Two people have been arrested after the synthetic drug known as 25B N-Bomb was blamed for sending six people to hospital.
Police raided a home in Kainga, Christchurch, today, arresting two men aged 19 and 54.
Detective Senior Sergeant Jason Stewart said 10 cannabis plants were also seized.
The 19-year-old has been charged with selling a psychoactive substance and was due to appear in Christchurch District Court this afternoon.
The older man was charged with cultivating cannabis and police said he was bailed to appear in the same court next Friday.
The raids were related to the hospitalisations last week, police said.
One of the sick people, Michael, was admitted to an intensive care unit and put in an induced coma.
Michael's family said they wouldn't wish the experience on anyone else.
"We turned the corner on Wednesday afternoon when Michael was brought out of the induced coma. He is now stable and being treated on a specialist ward. We would like to thank the community, Christchurch ICU and Emergency Doctors for their amazing support," the family said in a statement released through police.
"We don't want any other families to go through what we're going through and urge them to seek help if they suspect someone they care about is taking drugs."
Members of online drug forums were sharing warnings and advice about N-Bomb.
"I don't think that the chemical compound is extremely dangerous in itself when the source is confirmed pure and it is dosed accurately, however it's almost never the case in a black market," one wrote on the TripMe website.
"The major concern is N-Bomb is now used as a generic term for any number of NBOMe compounds or similar analogues with dosages...varying wildly, not to mention purity, or lack thereof."
"This current situation is very worrying," another contributor wrote. "It's nothing like what drugs were like 2 decades ago.These prohibitionists are risking the lives of the young. It is sad how they create these situations with their laws, and then act surprised when news surfaces of new drugs, as if there was no connection."
Police said investigations into 25B N-Bomb would continue.
Anybody concerned about drug abuse or addiction could contact the Drug and Alcohol Helpline on 0800 787 797, email ada@adanz.org.nz or visit adictionshelp.org.nz. Police said the Canterbury Police Organised Crime Unit was also able to field queries on the topic.