Overwhelming opposition to the sale of synthetic cannabis in Katikati has seen almost all adult residents support giving councils the power to ban psychoactive substances shops.
Lloyd Elliot, 87, organised the campaign which asked people whether they supported the status quo of permitting licensed shops to sell synthetic cannabis or the alternative to put the licensing power in the hands of councils, including the right to ban sales altogether.
He said he was delighted with the response in which nearly 1953 people supported local authorities taking charge and ending the situation in which they could not impose an outright ban on the sale of psychoactive substances.
In a separate petition by Katikati resident Anne Bowling, 1500 people from the town and surrounding districts have supported banning synthetic cannabis from the northern 400m hub of the town centre from Uretara Bridge to Jocelyn St. It also asked that no shops be allowed within a 100m radius of schools, child care centres, churches and health centres.
She said the introduction of a psychoactive substances shop into the main street would be "an absolute travesty". There was no area in the CBD where the existence of a legal-high outlet would not threaten the sense of security and wellbeing of residents and put at risk the town's charm as a destination.
