SURF CITY - Beach shops that sell drug paraphernalia will have a week to get the glass bongs, screens, pipes, grinders and other "head shop" items off their shelves in Surf City. Town residents in the town spoke Tuesday night in favor of a new ordinance that was later passed banning the sale of drug paraphernalia. Many said it was a step in the right direction in the war on drugs - especially regarding children. "It is becoming normal to our kids to see this kind of stuff," said Deborah Bell of Parent Corps, a drug prevention group. "I thank you for this ordinance." [continues 434 words]
SURF CITY - The Surf City Town Council could crack down on drug paraphernalia sold in beach shops next week, depending on the outcome of a public hearing on the issue. A number of tourists and residents have complained to the Surf City Police Department during the summer that the glass pipes, bongs, grinders, screens and various other related items sold in beach shops are not appropriate. "A lot of tourists come down here with their kids and see all of these bong pipes and obvious gadgets for ingesting narcotics and drugs and they get upset about it," said Surf City Police Chief Michael Halstead. "They ask us why we can't take it out of there, but we don't have an ordinance or a state law against it." [continues 646 words]
