The Wanganui District Council may be limited in what controls it has over shops selling legal highs, but it is urging the Ministry of Health to put in place a number of measures to give it some clout.
That is the essence of a submission from the council to the Psychoactive Substances Regulatory Authority.
The authority recently released its consultation document aimed at developing controls around the sale of psychoactive substances.
Under new legislation the Government wants to control the importing, manufacturing, selling, supply or possession of legal highs and plans to do that by issuing licences to retail outlets permitted to sell the product.
But councils can develop a local approved products policy (LAPP) which gives them some influence on where they believe those premises should be located; their proximity to other sellers, along with the proximity of those premises to areas such as early childhood centres, schools, churches and community facilities.