Legislation is needed to deal with so-called legal highs, MEP Martina Anderson has said.
The Sinn Fein representative was speaking after meeting Attorney General John Larkin.
She said: “It will shock many that Ireland has the highest use of so-called legal highs in Europe.
“These substances are toxic, they can kill and unfortunately have tragically taken the lives of too may so far.”
Ms Anderson added it was clear that action was “needed urgently” to remove these toxic substances from sale in order to protect young people.
She added: “I met with Attorney General John Larkin to explore all the legal options available to deal with legal highs.
“I also met with councillors Deirdre Hargey and Ciaran Beattie who are working on the ground in Belfast dealing with legal highs to discuss how they have been successful in preventing shops selling these substances.”
Ms Anderson added: “Europe also has a role to play and I will following up on this meeting by asking the European Commission to explore all options, legislative and otherwise, to deal with the scourge of legal highs.”
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