Pubdate: Sun, 03 Mar 2002
Source: Daily Iowan, The (IA Edu)
Copyright: 2002 The Daily Iowan
Contact:  http://www.dailyiowan.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/937
Author: James Baetke

PRANK FLIERS DRAW BUSINESSES' IRE

Fliers drawing attention to a local business' products associated with 
marijuana brewed anger among some business owners Tuesday after the names 
and logos of their establishments appeared on the signs, which were 
plastered around campus and downtown.

The fliers, promoting the headshop in the rear of the Den, 207 E. 
Washington St., prompted store manager Daniel Cope to call all off-duty 
employees and order them to tear down the leaflets.

"I'm really upset right now," he said.

He denied that the shop was involved with the incident, and he would not 
speculate about whether the fliers were an attempt to draw attention to the 
store's "tobacco shop."

The fliers read, "Stashman says, 'Go to the Den, it'll be alrighty then,' " 
and were complete with marijuana smiley faces and other catch phrases.

The store's "tobacco shop," located in the rear of the establishment, was 
temporarily shut down after the fliers were posted, which declare the Den 
to be the UI's "official headshop" and welcome newly inaugurated UI 
President David Skorton. The venue, which sells glass pipes and bongs, was 
later reopened in the afternoon.

The incident comes just a week after federal authorities charged nine 
people in four grand jury indictments brought in Iowa under "Operation 
Headhunter," part of a national crackdown on trafficking in products 
associated with illegal drug use, including bongs and marijuana pipes. 
Authorities said they seized more than $2 million worth of illegal drug 
paraphernalia in Iowa in the operation.

The Drug Enforcement Administration raided four Iowa businesses in Iowa 
City, Des Moines, and Ames in 2001 for selling products similar to those 
found at the Den, charging the then-owner of Iowa City's defunct Hemp Cat 
with knowingly and intentionally selling drug paraphernalia, including 
bongs and pipes.

The fliers, which made their way into UI residence halls, detail the Den's 
merchandise as "bongs, pipes, scales, and 'friendly' supplies for all your 
use and distribution needs." And although Cope admits the store does sell 
glass-blown pipes in its tobacco shop, the business "follows all the 
rules," he said.

Iowa law states that shops selling equipment or products intended to be 
used with drugs could face simple misdemeanor charges, said Johnson County 
Attorney J. Patrick White. The fliers' language, however, is likely 
protected under the First Amendment, he added.

But some local businesses weren't happy about the appropriation of their 
names. U.S. Bank's logo is used in the flier to describe the shop's 
location, which is across the street. Referring to the proximity, the flier 
read: "Grab some cash, smoke some stash."

Bank President Bill Berger was dismayed by the flier and said his company 
was not involved.

"We have not authorized our logo to be used," he said, adding that he is 
deciding what next to do and noting that he will not tolerate the logo's 
unauthorized use.

The leaflet also reads that the Den is only "a few doors down from the 
Englert Theatre," and, in bold, red capital letters, exclaims, "SAVE THE 
ENGLERT." Englert Executive Director Justine Zimmer said the fliers were 
produced without her group's knowledge, adding that the Englert is looking 
into the incident.

Zimmer said she will discuss the matter with the Englert Board of Directors 
and may contact the authorities.

In addition, the fliers pictured Skorton and the UI Hawkeye trademark.

"It's not something we like to see, " said Steve Parrott, the director of 
University Relations.

Parrott said Skorton saw the advertisement and dismissed it as a prank. The 
university has dropped the issue, Parrott said, adding that "we obviously 
do not have official headshops."
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart