Sex and Drugs are Out – So Is a Rock and Roll ban next on Labour’s agenda?

At Dublin City Council, the Labour College of Cardinals sanctimoniously and sonorously pontificated about Head Shops in the discussion on Michael Conaghan’s motion “This Council will consider a Special Variation of the Development Plan so as to better assist in the regulation etc of the retail outlets known as “Head Shops” in the light of serious and on-going concern at aspects of their operation in the city.”

The unctuous Cardinal from Beech Hill was absent but his place was ably taken by Conflict-of-Interests-Teacher-in-Chief Archbishop Riordan who decried the uselessness of demos against these head shops. Then Reverend Mother Emer wearing her splendidly serious face reminiscent of the “I’m against sex shops” campaign ambled into the discussion to be accompanied by Dessie John-Ellis of Eton College remarking on his demo against the Head Shop in Finglas to the blasts of Trumpets from the Chorus of the Self-righteous.

I thought “Is Rock and Roll” next on the banned list?

There is great worry about entry drugs and leading people into temptation because I never realised that going into Head Shops was mandatory and that taking drugs is a must-do for everyone under a certain age. Even Cardinal Archbishop McGinley was concerned about detoxification of 8 year olds as if heroin and 8 year olds is an issue with Head Shops!

Seriously, all the Councillors were so earnest and none remarked or spoke (except Bill) on the contrary proposition that there is a philosophy embodying adult autonomy that allows people take their own decisions but would expect the state to regulate substances so that you get what is on the tin when you intoxicate yourself. I am in that camp. Nobody forces people to poison themselves but regulation of the whole drugs business upsets the gangster class as can be seen by arson and other property crimes against Head Shops.

The price of mephedrone on the street will rise and drug misuse will remain in the ambit of the criminal underworld. Head Shops limited in geography could have been used as a controlled experiment at an alternative philosophy but conservatism and anti-intellectualism won out as it always does in this country. Another lost opportunity.