PLATTSBURGH, New York (Legal Newsline) — New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman has announced a consent order and judgment against The Grateful Toad store to stop it from stocking allegedly mislabeled or unlabeled products.
The consent order was signed by Judge John T. Ellis, Supreme Court, Franklin County. It specifically bans the Saranac Lake store from selling the botanical drug kratom. In addition, it mandates owner Jason S. Ashley to pay $12,000 in penalties and costs.
“The proliferation of illegal designer drugs is a national health crisis that is hurting New York families and communities, and my office has successfully stopped more than 20 head shops across our state from selling these dangerous drugs,” Schneiderman said. “My office will continue to employ every weapon in our arsenal to combat the growing and dangerous designer drug epidemic.”
The designer drug kratom, which the store allegedly sold in e-liquid, capsule and tea powder forms, is a highly potent plant with opiate-like effects that's banned even in its own country of origin.
Assistant attorney general Christopher J. Fleury of the Attorney General’s Plattsburgh Regional Office, and assistant attorney general in-charge Deanna Nelson of the Attorney General’s Watertown Regional Office handled the case.