STOP SELLING CRACK PIPES

Editor:

It seems there is a new store in the Chilliwack Mall (across from
Wal-Mart where there was once a jewellery store) that openly displays
and sells an assortment of drug paraphernalia.

My husband and I discovered this one day when, while browsing through
the store, we witnessed three young teens purchase several items
(crack pipes, etc.) from behind a glass display case at the front of
the store. When we expressed our concern to the retailer about
carrying such items and more importantly selling them to children,
our comments were met with blank looks and shrugged shoulders. I'm
not sure if the person we spoke with had little or no grasp of the
English language or simply did not care about our concerns (I'm
guessing the latter).

Several days later I spoke with someone in mall administration and
was told that although they are aware that these items are being sold
there is not much they can do about it other than request that the
retailer not display the items at the front of the store. I wonder
how many of the other retailers in the mall know about the items this
store is selling to children and how they feel about this kind of
business being allowed in a "family mall"? I, for one, am sick and
tired of business owners who obviously have no moral responsibility
for what they sell and who are only concerned with lining their own
greedy pockets.

The great thing about being a consumer is that I can spend my money
wherever I choose and I will certainly not spend a dime in a store
that sells drug paraphernalia. In fact, I can also choose not to
support any of the other retailers in this particular mall until they
rally together and put pressure on this business to remove these
items permanently. I would encourage anyone else who feels the same
to follow suit.

And to parents, the next time you drop your kids off at the
Chilliwack Mall with a little bit of spending money please make sure
you know what they are purchasing.

K. Mcallum

Chilliwack