The Middlebury Selectboard took an unusual step this week – banning the sale of a legal, dried herb that was being sold to people at a local tobacco store.
James Stone is the owner of the Emporium Tobacco and Gift shop, which has stores in Middlebury and in Rutland.
He says even though the herb in question is said to produce hallucinogenic effects, he was surprised when the Middlebury select board voted unanimously to issue a ban on the sale of Salvia divinorum. He spoke with VPR’s Mitch Wertlieb about the ban.