COMMON SENSELESS

At first, it seemed that the unfortunate wording of Langley City's
proposed new anti-drug bylaw was just a simple oversight that could be
easily corrected.

Councillor Jack Arnold seemed to notice the problem, but he was
effectively pooh-poohed when he pointed it out.

The trouble is that the bylaw, which will require shop owners to
report to police the names of anyone buying anything "used or designed
for" illegal drug consumption, is ridiculously general.

In addition to needles required for self-medication by people with
health problems such as diabetes, perfectly legal cigarette rolling
papers are "used" by drug abusers, as are two-litre pop bottles,
spoons, butter knives, alligator clips, pill bottles, paper lunch
bags, plastic baggies_ you name it.

City administrator Cliff Gittens explains that common sense is the key
to enforcement of the bylaw, and we're forced to agree
whole-heartedly.

Because common sense was left out of it while the bylaw was being
drafted, and because common sense was ignored by all but Councillor
Arnold when the bylaw came up for its first vote at the Council table,
it appears that Langley City's best hope will lie in the common sense
of those who will enforce the bylaw.

Unfortunately, if it ever breaks down in a bylaw enforcement officer's
moment of weakness, common sense dictates that the B.C. Civil
Liberties Association will jump on it with both feet, and the result
will be an expensive lawsuit - which will almost certainly result in
an overturning of the bylaw.

And all of that could be avoided simply by employing a little bit of
common sense at the beginning of the process, as Councillor Arnold
suggested, instead of tacking it on at the end.