A Stoke man sold illegal drugs so he could buy "legal highs", the Nelson District Court has heard.

Unemployed 22-year-old Mason Smith appeared before Judge Tony Zohrab yesterday, and admitted selling cannabis while he was on bail for other offences.

Defence lawyer Brett Daniel-Smith accepted that Smith had been "reasonably active" in the Nelson drug field, although he said Smith's dealing had been mostly limited to marijuana "tinnies" - $20 worth of cannabis, wrapped in tin-foil.

He said Smith only dealt drugs to sustain an expensive and absorbing "legal high" habit. "He was selling cannabis to get money for legal highs."

He said Smith's head "was not in a good place" while he was using legal highs, but he had improved since being in custody, unable to smoke the synthetic drugs.

Mr Daniel-Smith said the dealing was "relatively low-level", and he asked Judge Zohrab to give Smith an opportunity by bailing him to his mother's address.

Prosecutor Ruth Thomas said Smith had breached earlier bail conditions on September 11, by drinking alcohol and leaving his disclosed address after curfew. Police opposed bail, she said.

Judge Zohrab said he was not confident Smith would comply with bail orders and appear for sentencing, given his history of breaching court orders. He remanded Smith in custody for sentencing on October 21.