D.E.A. CRACKDOWN ON DRUG PARAPHERNALIA HAS HAD LITTLE EFFECT ON LOCAL WILMINGTON SHOPS

Despite a recent federal anti-paraphernalia movement, Wilmington's shops
have yet to lose business.

In a February, 2003 press release the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration
announced the indictment of 50 individuals charged with trafficking illegal
drug paraphernalia. Several retailers, distributors and Internet sites,
previously ignored by law enforcement, were raided and shut down.

"This illegal billion-dollar industry will no longer be ignored by law
enforcement," said Attorney General, John Ashcroft. Ashcroft said that the
illegal paraphernalia industry will be dismantled "by attacking their
physical, financial and Internet infrastructures."

The D.E.A. defines drug paraphernalia as "any equipment, product, or
material of any kind designed for use in the manufacturing, compounding,
converting, concealing, producing, processing, preparing, injecting,
ingesting, inhaling, or otherwise introducing to the human body a
controlled substance."

Examples of D.E.A. defined paraphernalia include pipes, bongs, roach clips
and many more products of similar nature.

However, according to Dameon Ramsey, manager of Buddha's Belly, one of
Wilmington's popular shops, business has not suffered. They're carrying on
business as usual and have received no significant decline in sales since
February. Despite rumors, the store will not be closing down and has not
planned on changing policy concerning sales.

For many, the fallback has been categorized as another example of post 9/11
paranoia gone awry. NORML Executive Director Keith Stroup attacked
Ashcroft's actions labeling the busts "absurd". "At a time when our nation
is at an elevated risk of terror attack, it is preposterous that the
Justice Department would waste limited federal law enforcement resources
chasing after sellers of products such as roach clips and rolling papers -
products which are legally sold at tobacco stores all across America,"
Stroup said. "These businesses pay taxes and do not in any way contribute
to the crime problem in America."

Since the February indictments the D.E.A. has refrained from any other
significant raids concerning the matter, and Ashcroft has been kept busy
fending off angry critics of his aggressive tactics.

As for the supposed shutdown of Wilmington's local shops, Ramsey insists
these are just rumors. "The group of people that this affects is a
word-of-mouth type of crowd" Ramsey said, "Nothing has really changed."