The Arbroath legal highs row has taken a fresh twist after the town’s community council took their case to the Scottish Government.
Community council chairman Ian Watson said he was taking the issue to Holyrood due to the strength of feeling over two shops operating in the town.
Mr Watson has now written to the Government in a bid to try to get legal highs afforded the same status as cigarettes which are now banned from being displayed in shops and supermarkets.
He can’t believe cigarettes are hidden from public view yet bongs and legal highs can be openly seen through the front window of two shops in Arbroath.
Misty Heaven in Fisheracre and Declaration at Brothock Bridge sell bongs, grinders, legal high chemical compounds branded as research chemicals and room odouriser, also known as bottled amyl nitrate.
The issue hit the headlines recently when Misty Heaven opened just two doors away from St Andrew’s Church’s addiction support centre.
Mr Watson said he continues to be bombarded by messages from members of the public who are angry that the shops continue to ply their trade.
He said: “I returned from a few days away to 37 emails and my mobile phone inbox was full following the latest story in The Courier.
“I must respond to the concerns of the local community but I’m also a dad and a grandfather and I’m also very worried.
“Products are being sold under the guise of plant food or room odourisers which have been tested as unsafe for human consumption.
“At a time when grocers, supermarkets and newsagents up and down the country are being forced by legislation to hide cigarettes from public view, here in Arbroath we have two shops selling legal highs and drug paraphernalia which are openly on display, not only in the shop cabinets but also in full view from the pavement outside.
“I have written to the Scottish Government to ask what we can do to at least force legislation to match that of cigarettes and hopefully progress it one step at a time.
“I have to stress that the community council can’t do this alone.
“We will need the help of Reverend Martin Fair with his congregation and many other community groups to write to the Scottish Government seeking this legislation.”
Mr Watson has also spoken to Angus Council to see if there was anything the local authority could do about the concerns.
He added: “As a local authority Angus council doesn’t have the power to raise a local bylaw which would stop or conceal legal high products being sold or openly displayed.”