Louisiana Man Files Suit Over ‘Incense’

An East Baton Rouge Parish man claims he suffered hallucinations and injuries last fall after smoking a product labeled “potpourri/incense.”

The Advocate reports that John Alexander Radford has sued the owners of the store where he allegedly bought the product.

“The product was labeled as ‘potpourri/incense’ but was practically sold as, marketed as and intended by the manufacturer and seller to be used as a synthetic version of marijuana to be smoked or otherwise consumed as an intoxicant,” the lawsuit alleges.

An attorney for Baton Rouge businessman Tim Minh Tran, one of the lawsuit’s named defendants, has called the suit frivolous and said Radford “needs to take responsibility for his own actions.”

Baton Rouge police arrested Tran in July for allegedly keeping more than 4 pounds of synthetic marijuana at his business, Tim’s Wholesale.

Tim’s Wholesale also is a defendant in Radford’s suit.

Lance Unglesby, an attorney who represents Tran, said the product Radford complains carries a notice that it is not for human consumption.

“This individual clearly made a lifestyle choice to smoke a product not intended to be smoked,” he said.