| Photo: Florida House Democratic Caucus |
| Are these bongs “destructive utensils” that “destroy communities”? The Florida Senate thinks so. |
The Florida Senate has unanimously passed a bill that would ban the sale of glass smoking pipes at most stores that currently carry them.
Senate Bill 366 requires 75 percent of a business’s gross sales to come from tobacco products before they are allowed to sell bongs, water pipes and “air-driven pipes,” reports WJHG.
It passed the Senate unanimously, 36-0, on Wednesday.
Supporters of the legislation claim the pipes can be used to smoke illegal drugs like marijuana and cocaine.
The proposal could hurt some businesses, like Condom Knowledge in Panama City Beach.
The business’s owner already has posted signs around the pipe display case, warning that anyone mentioning “illegal use” of the pipes will be asked to leave.
Owner Brian Luczaj questioned if the bill will do what legislators intend.
“Pipes are provided by people for sanitary reasons,” Luczaj said. “If you take the sale of pipes away, then they will find something to smoke out of. They’ll make it out of the house and use unsanitary items.”
Rep. Darryl Rouson (D-St. Petersburg) last month described the pipes as “destructive utensils” that “destroy communities,” reports Michael C. Bender at The Palm Beach Post.
Rep. Erik Fresen (R-Miami) suggested a business could skirt the law by marking up cigarettes to $30 a pack and offering a “free” bong with each sale. Thanks for the idea, Erik!
The companion bill in the Florida House, HB 187, has not yet gone to a full vote.
