'These (drugs) are killing our children'

Kaitaia's protest against the continuing sale of 'legal highs' wasn't the biggest of the 24 that took place simultaneously around the country on Saturday, but it was passionate.

Mere Simon led the way, calling for whanau to be more proactive in opposing "these substances".

"They are killing our children and robbing them of their minds," she said.

"Do the police support this? Do parliamentarians, health professionals, doctors and nurses support it? Do they agree with these drugs being sold in our communities?

"The government thinks they should be legal, but we didn't sign [the Treaty of Waitangi] for this stuff to be sold to our children, our whanau. Stand up and say no, we're not going to take this s... any more."

The sole purveyor of legal highs in Kaitaia, Jujnovich Holdings, was closed by the time the protest began (although it had been open earlier in the morning), Pete Smith saying proprietor Raymond Jujnovich was up against the might of "his" people.

"This is a little hell hole that takes our money," he said, while Reti Boynton, who described the Prime Minister as a drug dealer, said 400 people had already put their names to a petition calling for a ban. Support had also been offered by Te Tai Tokerau MP Hone Harawira and Far North Mayor John Carter.

"Mayors left right and centre are against this," he said.