DISTRICT ORDERS BONG STORE SHUT

The District of Maple Ridge has ordered a store that was selling
multi-coloured bongs, pipes, rolling papers and other items Mayor Gord
Robson has described as "drug paraphernalia" to shut it doors because
it didn't have a business licence.

Brock McDonald, director of business licencing, permits and bylaws
with the district, said Hemporium had applied for a business licence
but it hadn't been approved when the store opened its doors Friday.

During its brief existence the store had posters with marijuana leaves
on its front windows. Key chains that said "legalize" on top of
marijuana leaves were on sale.

Mayor Gord Robson told council at the Monday council meeting that he
had received "a number" of complaints about the store's existence.

"I know there are a whole bunch of merchants who are very upset," said
Robson. "Council is aware of this. I think the majority are displeased
and we intend to look into the matter."

Councillor Ken Stewart said he supports the stance the previous
council took against the sale of drug paraphernalia and any items
"that might support drug use."

Council referred the matter to a closed council meeting for further
discussion. After that closed meeting McDonald called the owner of the
store to tell him to close it down because it didn't have a valid
business licence.

The TIMES visited the store prior to the bylaw department closing it
down. Customers were signing a petition that stated "we the
undersigned proudly support the opening of Hemporium, which is a local
retail store selling hemp clothing and merchandise and incense as well
as bongs, pipes and herb crushers." The petition stated that the
business had a valid licence.

Caity Langis, manager of Hemporium, said, "It's not like we're selling
crack kits."

She added that the store wasn't selling anything to anyone under the
age of 19 and had been asking people to show their ID.

"People are going to smoke weed regardless of whether this store is
here," said Langis. "We're not selling weed out of here. We're not
doing anything illegal."

She added, Maple Ridge is full of "stoners."

"There's successful people smoking pot and it's not ruining lives,"
she said.

Langis said sales had been "very good."

"We've had people come in and say Maple Ridge has needed a store like
this for a long time," she said.

Some customers offered to circulate the petition to keep the store
open themselves, she said.

Councillor Craig Speirs told The TIMES after the council meeting he
agreed that the store should be shut down because it didn't have a
business licence but he said the issue isn't a "moral or ethical" one.

"I think our drug laws are irrational. In my view pot should be legal
but this is not about an illegal substance. This is about what they're
selling and is it legal to sell it or not," said Speirs. "If it's
illegal, it's illegal and we should deal with it."