Associate Health Minister Todd McClay is encouraging local authorities to use their new powers to control the sale of legal highs.
The recently passed Psychoactive Substances Act allows local bodies to restrict the place, number and location of specialist stores that sell products such as party pills and synthetic cannabis.
On Thursday Mr McClay wrote to all local authorities calling on them to use their powers to establish rules about keeping such outlets away from kindergartens and schools and not too close to each other.
