PRANK FLIERS DRAW BUSINESSES' IRE

Fliers drawing attention to a local business' products associated with
marijuana brewed anger among some business owners Tuesday after the names
and logos of their establishments appeared on the signs, which were
plastered around campus and downtown.

The fliers, promoting the headshop in the rear of the Den, 207 E.
Washington St., prompted store manager Daniel Cope to call all off-duty
employees and order them to tear down the leaflets.

"I'm really upset right now," he said.

He denied that the shop was involved with the incident, and he would not
speculate about whether the fliers were an attempt to draw attention to the
store's "tobacco shop."

The fliers read, "Stashman says, 'Go to the Den, it'll be alrighty then,' "
and were complete with marijuana smiley faces and other catch phrases.

The store's "tobacco shop," located in the rear of the establishment, was
temporarily shut down after the fliers were posted, which declare the Den
to be the UI's "official headshop" and welcome newly inaugurated UI
President David Skorton. The venue, which sells glass pipes and bongs, was
later reopened in the afternoon.

The incident comes just a week after federal authorities charged nine
people in four grand jury indictments brought in Iowa under "Operation
Headhunter," part of a national crackdown on trafficking in products
associated with illegal drug use, including bongs and marijuana pipes.
Authorities said they seized more than $2 million worth of illegal drug
paraphernalia in Iowa in the operation.

The Drug Enforcement Administration raided four Iowa businesses in Iowa
City, Des Moines, and Ames in 2001 for selling products similar to those
found at the Den, charging the then-owner of Iowa City's defunct Hemp Cat
with knowingly and intentionally selling drug paraphernalia, including
bongs and pipes.

The fliers, which made their way into UI residence halls, detail the Den's
merchandise as "bongs, pipes, scales, and 'friendly' supplies for all your
use and distribution needs." And although Cope admits the store does sell
glass-blown pipes in its tobacco shop, the business "follows all the
rules," he said.

Iowa law states that shops selling equipment or products intended to be
used with drugs could face simple misdemeanor charges, said Johnson County
Attorney J. Patrick White. The fliers' language, however, is likely
protected under the First Amendment, he added.

But some local businesses weren't happy about the appropriation of their
names. U.S. Bank's logo is used in the flier to describe the shop's
location, which is across the street. Referring to the proximity, the flier
read: "Grab some cash, smoke some stash."

Bank President Bill Berger was dismayed by the flier and said his company
was not involved.

"We have not authorized our logo to be used," he said, adding that he is
deciding what next to do and noting that he will not tolerate the logo's
unauthorized use.

The leaflet also reads that the Den is only "a few doors down from the
Englert Theatre," and, in bold, red capital letters, exclaims, "SAVE THE
ENGLERT." Englert Executive Director Justine Zimmer said the fliers were
produced without her group's knowledge, adding that the Englert is looking
into the incident.

Zimmer said she will discuss the matter with the Englert Board of Directors
and may contact the authorities.

In addition, the fliers pictured Skorton and the UI Hawkeye trademark.

"It's not something we like to see, " said Steve Parrott, the director of
University Relations.

Parrott said Skorton saw the advertisement and dismissed it as a prank. The
university has dropped the issue, Parrott said, adding that "we obviously
do not have official headshops."