The three Manchester stores that were closed last week in the wake of the synthetic marijuana overdoses have been allowed to reopen. The stores have agreed not to sell any brand of so-called spice.
One of the three stores reopened after a judge ruled the closure was unwarranted. The other two were allowed to reopen after they pledged to the aldermen that they wouldn’t sell spice. Each of the shop owners deny ever selling the Bubblegum flavored spice associated with the overdoses in Manchester that prompted Governor Maggie Hassan to declare a state of emergency. The stores had been identified as the sources of the legal drug but police failed to locate the spice when they searched the locations. Attorney and Alderman Joe Kelly Levasseur, who represented one of the stores, called the closing a “repugnant” overreach by the city. Police Chief David Mara said the city was trying to protect the public.
“Anybody that would term this or describe this as being ‘kneejerk’ is absurd. We had a public health safety emergency.”
State and local authorities are set to meet this week to look at ways to ban the drug statewide.