About 70 people showed up to the Rose St bus terminal on Saturday to protest, and sign the national petition to ban legal highs completely.
The Whangarei rally marched to the Brew Shop, in Vine St - one of three Whangarei outlets that legally sell the products - before marching on to the council chambers at Forum North where a closing karakia was held.
"We're getting the petition out there, and we are asking people to make their submissions to the policy being drafted," Ms Bolton said.
Last year Parliament introduced the Psychoactive Substances Act, which gives local authorities the right to develop a locally-approved products policy that can determine where such products can be sold.
While Whangarei District Council would like to ban legal highs completely, the Act will not allow it, so it has proposed to limit the sale of psychoactive substances to a three-block area of the CBD.
"We're begging and pleading with neighbouring businesses to please get a licence, but not to sell the stuff [to prevent others from getting a licence]," Ms Bolton said.
"It's the only short-term plan we have until our local council thinks of a better move."
The long-term solution would be to ban the sale and distribution of all legal highs entirely, she said.
"Over 22 towns have spoken, hundreds have stepped up - it needs to be stopped."
For more information, or to sign the petition, visit the "Ban Synthetic Cannabinoids Whangarei" group on Facebook.
The group was started by Ms Bolton about a year ago and now has more than 500 members.
