Editorial: Users: no pain, no gain

Synthetic cannabis users will have to go cold turkey after the highs are banned.

Rotorua is gearing up for some tough times as synthetic-cannabis addicts grapple with going cold turkey as their favourite drugs are pulled from the shelves in just under two weeks.

Some say addicts will turn to crime, illegal drugs and violence. Time will tell if that will happen.

But surely this decision to ban legal highs until they can be proved safe is the right one.

I've heard a $200-a-week habit isn't uncommon for heavy synthetic-cannabis users. The pressure that is going on families and loved ones dealing with this horrible stuff is immense.

Take a look at our front-page story today. We interviewed legal-high users who were queuing outside their supplier on Tutanekai St.

Some say their habit is their choice, just like others choose to have a beer.

A 21-year-old mother-of-two was waiting in line for her legal highs because she said it helped her sleep while having two stressful toddlers.

Another said she smoked synthetic cannabis because it didn't show in work drug testing. She said all of her truck-driving mates did it.

Give as many excuses for your habit as you like but it doesn't change the fact the substance is mind-altering. That's fine if it's your choice, but as soon as it starts impacting those around you, that's when it becomes an issue.

That is clearly happening in New Zealand. It's time it was no longer legal and I for one look forward to Rotorua being a much better city without legal-high addicts.

It might be a bit ugly at first, but in the long run it will be worth it.