Locals don't want to see the sale of legal highs back again. Photo/file
Sometimes common sense isn't so common.
Take the restrictions around the selling of legal highs as an example.
The Government allowed the drugs to be sold, all hell broke loose and people went berserk on the stuff, so the Government did the right thing and banned them.
Everyone clapped.
But it wasn't really a ban, it was more of a halt.
Now, legal highs can be sold again and the Rotorua Lakes Council has been put in the awkward position of having to draw up a policy that allows that to happen.
Despite the local council copping flak from those who haven't read the facts properly, this is not something it wants. It's been forced to do this by the law Government made in 2015.
Sometimes local authorities must feel like a frustrated teenager. It is allowed to control the sale of alcohol, whether fluoride is in the water and how many poker machines we can have but when it comes to legal highs that's a decision 'mum and dad central government' must make.
Last week the council found itself drawing up a policy that allows the sale of legal highs in the city if ever any manufacturers manage to design a product that gets the Ministry of Health tick.
The local council has recommended it allows for the sale of "legal highs" in the district
to a maximum of two retail premises within 200m of the Rotorua Central Police Station. Sales can only be made at those premises between 9.30am and 2.30pm.
We must remember, no products currently have the approval to be sold, and it's unlikely any others will within the next few years. But that is beside the point.
A vast majority of New Zealanders don't like legal highs and what they did to people. So why are we even having this conversation? Wouldn't we all feel better if they were just banned?
Take a look around - we live in paradise, New Zealand - and in particular Rotorua. Let's get high on that, it's legal.
A woman, 25, has been charged with assault.