CITY COUNCIL VOTES TO BAN SALES OF DRUG ITEMS NEAR SCHOOLS

Safety: Mayor Hahn Is Expected to Sign the Ordinance That Also Would Bar
Juveniles from Entering Stores That Sell the Paraphernalia.

The Los Angeles City Council approved an ordinance Wednesday that outlaws
the sale of drug paraphernalia near schools, libraries, parks and religious
buildings and bans juveniles from entering so-called "head shops."

The law, which will take effect in September, stemmed from the opening of a
shop across from Fairfax High School in Hollywood that sells pipes for
smoking marijuana, as well as posters and T-shirts that promote drug use.
That store and others already doing business are exempt from the new law.

Existing head shops, however, will have to comply with the new law's ban on
juveniles entering their stores without a parent or guardian.

Previously, city law barred anyone younger than 18 from areas of stores
where drug paraphernalia was displayed but not from the whole store.

Councilman Jack Weiss, who sponsored the head shop ban, said it is another
way to promote a just-say-no message to children.

"Most kids these days know that they're supposed to resist drugs ... but we
as a society have to try to do our best to lower the temptation level and
lower the exploitation level," Weiss said.

Reacting Wednesday to the new law, owners of head shops said the stricter
regulations on their businesses are unnecessary.

They already keep out kids, they said.

"We are the same type of business as liquor stores. We do not cater to
youths," said Gabbie Lizzoli, manager of Chronic Pleasures in North
Hollywood, which is several blocks from Victory Boulevard Elementary School.

Los Angeles does not have a similar law regulating liquor stores, but those
businesses must have permits to operate. The city can deny a permit based
on the store's location.

The new head shop law is modeled after the city's ordinance regulating the
zoning of adult businesses.

Stores that sell devices for smoking or ingesting marijuana, hashish,
cocaine and other drugs cannot open within 500 feet of schools, public
libraries, parks, churches, mosques, synagogues or other religious buildings.

Councilwoman Janice Hahn said it is important to keep drug paraphernalia
out of sight of kids when they leave school in the afternoon.

"That is the time of the day that they begin to experiment," Hahn said.

The new ordinance requires the signature of her brother, Mayor James K.
Hahn, who is expected to sign it.

It would become law 30 days later.