Children as young as nine in Rotorua are committing crimes to sustain substance addictions.

They are turning up to school with cigarettes, alcohol and marijuana.

Local police said the issue is on their radar.

LISTEN ABOVE: President of the Rotorua Principals Association Grant Henderson spoke to Larry Williams about the seriousness of the situation. 

Rotorua Principals' Association President Grant Henderson said there is a lot of anecdotal information on the issue.

"Nobody has actually been brave enough to research the problem and then more importantly putting targeted resources in to place to help these children with this problem."

Mr Henderson said it's good to have counsellors at secondary school level, but many kids are actually starting secondary school with addictions.

"What we can be looking at now is our intermediate sector and saying do we need drug and alcohol counsellors at our intermediate school."