Mayor Tony Lepper said the meeting, to be held on April 28, was called to gather information to write a draft Local Approved Products Policy, was a response to increasing pressure from the community to ''get on with it''.
Due to the strength of public opinion on the matter, the council would run the consultation period on the plan for the ''bare minimum'' required.
''We are not going to muck around here ... if we are challenged, so be it.''
Mr Lepper said if people at the meeting did not want psychoactive substances in the community, the council would try to write a policy to make that happen.
Alexandra youth worker Jim de Thierry said he thought the meeting was a step in the right direction.
''We need to, as a ... community, use all of our power to try to stop it [the sale of legal highs].''
It was good the council was taking action, he said.
''Who else can we turn to but the higher powers to help?''
Central Otago sub-area commander Senior Sergeant Ian Kerrisk said police were aware of concerns raised by the community regarding the sale of legal highs, and supported the mayor and council in calling a meeting in response to those concerns.
Police were not the main agency involved in policing legislation regarding legal highs, which was a responsibility of the district health board, he said.
However, police would attend the meeting and speak about their role regarding the issue, and answer any questions from the public.
Mr Lepper would host the meeting, which would include reports from police, health and youth agencies, and families affected by legal highs.
There would be ample opportunity to ''open it up to the floor'' for other groups and individuals to have their say, he said.
• Public meeting, Alexandra Community Centre, Monday, April 28, starts at 7.30pm.
