21 August 2013

Community must have a say on Legal High Licencing

Manurewa Civic Leaders are pleased to hear that the 'legal high' store 'high zone' on Great South Road owned by applicant 'Chandra Sekhar Kurra" in Manurewa has not been immediately given an interim licence to continue operating like many other interim licences issued across New Zealand tonight.

Manurewa Local Board Simeon Brown says this shows the Ministry of Health is taking its obligations seriously under the new Psychoactive Substances Act, however local communities are dis-empowered in the process.

"The Manurewa community has strongly objected to this store being allowed to operate in Manurewa with hundreds protesting outside the store in May and thousands signing a petition which was presented to the Associate Minister of Health who was in charge of the Psychoactive Substances Bill." Says Simeon Brown.

"The community has been loud and clear, but the community must also be empowered to be able to dictate where these stores can be placed.

"The Manurewa Local Board has been leading the advocacy for Auckland Council to put in place urgently a Local Approved Products Policy to ban stores selling these substances within a 1km radius of all schools, early childhood education centres, kindergartens, places of worship and community halls and facilities.

"We believe that we need to be doing all we can to reduce the availability of these substances so that we can protect our community from the harmful effects of these substances, particularly on young people.

"We will continue to do all we can to continue to restrict the sale of these substances. Ultimately they should be banned." Says Mr Brown.

ENDS

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