OPERATION PIPE DREAM

Oh my, how this story illustrates the law stood upon its head, thanks to
the insanity of drug-warring federal officers. Assistant U.S. Attorney
Monte Stiles smirks, "If you can find me a Tommy Chong bong with tobacco
residue on it, then you will be in the 'Guinness Book of World Records.'"

Unfortunately, the law should require Mr. Stiles to first find the bong
with residue of something illegal, then make the arrest. In the case of the
head shop busts, clean, unused smoking devices were essentially declared to
contain such residue, which means the purveyors are being charged with
participation in an imaginary action.

Now these law-abiding, taxpaying business owners will be sucking up a share
of Idahoans federal tax dollars as they undergo trial and possible
long-term incarceration. Their families will undergo financial hardship,
which could result in further drain of tax dollars via welfare and other
subsidies.

John Ashcroft had over 1,200 federal law enforcement agents, including over
100 federal marshals and 11 federal prosecutors employed during last week's
nationwide Operation Pipe Dream. This was on a day when the government's
"terror-alert" scale was on its second highest level.

Rather than brushing off complaints about the feds, including Pocatello in
this absurd boondoggle, Mayor Roger Chase should be sharply questioning
such lunatic priorities of the DEA and the U.S. Justice Department.

Stephen Heath

Clearwater, Fla.