Editorial: Ban great result for Rotorua

Finally, legal highs are ti be banned.

Overwhelming public pressure for the Government to act against legal highs seems to have paid off.

Associate Health Minister Peter Dunne yesterday announced all synthetic drugs will be banned from sale within two weeks until they can be proven to be low-risk.

He said the decision was made by Cabinet last Tuesday but was not announced earlier as they didn't want to "encourage stock-piling of the drugs".

With Labour set to announce its psychoactive substances policy today, some may be cynical about the timing of the announcement, which came after mounting pressure from every corner of society and the country. It was everywhere over the weekend - on TV, radio, newspapers or social media, people were talking about it.

In Saturday's paper we reported how 91 per cent of those spoken to by the Rotorua Daily Post, in our non-scientific poll, did not want the drug in our city.

A mother spoke about the devastating effects it had on her son and, as we know from those who've contacted us, her story is not unusual.

So, well done to those who have taken a stand and made their voices heard on this issue, including those who joined protests in Rotorua and around the country.

Of course not everyone will be pleased.

Users (and some non-users) argue people should have the right to choose what they put into their bodies, and that alcohol, tobacco and fatty foods and fizzy drinks cause more health problems than synthetic cannabis.

Others say it's impossible to ban the drug because it comes in so many forms and that making something illegal is not going to stop people doing it.

That is a debate that is sure to continue, as it should, before more definitive laws are eventually made.

So if you have an opinion, make sure you keep expressing it.