Renewed efforts are needed to tackle the sale of illegal ‘headshop drugs’ on the internet, according to new research undertaken by DIT.

Renewed efforts are needed to tackle the sale of illegal ‘headshop drugs’ on the internet, according to new research from the National Advisory Committee on Drugs (NACD).

Customs seized 34kg of banned head shop drugs last year, mainly in the post.

People continue to present to hospitals with serious medical and psychiatric problems from former “legal highs” despite the crackdown on head shops, according to a respected doctor.

The Department of Health has drawn up further legislation to outlaw a new wave of “head shop” drugs which are hitting the Irish market.

Brazen drug pushers are targeting Wexford youths by selling banned head shop drugs on the Internet.

A number of so-called head shops have begun selling equipment that can be used to cultivate cannabis plants – and thanks to a loophole in recently introduced legislation they cannot be prosecuted for the practice.

The seizure of more than €1m worth of head-shop drugs at the weekend shows the demand for once-legal highs hasn’t diminished, according to a leading expert.

A Government crackdown on head shops selling psychoactive substances appears to have been a success with only 19 now in operation, according to garda figures.

A man died after consuming the head shop drug MDPV, which has a similar effect to cocaine, but is 20 to 30 times more potent.