Batavia shop defies synthetic pot ban

WIVB.com

Posted by: Eli George

Updated: Apr 5, 2012 11:23 PM

BATAVIA, N.Y. (WIVB) — The owner of a smoke shop in Batavia is ready to go to battle with the State Health Department.

Jason Lang owns "The Laughing Buddha." He says the state's new ban on the sale of all synthetic marijuana products unfairly targets him. That's because Lang doesn't sell products such as "Spice" or "K-2" but rather "potpourri" that's sprayed with chemicals legal under state law - the same chemicals used to create synthetic marijuana.

"Now they put us under the microscope. And I really believe it's a direct violation of my constitutional right for free trading, to make me pull a product, use scare tactics to make me pull a product off my shelf that's completely legal," he argued.

Lang says he will re-stock his shelves with "potpourri" next week, even if that means paying a fine.

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