"In the last six to 12 months St John ambulance officers have noticed an increase in emergency call-outs involving legal high users in Bay of Plenty and Rotorua.
"We have responded to serious cases which have led to seizures which can be life-threatening. These cases have been a direct result of legal high use.''
Symptoms of patients under the influence of legal highs ranged from anxiety to tachycardia or a rapid heartbeat, all of which could potentially cause serious medical problems, he said.
But Donna Blair, manager of Te Utuhina Manaakitanga Trust, alcohol and other drug
counselling, encouraged those experiencing withdrawal symptoms to use the trust's
services.
The Rotorua Daily Post Facebook page has several comments with concerns how addicts will react. Some say you only needed to look at the queues of people outside legal high stores to realise the extent of people's addictions.
The Rotorua Daily Post spoke to some of those users in the queue on Anzac Day, before the Special Discounter store on Tutanekai St opened at 1pm.
There were at least 50 people, including under 18s in gang colours, waiting for it to open.
One woman, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said she bought the products because they did not show in work drug testing.
"I think it's better than the illegal stuff as when they drug test you for work you still have a job at the end of the day," the 39-year-old said. "All my truck driving mates do it. Why legalise it then bring out all the antis?"
She would spend $20 and the product would last her and her partner "a couple of days".
She said standing in line before the shop opened was "a bit crazy" but admitted to being in the Easter Monday queue, which she said went to the end of the block and around the corner.
"It took an hour and 20 minutes to get in the door but by the time we got there they were sold out."
Another woman, a 21-year-old mother-of-two, who was in line with an 18-year-old, said she had started using synthetic cannabis a couple of months ago.
"It helps me sleep," she said.
"I've got two stressful toddlers. You control your drugs, you don't let them control you. I go through 5 grams a day."
A man in line said it was his choice to smoke synthetic cannabis the same as it was any other adult's choice to drink beer.
Meanwhile, the Rotorua District Council is postponing tomorrow's scheduled hearing of people and organisations who made submissions on the council's draft policy on psychoactive substances, until government decisions have been finalised.
Seventeen submitters had requested to speak to the mayor and councillors about their submissions.
Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick said she was very encouraged by the Government's move.
"We're pleased the Government has listened to the strong messages from councils like ours and heard the concerns of increasingly vocal communities on this issue," Mrs Chadwick said.
"It's a common sense decision that we expect will substantially minimise the availability of these insidious and harmful products in our stores, and help reduce the harmful impacts they are clearly having on so many people in our communities."
However, Mrs Chadwick said she expected the Rotorua District Council would still need to proceed with development of its Local Approved Products Policy on psychoactive substances as some products could likely come on to the market later when regulations for manufacturing have been adopted and a testing regime put in place.
"In the meantime we're delaying our hearing of submitters on our draft policy to give us time to see what the government's proposed changes will mean and what impact the legislative amendments will have on regulations and council policies."
