Alexandra police are fielding a big increase in calls from people concerned about the use of synthetic cannabis products and the availability of the product in the district.
''We're as frustrated as the community about the damage these products do, but the ones being sold now are being sold by a business operating legally,'' Central Otago police sub-area commander Senior Sergeant Ian Kerrisk said yesterday.
''We share the community's concerns but the matter is complicated by the fact that only some ingredients in these products have been banned so far. Some have been removed for sale because they contain banned ingredients but the ones on the shelves are legal - for now,'' he said.
There was only one retailer of synthetic cannabis products in the Central Otago district, C & C Traders Ltd, of Alexandra, and Detective Sergeant Derek Shaw, of the Central Otago CIB, said police would ''ensure that they keep operating within the law''. Business owner Bill Clements declined to comment on the issue.
The ban on two particular substances came into force on Wednesday and Snr Sgt Kerrisk said police received more than 12 phone calls that day from ''upset'' mostly Alexandra people, ''expressing concern that products were still on the market here; they believed all synthetic cannabinoids had been banned''.
''It's an extremely frustrating situation for us knowing those concerns from our community about these products and knowing that they're widely used, not just by young people but from everyone from youth through to mature adults.''
The increasing use of those products and their impact on the users had resulted in a ''huge increase'' in calls to police and social services, Snr Sgt Kerrisk said.
The Ministry of Health was the ''lead agency'' on this matter, as policing the sale of ''tobacco-like products'' came under its jurisdiction, Det Sgt Shaw said.
