An Angus church is to protest against the opening of a “legal highs” shop just yards from its addiction support centre.
Members of St Andrew’s Church in Arbroath will gather outside Misty Heaven in Fisheracre on Saturday to raise awareness of its presence in the town.
The shop is two doors along from the church’s Havilah drop-in centre, which provides help five days a week for people suffering with alcohol or drug addictions.
The over-18s shop sells bongs and other drug paraphernalia along with “legal high” chemical compounds branded as “research chemicals”.
Flyers being given out in the shop which features a background of cannabis leaves were also giving customers 10% off their first order made online.
It is the second legal highs shop to open in Arbroath, with Declaration already firmly established on Brothock Bridge.
The Rev Martin Fair of St Andrew’s Church said they will be sharing their concerns on Saturday and praying for the town.
Mr Fair said: “Havilah has been in operation for seven years now, which is our direct response to addiction problems in the town.
“We became aware of a legal high shop opening on Brothock Bridge and I was really surprised and thought it was the last thing our town needs.
“A new one has now opened up two doors away from our Havilah building where we are doing all this good work, which is the cruel irony of it.
“We are running a service trying to combat and address drug problems in the town and, lo and behold, two doors down we have a new retail outlet selling legal highs.
“I did wonder if these folks set up here deliberately, thinking there might be a steady stream of clients.
“The building that comes between us is a chemist and a whole number of our clients go there for their methadone prescription.
“The fact that it’s right on our doorstep and right in our parish has brought it to our attention and I know some of our guys have gone in there.”
Havilah project leader Tracey McLeod said the congregation were “absolutely horrified” when they found out about the shop opening just along the street.
“The scary thing is there’s no way of knowing what kind of reaction taking these drugs will have on their bodies,” Tracey said.
“Everyone is different what acts as a high to one person could be a killer for another.”
Misty Heaven owner Kenny Grant told The Courier he could not understand why his shop had been singled out by the church.
He said: “We’re not doing anything wrong. What we are selling is not illegal. It’s people’s choice whether they buy it. I don’t want to say any more because I don’t want to get into a religious argument with the church.”