Pubdate: Tue, 2 Jun 2009
Source: Northumberland Today (CN ON)
Copyright: 2009 Sun Media
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/TsYrjmMc
Website: http://www.northumberlandtoday.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/5003
Author: Pete Fisher
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Marijuana - Canada)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?228 (Paraphernalia)

DRUG TOOLS AVAILABLE ON LOCAL SHELVES

Officials in Cobourg are helpless to prevent the sale of drug
paraphernalia at corner stores.

"I'm shocked and disappointed that it is being used and sold in this
town," Cobourg Mayor Peter Delanty says.

At least three stores in Cobourg have items on display used for
smoking drugs, including marijuana and cocaine.

Among the items are pipes commonly used for smoking marijuana with a
picture of a marijuana leaf on the package.

"Maybe I'm being naive about this," Delanty said when shown the pipe
with the marijuana leaves on its package, "but I didn't anticipate
retailers could sell it on the shelf. I'm surprised there are
retailers who would encourage people to use something that is illegal
and obviously is a gateway drug to harder drugs."

With retailers now taking steps to hide the promotion of cigarettes,
Delanty says selling the drug paraphernalia sends the wrong message
not only to youth, but also adults.

"If this is on the open shelf, it's not doing much to discourage
anyone from taking up a habit to a gateway drug to harder drugs,"
Delanty says.

There is nothing in the Criminal Code that prohibits selling of drug
paraphernalia, Cobourg Police Chief Paul Sweet says.

"Unfortunately, there is a growing tolerance for this type of
paraphernalia to be out there," Sweet says. "It just shows the wrong
attitude towards drugs and substance abuse."

Sweet called it a "grey" area because the sellers of the products may
say the pipes and other equipment are not necessarily for drug users.
But, when some of the items have logos of marijuana plants on them,
the target market is definitely for the drug user Sweet suggests.

When crimes such as break and enters are regularly committed by drug
users, Sweet said, "they (store owners) are almost providing the tools
to enhance their habits.

"Consumers definitely have the right to where they shop and, if they
believe like a lot of other people, that selling that type of
merchandise is a negative to the community, no one says you have to go
there and shop."

A worker at a store on William Street and University Avenue West who
had a display of the items said she didn't realize the items could be
used for illegal drug use, but couldn't say if the items would be
removed from the store as the owner from Toronto was
unavailable.

The owner of a store on Walton Street in Cobourg said he also didn't
know what the pipes were used although they had a marijuana leaf on
the packaging.

On the back of one package, it states "For Tobacco Use
Only."

"The company brings them in," the store owner said of the
items.

He said the store will continue to sell the items..

Thomas Ahn was the only store owner who would allow pictures of the
items on display.

Ahn says a salesman came in over a month ago and said the items are
not illegal and are very good selling items.

"People are using it for marijuana and other stuff," Ahn says, and
noted there are people from the Middle East who use certain items for
smoking other forms of tobacco.

With stricter tobacco regulations cutting into profits, Ahn thought
this was a way to help his business.

Asked if he thinks stocking and selling the items, still legal, is
right, Ahn says, "No, but out there, there are so many people smoking
marijuana.

"They keep asking me, 'Get this stuff, get this stuff"," referring to
the drug paraphernalia.

"Even not teenagers, but people 40 or 50 years old. I was really
shocked," Ahn says.

Although he was "shocked" at the age of the people asking for the
items, he says, as a businessman trying to make a living, if the items
sell, he will bring more in.

Ahn readily admits that if the government banned the sale of the
items, no one would be allowed to sell them.

After being shown the items being sold in local stores,
Northumberland-Quinte West MP Rick Norlock says he will raise the
subject with the Justice and Human Rights and the Public Safety and
National Security Committee of which he is part.

Norlock also advises people in this riding to send him e-mail and/or
call him with their thoughts on the subject.

"That's the kind of ammunition I need to say, 'This isn't just Rick
Norlock talking; this is my community talking and what our
constituents want." 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake