A synthetic cannabis addict who has been ''clean'' for 18 months has urged the Central Otago community to support other addicts going through withdrawal once the product is banned.
Keith Teege, of Alexandra, told a public meeting on psychoactive substances in Alexandra this week the product had caused him ''a lot of grief''.
''We're in for a hard road now with our young ones. Withdrawals will be very, very scary and the effects will be nasty.''
Mr Teege asked for everyone to ''climb in and get our town clean and help our young ones through this''.
Associate Health Minister Peter Dunne announced recently legislation would be introduced when Parliament resumed on May 6 banning all psychoactive substances, until they were proven to be ''low-risk''.
Drug and alcohol counsellor Malcolm Creagh, of Alexandra, told the meeting there was a move away from calling the products legal highs .
''That's a con job ... they're an unethical, immoral product,'' he said.
Addicts would struggle when the products were off the shelves and would need support to cope with detoxification. Withdrawal symptoms could include sleeplessness, volatile and violent behaviour and vomiting.
''Having a quit plan is really important.''
Several agencies were available to help, including community alcohol and drug services, mental health agencies and emergency psychiatric services, Mr Creagh said.
Central Otago police sub-area supervisor Senior Sergeant Ian Kerrisk said the substances appealed to people of all ages, across all socio-economic groups.
He was not surprised to see more than 140 people at the meeting, which was called by Central Otago Mayor Tony Lepper.
Snr Sgt Kerrisk warned the legislation being introduced by the Government might only give a temporary reprieve to the problem.
''At this stage, it looks likely that with the money involved, people will look to go through the requirements to try and put new products back on the shelves. If that is the case, it is now we need to put local legislation in place.''
The meeting agreed on the details for the first draft of a local approved products policy, which will be signed off by the Central Otago District Council after more public feedback is sought.
Under the proposed policy, the controls on the location for any retailers of psychoactive substances would be so restrictive, it was unlikely any site in the district would meet the requirements, Mr Lepper said.
A survey being carried out by the council on the topic, on social media, had attracted more than 430 responses by Monday.
Of that number, 22% had tried synthetic drugs and 60% knew people who used it, Mr Lepper said.
''That number shows this is not just a couple of people on the street corner, you guys.''
More than 90% thought there should be strict controls around the location of psychoactive substance retailers.
