Lawsuit names 16 head shops for selling bath salts, synthetic marijuana

Posted at: 07/10/2012 1:22 PM | Updated at: 07/10/2012 6:49 PM

Sixteen head shops from Rochester to Long Island have been named in a lawsuit filed by New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman.

Schneiderman says the 16 stores violated New York’s labeling laws by selling designer drugs including synthetic drugs like bath salts and synthetic marijuana.

The Attorney General’s Office says it took action against Look Ah Hookah in Rochester after an undercover investigation reveled employees were illegally selling and promoting the synthetic drugs.

According to Schneiderman, the sale of these drugs has contributed to a public health crisis in New York and across the nation.

An independent, undercover investigation by the AG’s Office found that these head shops were marketing the drugs as incense, potpourri or dietary supplements.

Investigators say they shopped at a number of stores located in Rochester, Buffalo, Syracuse, Utica, Watertown, Plattsburgh, Albany, Poughkeepsie, Binghamton, Rockland and Nassau Counties and were able to purchase the illegally labeled and marketing drugs. All transactions were recorded.

Schneiderman said one of his investigators made several visits to both Look Ah Hooka locations in Greece and Henrietta earlier this year.

At the Look Ah Hooka location in Greece, Schneiderman says the investigator was able to purchase two variations of K2 along with a pipe to use as a smoking device. On a second trip to that location, the investigator was able to purchase Fly Agaric Mushrooms – a well-known psychedelic.

When an investigator went to the Henrietta location, Schneiderman says the investigator was able to buy a charger of nitrous oxide (N2O), a package of the herb Salvia and a "water pipe" recommended by a clerk to be the best way to smoke Salvia. On a second visit to the Henrietta store, the investigator purchased "MJ Blueberry Aromatic Potpourri" and "kratom" -- an extremely potent plant with opiate-like effects. Even though the items were advertised and labeled as "potpourri" or "incense", Schneiderman says the agent purchased a smoking device for them based upon the recommendation of the store's clerk.
 
The lawsuit seeks an immediate end to the sale of the mislabeled drugs and an accounting of all merchandise sole or offered – including the name of the product, the manufacturer/distributor, a description, the price and the number of units sold.

Stores named in the lawsuit:
- Look Ah Hookah in Rochester and Henrietta
- Twisted Headz in Syracuse
- Pavilion International in Buffalo and Commack
- Trip on the Wild Side II in Watertown
- Rolling Fire Glassworks in Binghamton
- Goodfellas Alternative Smoke Shop in Utica
- 20 Below/This and That in Plattsburgh
- Shining Star Enterprises in Albany
- Giggles in Poughkeepsie
- Village Sensations in Nanuet
- East Coast Psychedelics in Oceanside and Commack
- Daze Smoke Shop in Baldwin

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