. Which in turn lead to him having a mental health issue and hanging himself.

Proper course from starting to highlighting these dangers might have turned him away from the stuff, or highlight the risk of smoking to much of the stuff has.

Which is the same for any drug.

The goverment get a bit of regulation in the area, and they want to throw it away ? As for the people planting bombs outside these shops, setting them on fire etc.. What is the propose? You are going to kill an innocent person, like myself, who has no interest in the shops, why you want them closed down. The products these shops are selling is not going to kill someone, its the people protesting against them for what ever reason that will.

It really is a ticking clock before someone gets hurt/kill with this carry on.

One shop burned to the ground.
Bombs planted outside two.

Another one will be next.. Can the Garda/Goverment step in before a life is lost. By that I don't mean shut the shops down.

Kurtosis

msg11 wrote: »

Never taking the stuff, but I can imagine to be sold legally it would have to meet some sort of quaility requirment to be sold, and it can't be like the other stuff mixed to the nines with all sorts.

No, this is not the case.

AKA pat sheen

Another headshop has been torched http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0311/sligo.html

How many is that, 5 shops? I wouldn't be surprised if they start classifying these products as medicines like the Dutch have.

Donny5

penguin88 wrote: »

No, this is not the case.

Yeah, this is fact. The stuff is being sold as bath salts and plant food, and, as such, not for human consumption. They can put almost anything they want in there, and the only downside to them is that they won't get repeat business if they become known for it.

drunkmonkey

Donny5 wrote: »

Yeah, this is fact. The stuff is being sold as bath salts and plant food, and, as such, not for human consumption. They can put almost anything they want in there, and the only downside to them is that they won't get repeat business if they become known for it.

Would it not make more sense for the shops to be forced into labelling it for human consumption when it clearly is and also have printed guidelines for use and what to do when complications arise from using the products. If the substance hasn't passed any tests then it can't be sold.

Donny5

drunkmonkey wrote: »

Would it not make more sense for the shops to be forced into labelling it for human consumption when it clearly is and also have printed guidelines for use and what to do when complications arise from using the products. If the substance hasn't passed any tests then it can't be sold.

Yeah, certainly, it would. However, nothing they sell would pass any European Medicines Agency tests, nor domestic testing by the Irish Medicines Board. If nothing else, the tests required to certify a drug for human use would be prohibitively expensive for the manufactures and retailers of what's sold in head shops. On top of that, regulation would bring more costs related to quality assurance, licensing, branding and, most importantly, liability.

If a head shop now sells a drug that is found to cause medical difficulties in the future, it's relatively safe from liability, because:

• It sold it as a bath salt or some other product for external use only only, and so the problems were caused by the misuse of the product, not the product itself.
  
• Head shops have no licence to lose, no regulator to fear, no barrier to entry or exit. If a headshop is sued and is a Limited Liability Company, the owners can declare bankruptcy and walk away. They can then set up a new company and open another head shop.

If head shops become licensed (and insured and inspected and everything else that goes with being regulated), suddenly a barrier to entry has appeared. Opening a head shop becomes expensive and difficult, which decreases the attractiveness of walking away from a current shop facing legal difficulties. This alone would end the industry immediately, in my opinion.

Were head shops to be regulated, it's likely that staff there would required to have some training or qualification, which would increase costs further. (I've heard, as a counter argument to this, that if this were true, that off-licences and anyone selling smokes would also be forced to have training before distributing their legal drugs. It's simply not the case, though. Legal head shops would almost certainly need qualified staff (what the qualification would be, I don't know) if for no other reason than to satisfy the old biddies on Joe Duffy.)

They'd also need insurance, and lots of it.

Due to these cost increases, the price would also have to be raised to remain profitable. The higher the price of legal highs relative to their illicit counterparts would reduce demand as head shops lose their competitive edge.

TL;DR: Yes, you're right, it would be safer, but it'll never happen.


Full Disclosure: I'm talking through my arse and am almost completely wrong about all of the above.

AKA pat sheen

drunkmonkey wrote: »

Would it not make more sense for the shops to be forced into labelling it for human consumption when it clearly is and also have printed guidelines for use and what to do when complications arise from using the products. If the substance hasn't passed any tests then it can't be sold.

If the govt. designate these products as unlicenced medicines then all sales would be illegal without approval from IMB and it's almost certain there wouldn't be approval for them. You can't market a licensed medicine as "not for human consumption" to get around the law so it's strange than you can market a substance "which may be administered with a view to...modifying physiological functions by exerting a pharmacological, immunological or metabolic action in humans or animals" just because it doesn't have a license. The Dutch obviously don't agree.

Teddy Chips

I've never heard junkies referred to as devices.

Kurtosis

AKA pat sheen wrote: »

If the govt. designate these products as unlicenced medicines then all sales would be illegal without approval from IMB and it's almost certain there wouldn't be approval for them. You can't market a licensed medicine as "not for human consumption" to get around the law so it's strange than you can market a substance "which may be administered with a view to...modifying physiological functions by exerting a pharmacological, immunological or metabolic action in humans or animals" just because it doesn't have a license. The Dutch obviously don't agree.

I don't really follow you. For a medicine, being unlicensed does not make it illegal to sell it. It does mean extra conditions on how it is supplied, but it is not against the law. But despite not having a licence, it still has to be produced by an authorised manufacturer, distributed by an authorised wholesaler and supplied through a pharmacy on foot of a prescription...I think it is more this part that would be the barrier for headshop products.

goose2005

penguin88 wrote: »

(my emphasis added)

How is snow-blow controlled?

Is is not just called "Snow"?

Anyway, no-one controls the sale of glue, even though there are probably just as many glue-sniffers as snow-snorters.