Call for total ban on synthetics

Hamuera Hodge has seen first-hand the effects of synthetic cannabis and says it should not be seen on the city's streets. Photo / Ben Fraser

Hamuera Hodge was once hooked on heroin, but the reformed drinker and drug-user reckons synthetic cannabis is much worse and should not be seen on the city's streets.

Mr Hodge, a father of six, wants all psychoactive substances banned from Rotorua.

The Government banned the sale of all psychoactive substances last year but the products, which are an ingredient in products such as synthetic cannabis and party pills, are going to be allowed for sale nationwide if manufacturers can prove they are not harmful.

The Rotorua Lakes Council is in the process of drawing up a draft Local Approved Products Policy to decide where these products can be sold.

Mr Hodge said three of his adult children smoked synthetic cannabis when it was legal and all had experienced personality changes and had trouble concentrating. "I know drugs, I used to take the needle, but when I saw the side effects of these synthetics I can see how it puts people in mental institutions," he said.

"I know of families with children in mental institutions and I know of people who have hung themselves because of these drugs. We don't need this. It's toxic."

Mr Hodge was one of nine people who made verbal submissions to the council. He is now petitioning for a complete ban in Rotorua. People who want to support his campaign can find him at the City Focus.

Mr Hodge grew up in a "Once Were Warriors type family".

"We were weaned on alcohol, that was the hardest drug to quit. But I did everything back in the day. Heroin, cocaine, morphine. This is worse than other drugs, it's too potent.

"One of my daughters and her friends were smoking it. She thought they were all going to kill each other. She doesn't do it any more but she is a very angry person now. My other daughter has become withdrawn. She hardly goes out and you have to remind her to do things. My boy was doing his trade training, somewhere along the line he changed and kept getting into trouble. I found out he was on synthetics. I'm very angry, that's why I'm out there campaigning about what this is doing to our kids. If my grandchildren end up on it and have the same side effects I'll lose it. We don't need this in our city."

Te Waiairiki Purea Trust's Maraea Pomana, who organised a march to ban synthetics in March last year, said she also supported a total ban. "Before the Government withdrew products from the shelves there were children as young as 10 smoking it," she said. "I was in the neighbourhoods and saw these children with eyes as red as fire engines, acting totally wasted, like zombies. I did some investigating and found that adults were buying it in the CBD and then on-selling in the neighbourhoods. Those children are our motivation. It will start up again if these products are allowed to be sold."

Councillor Janet Wepa, who was on the hearings panel, said a draft policy that reflected the council's ideas on the issue was being drawn up by staff and would be debated in the near future.