In accordance with the Psychoactive Substances Act 2013, Council will consider the current Kāpiti Coast Local Approved Products Policy (LAPP) which was adopted in 2015.
The Psychoactive Substances Act only allows local councils to restrict where psychoactive substances (legal highs) can be sold in their district, but does not allow an outright ban.
The LAPP seeks to regulate the availability of psychoactive substances and mitigate any potential negative social and health impacts in the local community.
Since the Act was adopted in 2013, there have been no applications to approve a product or to establish a retail outlet, as confirmed by the Ministry of Health.
The current Policy is supported by Police and is largely the same as the policies held by other local authorities in New Zealand.
The policy will ensure that almost all of the district will be protected from any future retail sales of legal highs.
Council’s preferred option is to renew the current Policy which can be found here.
During his campaign mayor Gurunathan strongly opposed the policy.
He said one of his first tasks, if elected, would be to “review and revoke the shameful and undemocratic June 2015 decision to designate a 50m stretch along Kāpiti Road West for the sale of psychoactive drugs, also called legal highs.”
