Pubdate: Wed, 21 Nov 2007
Source: Weatherford Democrat (US TX)
Copyright: 2007, The Weatherford Democrat
Contact:  http://www.weatherforddemocrat.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2881
Author: Phil Riddle

RESIDENT CALLS FOR LAW BANNING DRUG PARAPHERNALIA

At least one Weatherford resident is fed up with the  availability of
drug paraphernalia, specifically glass  pipes, within the city.

James Hamilton wrote an e-mail to city council members  and the mayor
earlier this week suggesting a law be  placed on the books making it
illegal to purchase the  pipes under what he calls "the laughable
disclaimer,  ‘for recreational use only.'"

Hamilton lives with his family in the Clear Lake area  of Weatherford
and frequently purchases gasoline, ice  and other incidentals at a
convenience store at the  intersection of Clear Lake Road and
Interstate 20.

On a recent visit to the store, while waiting in line,  he noticed
about a dozen of the pipes displayed for  sale.

"It would have been extremely difficult for me NOT to  notice them,"
Hamilton wrote to the city fathers. "Any  law enforcement official
could identify these devices  as meth pipes or pipes used expressly
for the purpose  of smoking/ingesting methamphetamines or other
illegal  substances."

Hamilton went on to insist the toll illegal drugs takes  on the
community is a high one.

"Meth kills," he said. "It's as simple as that. It  kills its users
and destroys their families. It causes  irreparable brain damage to
children who breathe its  fumes. It keeps our local law enforcement
agencies  working overtime. It ties up our district courts. It  keeps
child protective services and court appointed  volunteers far more
active than they need to be."

He added the sale of drug paraphernalia runs against  what most
residents stand for.

"Given the recent grant secured by Parker County to  increase the
district attorney's efforts to combat the  manufacture and sale of
methamphetamines, it seems the  ability of a business to flaunt and,
in reality,  glorify the use of illegal and deadly drugs runs  counter
to this community's standards of decency."

He wound up his note to the council with a call for  stiff penalties
for business owners who "openly  encourage the use of illegal drugs."

A cashier at the store named by Hamilton was shy about  answering
questions Tuesday about uses for the pipes on  display.

"I don't know," she said when asked why customers  bought the pipes,
"but we sure sell a bunch of them."

She said the glass case, which held seven pipes priced  between $14.99
and $19.99 Tuesday, had as many as 20  over the previous weekend.

In her response to Hamilton's call for a city  ordinance, acting City
Manager Jennifer Fadden pointed  out enforcement of a law like
Hamilton is suggesting is  difficult.

"Businesses carrying this type of paraphernalia can  become a problem
and they certainly do not reflect well  on our community," she wrote.
"Ordinances to prohibit  such sales are common in other communities;
however,  the enforcement of such an ordinance has become  problematic
in recent years."

She explained in her e-mail authorities must prove the  intended use
of the item is for illegal purposes. She  did, however, say the matter
would be shared with  Weatherford police.

"The Police Department will approach this business  owner and any
others that we learn about and see if we  can first get voluntary
compliance," Fadden said. "We  will continue to study the issue from
an enforcement  perspective should voluntary compliance not prove
effective and take the steps necessary to address this  issue in our
community."

In a Tuesday phone interview, Fadden lamented  methamphetamine
manufacturing and use as a blight on  the city.

"It's certainly a very real problem, not just in our  community, but
in society overall," she said. "It's a  public issue and we need to
deal with it as a  community."

Hamilton said the city's response to his e-mail was  acceptable, "for
the time being."

"I'm eager to see if the business does voluntarily  remove the pipes,"
he said. "If they don't, we need to  institute more stringent measures."

Fadden said Hamilton's complaint was the first she's  heard addressing
the issue of the sale of drug  paraphernalia in Weatherford.
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MAP posted-by: Derek