NAACP chief asks for bill to stop sales of 'death utensils'

[KG]

Darryl Rouson says he's willing to go to jail if it helps stop stores from selling pipes and glass tubes that are used to smoke drugs.
By MARCUS FRANKLIN, Times Staff Writer
Published February 19, 2005

The candy-colored hand-blown glass pipes started it all.

They drew Darryl Rouson to the Purple Haze Tobacco & Accessories Shop, where the pipes fill display cases. Rouson asked the owner to stop selling "death utensils under the guise of tobacco accessories," alluding to the contention that the pipes and glass tubes are used to smoke drugs like crack.

Purple Haze's owner, Leo Calzadilla, and other employees repeatedly asked Rouson to leave the store at 1427 34th St. S, Calzadilla told police. Rouson said he didn't leave because he was frightened by pit bullterriers in the store.

In April, the St. Petersburg NAACP president will stand trial on a misdemeanor charge of trespassing. But the possibility of jail time hasn't ended a campaign Rouson - a former drug addict who will mark his seventh drug-free year next month - started waging years ago.

http://www.stpetersburgtimes.com/2005/02/19/Southpinellas/NAACP_chief_asks_for_.shtml

gee, why doesn't mr rousen get this exercised about REAL 'death utensils': guns?

[Nimrod]

1. A regular pipe

Can be used to smoke drugs. So can a pop can.

Sheesh. Ever wonder if these assholes just want to look like they're doing SOMETHING?

[MisterP]

2. I wouldn't exactly call the NAACP "assholes"

[Nimrod]

3. C'mon, "Death Utensils?"

Just how clever do you have to be to come up with THAT soundbyte?

And again, it's such a non-action - locking up Tommy Chong hasn't made one single person stop doing drugs (okay, except maybe Tommy - for the moment). Banning glass pipes isn't going to make one single person stop doing drugs either - or not do drugs if they haven't started yet.

This is a bullshit non-action to make them look like they're accomplishing SOMETHING, which they're not.

[RBHam]

4. This is so stupid it boggles the mind...

How about making drug addiction a health and welfare issue instead of a criminal one?

Morons everywhere...

[KG]

5. not to mention the fact guns and alchohol are perfectly legal

but are the cause way more death and destruction.