Drug pipes banned from Oklahoma stores
BRYAN CO., OK – A new law in Oklahoma aims to make illegal drug use a little more difficult, and it’s starting right in your neighborhood convenience stores.
You’ve probably seen them – small glass pipes on or behind counters at your local gas station.
“The statute reads that if they’re selling tobacco or related items… if they’re selling tobacco then they can have pipes for smoking tobacco,” said T.J. White, Calera’s Assistant Chief of Police.
The little glass products are sold as small flower holders or even tobacco pipes. And when they’re clean, the pipes are not illegal to sell, purchase or even own.
“They’re really not paraphernalia until they’re used as such or in the vicinity of other drugs,” explained White.
But White said he’s never come across one of these pipes used for tobacco, but instead for illegal drug use. And Oklahoma State Legislators agree.
“There is no other use for these pipes at all. Why they were allowed to be sold, nobody knows,” said Representative Mike Shelton. “Tobacco smokers do not smoke tobacco in glass pipes or anything like that.”
Right now these glass pipes are easy to find. KXII crews were even able to purchase one of the small pipes with a flower inside for only $5.00 at a local gas station in Oklahoma Tuesday afternoon.
But starting November 1, 2010, that will all change. You’ll be hard pressed to find one in any store thanks to House Bill 3251.
“I hope this is something that spreads across the United States. This is something that’s only good for our communities, safer for our children and our families,” said Shelton.
The new law will make it a crime for retailers to sell drug pipes which are commonly used to smoke narcotics like meth and crack. And Shelton said the sale of these products should have been banned a long time ago.
“We outlaw crack but we allow you to buy a crack pipe? And it’s as easy as buying a loaf of bread and there’s a problem when we allow that to happen,” he said.
White believes drug users will still find a way to get their fix, but this law will certainly make it more difficult for them.
“Any way that they can be inconvenienced when it comes to using their drugs is definitely going to help. I don’t know if it would eliminate it but it’s definitely a step in the right direction,” said White.
Other states have similar laws; House Bill 3251 was modeled after the laws in North Carolina. Texas does still allow the sale of these types of pipes though. But Shelton hopes soon all states will make selling drug pipes illegal.
By Maddie Garrett, kxii.com, June 9th, 2010