The council was hearing submissions on its draft Local Approved Products Policy, which regulates where and how the psychoactive substances can be sold.
It received 28 submissions, the vast majority calling on the council to ban sales.
However, Waitaki Mayor Gary Kircher explained to about 40 people at the hearing it could not do that. It also could not make the policy so restrictive it was impossible to have outlets.
Instead, the draft policy was ''as restrictive as it can be and still pass the law'', he said.
Cr Melanie Tavendale added the council could also talk to building owners in the small area where sales were allowed to ensure premises were not available.
Despite that, four submitters present demanded the council take steps to ban them, or make the policy so restrictive they could not be sold.
Mr Wilkinson could not see the Government sending someone down to enforce sales if the council banned them.''
Vote no, tell the Government you are not going to do it ...,'' he said.
St Patrick's parish priest Wayne Healey urged the council to challenge the Government.''
About 95% of the people here do not want lowlifes running our town,'' he said.
Oamaru resident Louisa Burrell said the Government had to do something properly about the drugs - ''otherwise, it looks like they are being paid off. Tell the Government to be a man and stand up for the people they profess to represent and ban completely.''
GreyPower North Otago secretary Graeme Lather said there was ''great disappointment and anger'' the community could not ban sales.
Mr Kircher said, after hearing submissions, the council had got the message ''loud and clear''.
The strength of opposition, in submissions and yesterday, gave the council backing to go to the Government, along with other councils, to call for a ban on the sale of the substances.
Other submissions made similar comments but also called for greater restrictions on where they could be sold.
Under the Waitaki council's draft, outlets will be restricted to a small area in central Oamaru and not allowed in any of the district's towns.
The council discussed the submissions and asked staff to report back on issues raised.
That will be considered at a workshop, then a final policy go to the council for approval within the next three months.
