Western Bay of Plenty leaders are backing government's decision to pull all legal highs from the shelves labelling the announcement a 'welcome relief”.

Associate Health Minister Peter Dunne announced on Sunday the Government will remove legal highs from shelves of licenced premises within two weeks following widespread concern and public protests throughout the country on the issues.

Protestors outside Special T Discounters on the corner of Cameron Road and 16th Ave earlier this month. Photo: Tracy Hardy.

Each brand of synthetic high will undergo individual testing and will remain off the market until it is proven to be "low risk".

Tauranga Safe City coordinator Mike Mills says the news comes as a relief but believes this is a decision that should have been made when the products first became available.

'I'm very happy to acknowledge the government's U-turn on this,” says Mike.

'For whatever reason we welcome the removal of these products from these shelves no question. What happens next we will watch this space with a high degree of interest.”

Mike's main concern lies in the impending pressure licenced retailers are set to come under with the products' immediate lifespan cut to two weeks and the possibility of an underground black market.

'I think there will be stockpiling of it; there was last time when they started to ban products people went rushing out and grabbing it, and that's obviously detrimental.

'Clinical services are already anticipating there will be spikes in violence and psychotic episodes and so on as people kind of rush to make the most of this window sadly. But nevertheless the largest picture is better that these products will be taken off the shelves.”

The government's announcement follows protests and petitions from the Western Bay community and others throughout New Zealand against the sale of the products.

Earlier this month legal high sales were restricted to one retailer in the CBD of each of the Katikati and Te Puke townships under Western Bay of Plenty District Council's proposed new Psychoactive Substances Policy.

Councillors were unanimously agreed on the policy that also prohibits legal high retailers from operating within a 100-metre radius of medical and education facilities and public libraries.

Western Bay of Plenty District Mayor Ross Paterson is pleased central government is taking on board the concerns of residents and ratepayers throughout the country.

'I feel that they have had considerable input and submissions from people throughout the country, through community groups and councils, to make this decision,” says Ross.

'I am very pleased with the outcome and we support the government in the banning of it, and we will work our way through what comes out of the legislation.”

Tauranga City Mayor Stuart Crosby is an avid advocate of banning the substances and says the decision is a pleasant surprise.

He agrees there may be some initial increase in demand for the products but feels a complete ban, until a later date when more medical and substance knowledge is known, is the right move.

'I think clearly the government say that they have been listening to communities. They may have got it round the wrong way in terms of sequence and in terms of not finishing all the draft regulations first and getting more information.

'But at the end of the day I support what they are doing, so just get on and ban these things and then move forward.”