N.C. State Head Shops Could Face Penalties

Tuesday's Frat Boy News Pause for the Cause

North Carolina State University (compiled by Titan Barksdale, NewsObserver.com)

In 2004, the war on drugs targeted several smoke shops near North Carolina State University, when federal agents raided them and seized smoking pipes. Most of the shops that were raided went out of business afterward.

Buddha's Belly, across the street from N.C. State University, was resilient. It remained open despite authorities seizing more than 640 pipes marketed for tobacco use but often used for marijuana smoking.

As a result of the raid, a criminal charge was recently filed in federal court against the shop, and its owner has been tight-lipped about how the case might affect the shop's future.

The charge against the shop and others like it resulted from "Operation Pipecleaner," a series of raids to seize smoking paraphernalia, which authorities have said encourages illegal drug use.

Last week, a federal prosecutor filed a charge in U.S. District Court against Buddha's Belly alleging the store sold drug paraphernalia, a felony. During the raids of stores in the Triangle, federal agents seized additional items they define as drug paraphernalia, such as rolling papers, bongs, and miniature spoons.

No arrests were made as a result the raids. Pipe sales were only a small part of Buddha's Belly business. It also sells skateboards, clothes and other merchandise.

Marijuana advocate Allen St. Pierre, executive director of a NORML, a group that seeks to legalize marijuana, is concerned about shop raids, especially when federal authorities bring criminal charges against those shops.

Operation Pipecleaner was carried out by federal, state and local law enforcement officers in response to a directive by then-U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft.

"If the local folks don't enforce these laws," St. Pierre said, "it seems rather ... [strange] for the federal government to be going after them."