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NJ Driver Charged With DWI After Drinking ‘Catnip Cocktail': Police

The passenger was holding the bottle, which was labeled “not for human consumption,” police said

A New Jersey man is facing DWI charges after authorities said he admitted to drinking a bottle of “Catnip Cocktail” before getting behind the wheel.

Police in Wayne said they made the arrest after stopping a car that was driving erratically and speeding near Route 23 and Packanack Lake Road on Saturday night.

When officers pulled the vehicle over, officers noticed that its 35-year-old driver had slurred speech and jerky hand movements. That driver told police he was headed to a hospital, and one of the officers responding found that a passenger was holding a bottle labeled “Catnip Cocktail.”

The driver told police that he made the passenger hold the bottle, which was also marked “not for human consumption” while he was being stopped.

He also said he had drank the substance -- which is marketed as a “mood enhancer supplement for cats and dogs” but is sold alongside supplements in online smoke shops -- but wasn’t sure how much he ingested or when.

The driver was arrested on huffing, DWI and reckless driving-related charges.

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