The prosecution of a woman for selling "legal highs" next to her dairy has hit some speed bumps in the Whanganui District Court.
The lawyer for 49-year-old Lina Fan has called the Psychoactive Substances Act "confusing" and the judge required more time to consider the matter.
Fan, who denies five charges under the new legislation, is the first person in the region to be charged under the act. The Gonville dairy owner made her second appearance in court yesterday. But because there is only one other such case being heard in New Zealand both her lawyer and the judge need extra time to consider how to go about it.
Fan pleaded not guilty before Judge Dugald Matheson to one charge of selling or supplying non-approved psychoactive substances, one of possessing non-approved psychoactive substances for sale or supply and three other psychoactive substances offending.
Defence counsel Debbie Goodlet said since the act came into force on July 15 only one prosecution had been brought. That person, Hui Xie of Hamilton, pleaded guilty to two charges of supply and possessing non-approved psychoactive products late last month and will be sentenced on December 16.