The Health Minister David Clark is cracking down on synthetic drugs, pushing to reclassify them into the same batch as methamphetamine, heroin and cocaine.
The reaction comes after at least two people died in relation to a bad batch of synthetic drugs in Christchurch.
"I am looking to seek the support of my cabinet colleagues to have these reclassified as a Class A drug," Mr Clark told Newshub.
"There is no safe level of these drugs and people should avoid them."
- Two deaths from suspected bad batch of synthetic drugs in Christchurch
- Christchurch doctor's grim warning to synthetic drug users
- Christchurch Hospital's blunt warning to synthetics users after seven admissions
Over the last two weeks, 19 people have been admitted to Christchurch Hospital suffering from "probable severe synthetic toxicity".
There have been no deaths from people admitted to hospital and two people remain in intensive care, the Canterbury DHB says.
The two people who died in the last fortnight were not admitted to hospital.
Last week, emergency department doctors said the substance AMB-FUBINACA had been identified among analysis of patients' toxicology levels. The same substance, according to Christchurch Hospital, has been linked to numerous deaths during the past year in Northland.
In total, 45 users have died from synthetic drugs in the last 12 months.
Newshub.
