Cecilia Keaveney (Fianna Fail)

This is an important debate. As a former Chairman of the Oireachtas committee which dealt with the drugs issue, I can say we examined a number of products. For example, we looked at smoking as a gateway to other drugs. Some thought we were silly to tackle that issue, but we produced a report which yielded a ministerial response in the form of the smoking ban. We also tackled the issue of alcohol abuse, not a popular one to consider. The problem in this country is not only do we have a culture among some children of getting high through using some drug, legal or illegal, youths look to adults to show example. I mention this because alcohol is another gateway drug.

As part of our investigation, members of the committee visited New Zealand. At the time we were talking about bringing the use of alcohol within the terms of the national drugs strategy, as New Zealand had just done. It had only recently established a commission to tackle the issue. While there we met a lot of the key personnel involved in the drugs field and discussed the alcohol and illegal drugs problem. At that time they were particularly worried about the party pill. When I went to buy a newspaper or a can of Diet Coke, even the smallest of ordinary shops - not head shops - had party pills on sale. Tackling that issue was the key priority for those working in the drugs field in New Zealand. They said to us: "Be careful. If it is here now, it will be with you at some stage." It is similar to the problem with X-rated premium telephone numbers. One can ban such a number today, but there will be another available tomorrow. We must find a mechanism in order to react quickly.

We can visit schools and speak to them about the problem, but that is a simple solution which research shows does not work. I will, however, cite one example in respect of something that struck a chord with me. Those involved with a UK television programme sent a 12, 14 and 16-year old into a head shop to buy these products. Although each of them was under age, they came out with the products. Some were challenged about their age but were able to get the product by saying, "Sorry, I don't have my ID with me," even though it was obvious they were all under 18 years. The phrase that stuck with me was used in jest by the person running the store. They said: "Be careful not to use this until you get home." They were laughing and said: "If you pop the pill in your mouth leaving here and walk across the road, you could lose the use of your limbs. You could collapse in the middle of the street and get hit by a car." It was presented as "fun" to be had from head shops and the products they sell.

People sometimes become involved for other reasons. For example, they might smoke because they want to lose weight. Alcohol product labels should include the calorie content. Food products are always labelled so well that consumers know the salt content and other ingredients they contain. People can thus choose what they want to eat, but when they go into a bar, they cannot work out what is contained in alcoholic drinks. I will not advertise products here, but there is a low-calorie drinks industry. I am not trying to promote alcohol, but there are ways to tweak people's imaginations. If they knew how many calories there were in a pint or a glass of wine, would they have nine or ten pints or a bottle of wine? Would they choose something different or minimise their consumption? These are important issues. In the case of head shops, they are getting away with it by stating the product is not for human consumption. They will always move around the issue, but there must be warning systems in place. We must examine best practice around the world in this regard.

Senator Burke was astonished that we might need so many departmental approaches. It is the case that because the alcohol abuse issue did not come under the national drugs strategy it was not brought into focus. I commend the Minister for bringing it under the ambit of the national drugs strategy.