Alliance Energy Pulls Relaxation Brownie From 120 Sites

ATHOL, Mass. -- As a result of community opposition, one brand of herbal brownies is no longer on the shelves at 120 convenience stores and gas stations in Massachusetts and Connecticut.

Massachusetts State Sen. Stephen Brewer (D-Barre) teamed up with the North Quabbin Patch Grandparent Support Group to oppose the sale of Kush Cakes, a more popular brand of legal stimulants sold in the western part of the state. The group, which consists of 14 grandmothers and grandfathers, helped successfully convince Alliance Energy to pull the product, Masslive.com reported.

The North Quabbin Patch Grandparent Support Group began their push to get the product pulled after spotting Kush Cakes -- often described as relaxation brownies -- on sale at Mike's Market near Athol High School. The group not only checked the product's manufacturer and chemical makeup, but also sampled Kush Cakes themselves, according to the report.

Bette Jenks, coordinator for the group, told the news outlet that at a meeting in November, one grandmother detailed her experience with Kush Cakes, describing how she fell asleep and woke with "a roaring headache."

The group brought its concerns to Brewer, who sent a letter to Waltham-based Alliance Energy, the owner of Mike's Market. Alliance Energy, in turn, decided to remove the herbal product from all 120 of its c-stores in Massachusetts and Connecticut.

"This is an immense triumph," Brewer said. "I applaud Alliance Energy for their swift action to address this problem. It is a step in the right direction and will hopefully prove to be an example for other convenience store chains, not just in Massachusetts, but nationwide."

According to the Kush Cakes website, the product is 100 percent legal and contains no drugs -- only natural ingredients. In addition to the traditional ingredients found in brownies, Kush Cakes contain the natural hormone supplement Melatonin and Valerian root.

Masslive.com could not reach California-based Kush Cakes or its distributor Vapor Rush LLC for comment.