Colchester shopkeeper to continue selling legal highs (From Gazette)
Get involved: send your pictures, video, news and views by texting GAZETTE NEWS to 80360, or email
Colchester shopkeeper to continue selling legal highs
9:28am Friday 8th March 2013 in News
A SHOPKEEPER has defended his decision to sell legal highs in Colchester.
The owner of Sheppards in Eld Lane, known as Rick, said he feels bad children are ending up in hospital but insisted the shop only sell to adults and if children are getting hold of products from the shops it is because other adults are buying them and passing them on.
He also thinks it is better for his adult customers, who he claims are going to get something anyway, to get products labelled and under control from the shop than from a drug dealer on a street corner.
See the full interview and reaction to the town's legal high problem in today's Gazette.
Comments(28)
Say It As It Is OK?
says...
10:01am Fri 8 Mar 13
jammin
says...
10:04am Fri 8 Mar 13
JBoswick
says...
10:04am Fri 8 Mar 13
Say It As It Is OK? wrote:Spot on!
Anyone can boycott Sheppards store if they feel this is wrong but if it's legal to sell whatever this drug is then no law is being broken. Could say the same for every store in the land that sells tobacco and alcohol.
The same people who are moaning about this shop are probably the same folk who are moaning that british pubs are closing down.
Legal Non-prescription drugs are Legal Non-prescription drugs whether it's Caffeine, Alcohol, Tabacco or Herbal remedies
SOMETHING2SAY
says...
10:56am Fri 8 Mar 13
James 1
says...
11:16am Fri 8 Mar 13
This substance may, for the time being, be legal but obviously he is not concerned who has it. No responsible adult is going to buy this tack for children - are they?? Hmmmm
SOMETHING2SAY
says...
11:28am Fri 8 Mar 13
catflap1
says...
12:04pm Fri 8 Mar 13
romantic
says...
12:05pm Fri 8 Mar 13
Say It As It Is OK? wrote:Precisely. As soon as you mention "drugs", all rationality goes out of the window. We don´t ban all alcohol sales because an under-age person gets drunk. We don´t ban parents from buying their kids junk food, even if it makes them obese.
Anyone can boycott Sheppards store if they feel this is wrong but if it's legal to sell whatever this drug is then no law is being broken. Could say the same for every store in the land that sells tobacco and alcohol.
It is better that this is on sale at a place which will hopefully make sure the qualiy is OK, than for people to buy off the streets.
Many people have the gut reaction "These are drugs. We have to ban them". Which is all very well, but not realistic. Clearly, the demand is there, so it is better that we keep it legal, but make sure people are properly aware of the possible dangers.
Smouldering Ewok
says...
1:44pm Fri 8 Mar 13
They are only deemed legal because they are untested and have text on the packs that say not for human consumption.
The packs are also designed to appeal to youngsters.
As soon as the buyer gets home it will be consumed.
The law is an ****!
Justice79
says...
1:45pm Fri 8 Mar 13
SOMETHING2SAY wrote:Like the hundreds of retailers that sell alcohol?
Legal or not.."its" still dealing drugs....to make £££
SOMETHING2SAY
says...
2:19pm Fri 8 Mar 13
Justice79 wrote:Rather a kid p*****d in the street than one in A&E facing death in the face !
SOMETHING2SAY wrote:Like the hundreds of retailers that sell alcohol?
Legal or not.."its" still dealing drugs....to make £££
JBoswick
says...
3:18pm Fri 8 Mar 13
Kid's don't get hooked on cigarettes after starting to smoke at 13 do they?
Drugs are drugs however you look at it. It's up the person who buys the drug (whether that be Vodka, Legal Highs or 10 B&H) to ensure that it is used correctly and responsibly
1,883 deaths related to Legal highs (a fall from the year before) in 2010 while there were 8,790 Deaths related to alcohol (a rise from the year before) yet it's still fine to sell alcohol in supermarkets & shops and it's still OK to protest when the great British pub is being threatened
totallyfootball
says...
3:28pm Fri 8 Mar 13
JBoswick wrote:I think the figures are immaterial as there are those that will do what's wrong for their bodies however hard we try to educate them and at the end of the day I could not give a toss what other people do to their own bodies. My only gripe with this story is the person bragging about it and the media giving him front page, probably inflated his ego beyond the realms of whatever the dangers really are!
Yeah because kids never go to A&E after drinking too much do they??
Kid's don't get hooked on cigarettes after starting to smoke at 13 do they?
Drugs are drugs however you look at it. It's up the person who buys the drug (whether that be Vodka, Legal Highs or 10 B&H) to ensure that it is used correctly and responsibly
1,883 deaths related to Legal highs (a fall from the year before) in 2010 while there were 8,790 Deaths related to alcohol (a rise from the year before) yet it's still fine to sell alcohol in supermarkets & shops and it's still OK to protest when the great British pub is being threatened
irememberwhen
says...
