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The Dunedin City Council is currently drafting legislation that may stop some retailers from selling legal highs. The Psychoactive Substances Act, which was passed by Parliament last year, gives local government bodies the ability to pass a Locally Approved Product Policy (LAPP), meaning councils can restrict the sale of legal highs by any stores within a certain distance of community facilities such as schools, churches and doctors’ surgeries.

Five other cities around the country have adopted LAPPs since the Act was passed last year, with exclusion zones anywhere between 50 and 500 metres. According to the ODT, Dunedin’s draft policy calls for a 100-metre exclusion zone and would affect two of the eight legal high dealers in Dunedin – Zeng Trading, on Prince Albert Road, and Sunny Limited, on Princes Street. Zeng Trading is placed next to Supporting Families Otago, while Sunny Limited trades near Chipmunks Playland and Divo needle exchange, which Critic observes is rather ironic. A 200-metre exclusion zone would add PT Imports, which trades near Dunedin Hospital, to the affected businesses, as well as Cosmic Corner and Funk That, which are both within a block of Knox Church.

Critic hit the campus to find out what students think about the proposed legislation. One second-year student said that “it’s great to see the Council tackling [the problem of legal highs] proactively,” because “they seem a hell of a lot more harmful than cannabis.”

Conversely, Critic spoke with another student who felt that “while I believe synthetic highs are a significant problem, the exclusion zone really achieves nothing in the scheme of things. People who want their drugs are going to walk 100 metres.” Yet another student said “either way, it doesn’t really bother me.”

Peter Dunne, Associate Minister of Health, said “I strongly encourage Dunedin City Council, indeed all councils, to develop LAPPs ... This is so communities have the opportunity to identify where in their city or district they would prefer licensed retailers to sell approved psychoactive products ahead of the implementation of regulations and the full licensing system.” Drug Foundation chief executive Ross Bell said “[councils] are naïve if they think banning shops from these areas will remove these products, as that demand will be met by internet sales or tinny houses.”

The draft LAPP will go before a Council work- shop by the end of the month, where councilors will decide on more details. Of the 11 students Critic talked to, seven were in favour of a LAPP, one was against it, and three remained neutral.