Council urges Ministry to act

25 March 2014

Waipa District Council is urging the Ministry of Health to move quickly and revoke the licence held by the district's only retailer of legal highs.

If not, it fears Te Awamutu will be inundated by Hamilton drug users who can no longer buy the drugs from Hamilton-based retailers.

The Council adopted its Psychoactive Substances Policy today, restricting where psychoactive substances can be sold from in the district. Currently there is only one Waipa retailer, operating from Te Awamutu. However, that retailer is now in breach of the Council's policy and the Council has asked the Ministry to act.

Deputy chief executive David Hall said much as Council might want to it cannot, by law, close the shop down. Nor can it ban the sale of the drugs, limit the number of premises selling them or say what hours shops can open.

We've done everything we can to restrict access to the drugs and our policy reflects what the community wants. Now it's up to the Ministry to act.

Last week the council hand-delivered letters to retailers near the existing store, advising its concern about Hamilton-based drug users travelling to Te Awamutu to buy legal highs. It asked retailers concerned about any activities to immediately contact local police.

We're well aware that since the shops closed in Hamilton, there's been a noticeable increase in the number of people coming to Te Awamutu to buy these drugs. We're aware of some unsavoury activities around the i-Site and bus stop and of an increase in customers at the Te Awamutu store, Mr Hall said.

We're working with the police to keep a watching brief on the situation and we've advised the Ministry of our concerns.

ends

For more information contact:

Jeanette Tyrrell (on behalf of Council) 027 5077 599