3:50pm Fri 8 Mar 13
jeffbridges
says...
4:23pm Fri 8 Mar 13
Justice79 wrote:I know that In life we all have personal choices, choices that we freely take daily, but its my choice I neither take non prescription drugs of anysort,
SOMETHING2SAY wrote: Legal or not.."its" still dealing drugs....to make £££Like the hundreds of retailers that sell alcohol?
Including smoking and drinking alcohol of anysort.
But I would neither attempt nor advise anyone outside my family to chose there own versions of poison, be it legal so called highs, or casual drinking & smoking.
I agree I am one of the anti smoking lobby due to being an ex smoker,
also an anti drinker being a once social drinker, but neither did I partake of substances of any kind either,
but just saw the after effects for more years I can remember as a cab driver.
I along with others can only give gentle advise of the after effects of things that seem fun now, but eventually destroy you later.
So, my vote?
ban all these so called legal highs.
no contest as far as I`m concerned.
Mr-La-De-Da-Gunner-Graham
says...
4:48pm Fri 8 Mar 13
I'm speaking as a SOCIAL drinker, having been, and still am, a drinker.
Speaking as a level-headed, reasonable and intelligent person, I say these legal highs are absolutely fine and support the shop owners views.
Better to buy unadulterated legal highs than rubbish "amphetamine"/"cocai
ne" cut with god-knows-what from idiots in bars/clubs etc.
As many people have stated in the comments already, it's all about being SENSIBLE and taking these things in MODERATION - that goes for alcohol and all other substances that give us a boost.
The "ban everything" brigade need to grow up and lighten up.
Oh, and before anyone asks, yes I've taken legal highs before - Mephedrone before the idiotic knee-jerk ban, also tried NRG2, NRG3 and MPA.
I now await the entirely predictable gaggle of tory automatons to emerge calling for me to be hung, drawn and quartered and my entrails to be publically displayed on the railings at the entrance to ChavCaster Castle!
irememberwhen
says...
4:55pm Fri 8 Mar 13
wormshero
says...
5:04pm Fri 8 Mar 13
SOMETHING2SAY wrote:Pharmaceutical firms do this as a business model. Your point?
Legal or not.."its" still dealing drugs....to make £££
So long as he's not selling to children I don't see what's wrong with it. The keyword being *legal*, really. Bars and shops make a lot from alcohol sales, no one complains about that.
Mr-La-De-Da-Gunner-Graham
says...
5:04pm Fri 8 Mar 13
irememberwhen wrote:Aha, an art-fag tory eh?! ;-)
I think you should be hung, drawn and quartered, but maybe your entrails publically displayed at Firstsite.
jeffbridges
says...
7:33pm Fri 8 Mar 13
Mr-La-De-Da-Gunner-Gso sorry to be the barer of bad news my friend.
raham wrote:
I'm speaking as a NON-smoker, having never smoked. I'm speaking as a SOCIAL drinker, having been, and still am, a drinker. Speaking as a level-headed, reasonable and intelligent person, I say these legal highs are absolutely fine and support the shop owners views. Better to buy unadulterated legal highs than rubbish "amphetamine"/"
cocai ne" cut with god-knows-what from idiots in bars/clubs etc. As many people have stated in the comments already, it's all about being SENSIBLE and taking these things in MODERATION - that goes for alcohol and all other substances that give us a boost. The "ban everything" brigade need to grow up and lighten up. Oh, and before anyone asks, yes I've taken legal highs before - Mephedrone before the idiotic knee-jerk ban, also tried NRG2, NRG3 and MPA. I now await the entirely predictable gaggle of tory automatons to emerge calling for me to be hung, drawn and quartered and my entrails to be publically displayed on the railings at the entrance to ChavCaster Castle!
http://www.labour.or
g.uk/drugs-policy-re
port-from-home-affai
rs-select-committee
“The Committee is right that this is a genuinely cross-governmental issue, and that the Government just doesn’t get this. We need proper education on the dangers of drugs, yet the Government scrapped compulsory lessons on drugs and alcohol. I am glad the Committee agrees with the need for better education and the Government can start by backing Labour's plans.
“And the Home Office needs to be far more active in dealing with emerging dangers, such as the threats from legal highs. Only a small number of banning orders have been issued under this Government and they need to be far more pro active.
“The Home Secretary should not dismiss this report before having read it. We will study it thoroughly and urge the Government to engage on this issue.”
I have not yet found a tory atomatons report of simular values as yet, but i`ll keep looking for you.
jeffbridges
says...
7:41pm Fri 8 Mar 13
http://www.labour.or
g.uk/labour_crackdow
n_on_cannabis,2008-0
5-07
I believe the key words are,
Labour,
crackdown,
and,
cannabis,
but it Includes under age drinking also.
thank you.
