New Zealanders spoke loud and clear about wanting to get legal highs off our shelves. But has the banning of the products created a black market?
A Rotorua woman addicted to synthetic cannabis said she puts her life in danger to get her hands on the now illegal drug.
The woman, who did not want to be identified, said synthetic cannabis was "everywhere" and people like herself would do anything to fuel their addiction, even knocking on dangerous doors.
"It's scary, you never know who will be lurking behind that door, they might have a gun or knife but you don't think about that, you just want to your fix," she said.
"I know people who will steal or spend their last dollar to get it."
The Rotorua Daily Post reported two weeks ago there were claims synthetic cannabis was being sold through social media sites, with one page reportedly offering an ounce of synthetics for $150, or $50 a bag.
But Rotorua police say they aren't so sure synthetic cannabis is so readily available on the black market in our city - saying there is a lot of speculation about the now illegal drugs which isn't the reality.
Last month it became illegal to sell, supply or possess psychoactive substances, including synthetic cannabis, under the Psychoactive Substances Amendment Bill.
The woman said the law change did nothing but force the sale of the products underground and drive up the price.
"People are kidding themselves if they think it's done anything. It's everywhere, I think there's a place in every suburb in Rotorua that sells it, you just gotta know the right people."
She first tried the drug about a year ago with her friends and has been hooked on it ever since as it was a completely different experience than smoking cannabis, she said.
"It's relaxing, but there's heaps of side effects. You get the sweats, nausea, headaches, you feel agitated and you get real emotional about everything. It's so bad, I'm trying to give up."
She wants to see more help available for people who want to stop taking it, including a 24-hour drug helpline.
The Alcohol and Drug Helpline operates seven days a week - but only from 10am until 10pm.
She said many people often struggled with their addiction late at night or early morning.
She wasn't sure how her supplier got the synthetic cannabis, whether they had stocked up before the law change or were getting it from former manufacturers.
She was also unsure as to what was in the product, as it was often unlabelled.
Rotorua police alcohol harm reduction supervisor Sergeant Mike Membery said officers treated synthetic cannabis like any other drug.
"Synthetic cannabis is taken seriously, along with methamphetamine or any other drug," he said.
"However, there's a lot of talk and speculation out there about synthetic cannabis, and often that talk isn't the reality."