Synthetic cannabis stockers in Victoria Ave were counting up the soon-to-be illegal products yesterday in hopes they could return them to the manufacturers.
Avenue Choices owner Alois Muller said he thought the Government's plan to ban all legal highs within two weeks until they could be proven to be low risk was "stupid".
"First, put it on, and then, all of a sudden ...
"We don't even know know if we still can survive without such stuff," said Mr Muller as he and employee Jason Spice bundled up packs of synthetic cannabis yesterday afternoon to count.
Mr Spice said the Government should "just get over it and let it be".
Mr Muller said he would sell them as long as he could.
Associate Health Minister Peter Dunne said the legislation would be introduced when Parliament resumed on May 6 and be passed under urgency.
Mr Muller knew the drugs caused problems and addictions but said they did not know that when they began selling them. He questioned what people with addictions would do when they could not get their fix.
That was also on the minds of anti-high campaigners Ken Mair, chairman of the Tupoho Whanau Trust, and councillor Philippa Baker-Hogan. "It's clear to me there are some addictions that should be dealt with and the appropriate resources be put in place," said Mr Mair.
"I think the Government should be sitting down and saying 'right, we know this: people are addicted to it, what kind of resources do we need to have?"'
He didn't think the "cold turkey approach" would go well.
Mrs Baker-Hogan said they would need monitoring and support in place for legal-high users.
Wanganui mayor Annette Main said she was "absolutely delighted" at the Government's decision to withdraw legal-high products from sale.
A range of local support agencies would be gearing up to deal with the "potential tsunami" of problems following of the ban, such as addicts needing withdrawal support.
The council would liaise with those agencies through the Safer Wanganui Network, she said.
"We've been aware that this would be a problem because we've been pushing for a ban to be put in place, so that problem was always going to be there."
National Poisons Centre toxicologist Dr Leo Schep told Radio New Zealand psychiatric and addiction services needed to prepare for an influx of people dealing with legal-high withdrawal symptoms.
Clinicians who dealt with people affected by synthetic drugs had been surprised by the intensity and duration of addicts' withdrawals.
There were even calls yesterday for the Government to allow the personal use of natural cannabis to anyone struggling to come off synthetic drugs.
Mrs Baker-Hogan said the move was "a real victory for families and for health and social authorities", but there were a few issues needing attention.
"Ken Mair and myself want to seek an urgent meeting with Wanganui police in regard to keeping a real close eye on distribution and sales in the next two weeks before this happens."
Mr Mair said the stockpiling of products by retailers was a "major concern".
"I was hoping they would immediately put in place suspensions of all licences so there's no stockpiling," he said.
"I would still prefer there to be a total ban.
"At least Peter Dunne has made the right decision - albeit limited - to ban these legal highs. When I say ban them, it's in the context of banning them for 12-18 months until they've gone through the appropriate testing."
Stardust Creations on Victoria Ave, which also stocked legal highs, did not want to comment on the legislation.
The Wanganui District Council will still go ahead with its Local Approved Products Policy (PAPP) - for controlling the sale of approved 'low-harm' products - and is aiming to complete it by the end of August.