Posted on 01/17/2006 7:33:02 AM PST by cryptical
Two Republican state senators want to tighten Minnesota's laws against drug paraphernalia sales. At a Capitol news conference last Thursday, state Sens. Amy Koch, R-Buffalo, and Michael Jungbauer, R-East Bethel, said they want to identify in statute the kinds of pipes and other items they say are only used for illegal drugs. Koch said the proposal closes a "loophole" in the law. Currently, law enforcement can only arrest people who possess drug paraphernalia that contain drug residue or who sell drug paraphernalia to a minor. "It makes absolutely no sense to outlaw harmful drugs and yet allow the open sale of items that are clearly used for conducting illegal activity," Koch said. "Allowing this type of paraphernalia to be sold sends the wrong message." Jungbauer said other states such as Wisconsin have similar law enforcement tools for cracking down on drug paraphernalia sales. He said the legislation won't affect pipes used for legal products such as tobacco. "It's for drugs and drug use," Jungbauer said of the items that are outlawed in the measure. During the event, law enforcement officials displayed several types of drug paraphernalia on a table, including water bongs and marijuana pipes that look like cigarettes. "Having this legislation will enable us to act consistently with our efforts to curb and curtail illegal drug use. It makes no sense to outlaw marijuana and not the pipes that it's smoked in," said Buffalo Police Chief Mitchell Weinzetl. Koch and Jungbauer are collaborating with the Minnesota Police Chief's Association, the Minnesota Sheriff's Association and the Wright County Attorney's Office on the proposed legislation. The bill will delete existing language in statute relating to selling drug paraphernalia that Koch said is ambiguous. It will also provide a specific list of items that can't be sold. Koch said the final list of items isn't yet available. The Minnesota Legislature convenes March 1.
It must be an election year, time to get tough on crime.
Yeah, ya can't smoke pot out of a corncob pipe, everybody knows that.
Proving that even some Republicans are clueless.
What a waste of time and money. As said before:
Dims take away your rights "for the children."
Pubbies take away your rights "because it's a sin."
1 empty toilet paper roll
1 1" square piece of tinfoil
1 paper clip
There, I just obviated MN's paraphernalia loophole law.
Maybe they'll get busy doing something important now, since Minnesotans are paying so much extra for it.
I own a $50 bill, a razorblade and a mirror. Better come lock me up!
...no kidding, I thought all pipes, etc could be used for tobacco if one chooses??
One of the most commonly used smoking devices for crack or pot is an empey coke can with some holes punched in the side. They going to outlaw those too?
"Proving that even some Republicans are clueless."
The stupid drug laws (and their constant favoring of HMO/insurance companies) are why I am a lower-case libertarian, and not a captial-R Republican.
And, no, I never have used illegal drugs.
Just don't care about junkies. And damn sure don't want to pay to save junkies from themselves.
(It's like a 1/5 of the budget, you know. We could balance the budget, at all levels, if we legalize and tax the heck out of drugs.)
You nailed it.
I can beat that.. Only one ingredient, and one tool.
Empty can, dent it, poke pinholes... uh.. not that I would know.
More Rino socialist crap from my state. Huzzah! -_-
How about the "needle exchange" programs that have been legalized around the nation. If that is not obvious distribution of drug paraphernalia, what is? So you may not smoke indoors in many places, in the name of health and wellness, but if you are an addict we'll allow you to pump deadly drugs into your system... and subsidize it for you.
Yeah, they'll ban toilet paper, tinfoil, and paper clips. You know, it's parapartm...no, wait...farapern...no, what's that word? Yeah, "paraphernalia." Minnesotans won't be able to wipe, but, you know, any price to "send the right message," you betcha.
--more of the "there oughta be law" nonsense trumping the "common" variety--
I assume you don't have kids.
Yes but will they get rid of their illegal alien drug mules and salespersons flooding the midwest with Mexican 'red meth'?
Of course not...much easier and makes better copy to go after
inanimate objects.
Also you won't loose votes when the NWO-Marxists cry 'racist' how dare you attack one of their brown shirts.
imo
To me it just strikes me as political posturing, and I detest that in politicians of any stripe.
I see Frosty the snowman doing time
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