CALGARY COUNCIL TO CONSIDER BANNING SALE OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA

CALGARY -- City council will consider a proposal Monday to investigate
a ban on the sale of crack pipes, roach clips, water bongs and other
drug paraphernalia.

Ald. Craig Burrows, who sits on the police commission, will urge his
council colleagues to recommend bureaucrats look at ways to prohibit
the sale of the materials.

"We have retailers along Seventh Avenue selling drug paraphernalia,
especially crack pipes," he said in an interview Thursday. "These
people are [selling] to crack addicts, which is contributing to
problems downtown."

Several stores along the street sell blown-glass pipes, scales, knives
or small glass tubes with fake roses, commonly used for smoking crack.

Burrows said some front-line officers have told him they could use a
few more tools to combat crime.