Council to seek community views on "legal highs" policy

Wellington City Council will seek community views on its policy to control where psychoactive products – or “legal highs” – can be sold in the city.

The Government plans to lift the temporary ban and make it legal for certain psychoactive products to be sold from mid-2015 onwards – subject to them passing more stringent tests for health risks.

The Ministry of Health expects that no synthetic cannabinoids will be able to pass the approval process.

Community, Sport and Recreation Committee Chair Paul Eagle says a policy is needed to control where legal highs may be sold before the products appear on the market.

"We need to be proactive in managing the issues and will be seeking community input."

The Psychoactive Substances Act prevents Councils banning psychoactive products, but Councils are allowed to have a policy controlling where products are sold.

“The law says we must allow these products to be sold, but we have the ability to restrict where sales can take place. In particular, we want to distance sales from schools.”

Cr Eagle says Wellington City Council’s proposed policy approach was similar to other local authorities.

"This has been a high profile public health and safety issue and we encourage people to contribute their thoughts on the policy," Cr Eagle said.

The policy will inform whether the Ministry of Health accepts applications for licenses to sell approved products.

Council’s Community, Sport and Recreation Committee meets on Thursday 23 October to consider a draft policy, which includes four options.

People can have their say by:
• Completing a submission form online at: Wellington.govt.nz
• Sending comments via email: lapp@wcc.govt.nz
• Phoning the council: 04 499 4444
• Posting in comments: Free Post, Wellington City Council, PO Box 2199, Wellington

Public consultation will run from Tuesday 4 November to 5pm, Friday 12 December 2014.

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