The dangers of synthetic cannabis products legally available over the counter have been highlighted this week, after an Oamaru teenager had to be escorted home by police after he walked into a stranger's house.
Senior Constable Craig Sew Hoy said an intoxicated 16-year-old boy, who had been taking the K2 "legal high" product, was dealt with on Saturday night.
"He was disorientated and walked into somebody's address, so it's just a case of again this stuff is causing the youth of Oamaru [to have] problems."
Snr Const Sew Hoy said the boy was returned to his caregivers, and although K2 was legal "at the moment" and no charges were issued, he warned parents and teenagers to be wary of the product.
"Obviously it is affecting some of our youths quite badly. Parents should be aware that K2 is out there and the young ones are using it, and it has quite bad effects on some of them."
In August last year, the Government introduced temporary class drug notices that resulted in 28 substances and more than 50 synthetic cannabis products being taken off the market, but it remains legal to sell K2 to anyone over the age of 18.
Yesterday the Otago Daily Times surveyed four dairies in Oamaru, and found that K2 was for sale at half of them.
