Momentum is building to limit legal high sales in the Western Bay of Plenty with more than 3000 signing a community petition.

Organisers, current Western Bay Mayor Ross Paterson, and wife Robyn say the petition, circulating from Waihi Beach to Otamarakau, is gaining support for council to implement a local policy on psychoactive substances.

Te Puke residents protesting outside the Puff 2 Go store. Photos: Tracy Hardy.

The petition comes after last week's Strategy and Policy Committee meeting where Western Bay of Plenty District councillors unanimously agreed to investigate the formation of the policy, which can influence where premises selling legal highs can be located.

Last week SunLive reported a month long sting of premises selling psychoactive substances in the Western Bay of Plenty found all 15 outlets adhering to new laws.

The joint Tauranga Police and Toi Te Ora Public Health Service run controlled purchase operation involved volunteers checking premises compliance with new laws governing the sale of psychoactive substances.

'In anticipation of the petition results and the remit that followed the recent Katikati public meeting on 30 August, as well as the street march in Te Puke, council at its Strategy and Policy full Council meeting on 19 September has instructed staff to proceed with urgency to begin the process of a by-law for Western Bay of Plenty,” says Ross.

'This has been an excellent example of the community voicing its concern and working together for the betterment of the district.”

At the end of the this week the petition will be collated and presented to council.

Under the new Psychoactive Substances Bill stores with a licence can sell the products to anyone over 18-years. It bans dairies from selling legal highs and places restrictions on the labelling and packaging requirements, advertising and health warnings.

Council's intervention comes after protest from Katikati and Te Puke residents about the sale of legal highs in their communities. In Katikati the Bamboo Barn has an interim licence to sell the legal highs, while an application to sell the legal highs by Vikash Chandra of Pooja Investments Ltd is also under consideration.

Last month about 100 concerned Te Puke residents rallied together in a silent protest against the R18 Puff 2 Go store in their town, which opened to sell the legal drugs after the new bill came into effect.