Snowyghost
says...
8:31pm Fri 8 Mar 13
Mr-La-De-Da-Gunner-Gthey are not unadulterated by any means.
raham wrote:
I'm speaking as a NON-smoker, having never smoked.
I'm speaking as a SOCIAL drinker, having been, and still am, a drinker.
Speaking as a level-headed, reasonable and intelligent person, I say these legal highs are absolutely fine and support the shop owners views.
Better to buy unadulterated legal highs than rubbish "amphetamine"/"
cocai
ne" cut with god-knows-what from idiots in bars/clubs etc.
As many people have stated in the comments already, it's all about being SENSIBLE and taking these things in MODERATION - that goes for alcohol and all other substances that give us a boost.
The "ban everything" brigade need to grow up and lighten up.
Oh, and before anyone asks, yes I've taken legal highs before - Mephedrone before the idiotic knee-jerk ban, also tried NRG2, NRG3 and MPA.
I now await the entirely predictable gaggle of tory automatons to emerge calling for me to be hung, drawn and quartered and my entrails to be publically displayed on the railings at the entrance to ChavCaster Castle!
They are cut with any old crap and have a terrible effect on the brain and general mental health.
They are dangerous and will kill someone one day....either by killing the user or making someone so aggressive and paranoid that they kill someone
HARRY438
says...
11:08pm Fri 8 Mar 13
ALIUK1
says...
9:55pm Sat 9 Mar 13
The shop owner is not at fault for selling perfectly legal drugs to the appropriate age range.
I am a responsible drinker and have never taken drugs in my life but as long as it is legal it is ok surely?
But the key point I keep seeing is that all things need to be in moderation whether it be drink, legalised drugs or tobacco. These things can all kill or seriously affect your health unless the warnings are adhered to.
zt00013
says...
3:01pm Mon 11 Mar 13
jeffbridges wrote:Precisely the problem with prohibitionists is that they offer no evidence for their view, sure they have plenty of anecdotes and moral reasons, yet no actual evidence to support their view. What matters is evidence and all evidence suggests current drug policy exacerbates every social, health and crime problem it attempts to fight. Government policy must be pragmatic balancing the egalitarian needs of society and personal freedom; whilst actually tackling social problems.
Justice79 wrote:I know that In life we all have personal choices, choices that we freely take daily, but its my choice I neither take non prescription drugs of anysort,
SOMETHING2SAY wrote: Legal or not.."its" still dealing drugs....to make £££Like the hundreds of retailers that sell alcohol?
Including smoking and drinking alcohol of anysort.
But I would neither attempt nor advise anyone outside my family to chose there own versions of poison, be it legal so called highs, or casual drinking & smoking.
I agree I am one of the anti smoking lobby due to being an ex smoker,
also an anti drinker being a once social drinker, but neither did I partake of substances of any kind either,
but just saw the after effects for more years I can remember as a cab driver.
I along with others can only give gentle advise of the after effects of things that seem fun now, but eventually destroy you later.
So, my vote?
ban all these so called legal highs.
no contest as far as I`m concerned.
It is only a few drugs that cause serious social problems. Always remember the root of drug addiction is in human unhappiness, the legality or illegality of a hard drug like Heroin has not effect on the likelihood of someone deciding to use it. Whilst drugs such as MDMA are known to be near enough free from risk, yet as a society we promote and advertise alcohol, a drug that creates myriad social problems and carries serious health risks.
Drug policy is ridiculous and based on no evidence. This would be laughable were it not the case that the result of that is death and misery all over the world. Prohibitionists believe themselves to be moral, they're in fact misguided and support the very policy that incubates the serious social ills they wish to avoid.
super waluigi
says...
6:55pm Wed 13 Mar 13
I put it like this, What would be a more accurate take on being a footballer???? To have a conversation with Wayne Rooney or read the daily press reports about Wayne Rooney????
What would be a more accurate story on the Iraq war? To ask a soldier from both sides or to read the daily press who reports from a far and safe distance?
So why do all of the people who are against legal highs only listen to the press and bad publicity on the subject without even contemplating the interesting views of someone like GUNNER GRAHAM?
It seems that it is always the people who have never done anything with their lives, other than go on holiday one week a year and pay taxes, even though they moan about the local authorities.These people could possibly do with going to see this Rick guy!!!!!
Just to make it clear, I have never taken a legal high. Not because I am against them, I just don't move in those circles. But I do drink Alcohol which is kicking my liver most nights and I used to smoke, which along with breathing in bad fumes at work could well end my life early.
If only some people could open their mind a little.
Lance Mead
says...
9:36pm Fri 15 Mar 13
SOMETHING2SAY says...
9:30am Fri 8 Mar 13