Derry City Council officials have been called on to investigate the “impact” of the permission granted to Belfast City Council yesterday to allow them to destroy seized “legal highs” as soon as possible.
The call comes from SDLP local government election candidate, Emmet Doyle, who everything possible should be done to take “illegal drugs” of the streets of Derry.
Mr Doyle, who is seeking election in the Moor ward, said: “It is not often we look to Belfast for examples of how our local authority should conduct itself, but in this instance I am only too happy to call on Derry City Council to closely examine the determination from Belfast Magistrates Court that Belfast City Council can legally destroy legal highs seized by its officers under the Street Trading Act.
“A forfeiture order was granted to the Council on the seized items, taking them off the streets and allowing them to be disposed of.
“We should be doing everything we can to rid the streets of so-called legal highs which we know can have a devastating effect on the health of young people in particular.
“I will be communicating this afternoon with the chief executive of Derry City Council to impress as far as possible the benefits of this approach and asking that Council consider making this standard practice in our City so we can send a message that selling these products, despite their legal status in some instances, are of a nature that no-one wants in the community.”
