It all started in 2002 when these shops used to sell only bongs, rolling papers and tobacco. Then a loophole was found in the system and by the time the loophole was closed two years later half of the country had already tried magic mushrooms.
The big boom of the Head Shops started 2009 and in January of 2010 there was reported by the authorities one to be opened every week.
These legalized substances where sold in the shops and were advertised openly causing Moral Panic around the country.
Products purchaseable in these outlets typically include pipes, pipe screens, bongs, roach clips, vaporizers, rolling papers, rolling machines, scales or balances, blacklight-responsive posters, incense, cigarette lighters, legal drugs such as whipped-cream chargers and Salvia divinorum and products claiming to give false negative results for drug urinalysis tests; as well as items to enhance sex, such as dildos and vibrators.
The Media found an interest in these "local" businesses due to complaints from residents in those areas. Protests broke out and people where just not gonna let these so called "legal" drugs to be sold. Others argued that this its about being able to control the flow of drugs in the country and it cant be done by banning onesubstance and ignoring a range of more dangerous drugs.
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In February fires started and in Dublin head shop exploded and caught fire early morning on 12th February 2010 not only burning the shop to the grounds but also causing damage to the residential area and two other businesses. A second shop burned down four days later on the 16th of the same month. Another burned down a month later in Sligo. On the morning of March 11th, 2010 there were two pipe bombs found outside two separate head shops in the town of Athlone, GardaĆ bomb disposal experts closed two main streets in the town. On the morning of April 16th, 2010 in Dundalk, Co. Louth a head shop was set alight in a petrol bomb attack.
It was proven that these attacks were perpetrated by disgruntled drug dealers.
Hours after the incident in Dundalk Dermot Ahern plans for legislation for regulation of head shops got underway. From May 11th, 2010, many head shop products are now illegal in Ireland and in June of the same year where banned altogether.