A petition signed by 1953 Katikati people and 29 submissions on the Draft Psychoactive Substances Policy have been sent to the Western Bay of Plenty District Council.
The petition pushed for councils to have the power to issue licenses and to ban sales of legal highs, which currently only Central Government had the power to do.
A second petition was calling for retailers of psychoactive substances to be banned from the Katikati central business district and had 1500 signatures.
The draft policy proposes that retailers must be a minimum of 100 metres away from educational institutions, libraries and medical centres and submissions wanted pharmacies, liquor outlets and churches added to the list.
Submitters questioned why Te Puke and Katikati had been selected as the areas in Western Bay to allow retailers of psychoactive substances to operate.
