Pubdate: Fri, 16 Jun 2006 Source: Langley Advance (CN BC) Copyright: 2006 Lower Mainland Publishing Group Inc. Contact: http://www.langleyadvance.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1248 Author: Angela Wiebe Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?228 (Paraphernalia) NEW CITY BYLAW: SHOP OWNERS AGREE TO COMPLY Continued Policing Will Be Needed In The Fight Against The Sale Of Drug Paraphernalia, According To A City Official. Drug paraphernalia is expected to be cleared out of town in the next couple of weeks, as Langley City shop owners known to sell drug-related items have vowed to follow an impending City bylaw. A bylaw set to pass final reading at Monday's City council meeting will prohibit the future sale of drug paraphernalia in the community, and place strict regulations upon existing paraphernalia dealers. After meeting with the owners of five shops that have been known to sell items such as bongs, pipes, and rolling papers, Langley RCMP Const. Laurine Croshaw and City building inspector Tim Hickey have been assured such items will be taken off the corner stores' shelves. The real test, however, will be whether the shop owners stick to their word, Hickey said. "What they say and what they do may not be the same thing," he said. "All in all, the downtown businesses are honest people, but a supplier comes once a month and tells [shop owners] they can make money on [drug paraphernalia] so they buy it and see whether or not it's worthwhile." Croshaw agreed that because of the prevalence of drug paraphernalia suppliers, "it's a possibility that we will have to police" the corner stores that have vowed to clear the shelves. Hickey and Croshaw visited Pipe 'N Pouch, Douglas Park Market, and Main Spot News recently and received positive comments. "I anticipated compliance and that's why we did the walk through," Hickey said. The pair finished their walk through Wednesday morning as they visited Stop 'N Shop, 20171 56th Ave., and Limited Editions, 20305 Fraser Hwy. "That's okay, I agree with you. No problem," said Stop 'N Shop owner Jasbir Singh, when confronted by the officials. Singh, who carried a small case of pipes in his store, told Hickey and Croshaw that he would get rid of the equipment and that it wouldn't make a difference to him financially. "We make maybe $2,000 a year on it and that's not much money," he told the two officials. Hickey and Croshaw also visited the last store, Limited Editions, whose owner told them that he had sold the paraphernalia for a couple of months and it sold well, but that he got rid of it as soon as he heard about the proposed bylaw. It's imperative to have continued community support in regulating the bylaw, Croshaw said. "If you see anybody selling it, let us know," she said of the public. "We need to stop making excuses for these people." Croshaw is also waiting on Crown approval to make it easier for police to act on this issue. Approval would see a stipulation taken out of the criminal code that states owners are responsible for "knowingly" selling the items, which she said can create a lot of problems. "Unless you're 90 years old, you know what it is," she said. "You know what you're selling. Why should [drug paraphernalia dealers] make money on someone else's misery? We need to look at addiction as a horrible, horrible thing." The bylaw will go forward at Monday's City council meeting at city hall, 20399 Douglas Cres., at 7 p.m. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom