New '˜head store' sparks up debate in Littlehampton

LA4Twenty recently opened its new ‘head store’ in Surrey Street and sells a range of marijuana paraphernalia and ‘collector’ cannabis seeds.

Since then, it has sparked controversy over social media, dividing the town’s community in two.

On the Gazette’s Facebook page, Natasha-Jane Robin Jackson said: “I think it is one of the things ruining the town. It’s a disgrace!”

However, many readers have called for a ‘live-and-let-live’ policy and back the shop.

Ashleighh Charmaine said: “It’s hardly encouraging people to do drugs. I haven’t thought, ‘oh might pop in there, buy a bong and maybe start up a weed farm’, it’s ridiculous. There is nothing wrong with it, it’s just a normal business like everything else.”

It is not illegal to sell cannabis seeds. However, it is to cultivate the seeds into cannabis plants.

Husband and wife duo Pete and Mary Hines run the business. They stressed that, although their stock may be controversial, they are not breaking any laws.

Pete, 44, said: “People should see what we’re doing. It’s not a seedy underground thing. We’re a legitimate business. We get a whole variety of customers, from elderly women to businessmen.”

Mr Hines said he refused to sell any of his products to anyone under 18 and stressed that his legal highs were not on display.

He added if they were banned in the future he would remove them from sale immediately.

“I refuse to sell people anything illegal. That’s not what I want to do.”

Sussex Police last year warned residents of the possible dangers of using ‘legal highs’, when 52 people died after taking the drugs.

“Just because a substance is legal to possess, it doesn’t mean it’s safe,” a spokesman said.

The NHS and www.talktofrank.com offer support for those impacted by drugs.