As the Deputy is aware, the National Advisory Committee on Drugs is undertaking a research project in the areas of Headshops and "Legal Highs". The research will look at new psychoactive substances of natural and synthetic origin and the outlets supplying them. The key objectives of the research project are twofold, namely:
to undertake a review of the products concerned in order to establish what they are supposed to contain and what they actually contain and thereby establish the risk factors associated with consumption of these products; and
to provide an overview and analysis of measures taken in other jurisdictions to restrict psychoactive substances.
Following a recent request for tenders, it is anticipated that a contract will be placed with the preferred bidder to carry out the research in early May. It is expected that the findings of the research will be available by the end of July.