STORES OPENLY SELL CRACK PIPES

Drug Paraphernalia Displayed Beside Candies, Say Parents

A brother and sister from Surrey have launched a shame campaign aimed
at forcing corner-store owners to stop displaying crack pipes next to
candy bars.

Lisa Ebenal and Bob King Sierle have come across at least a dozen
stores in the city that openly sell the tubular glass pipes, usually
on display next to candy racks and within easy reach of children.

The Coalition of Parents campaign started when Ebenal saw
paraphernalia for sale when she went into the store to buy cream and Tylenol.

"I was shocked," Ebenal said. "Nobody buys these [pipes] but people
who are doing drugs. It's pretty hard to to tell your kids it's wrong
when businesses are selling it. It's telling the drug users it's OK
and it's telling the community it's OK."

Ebenal and King Sierle have made official complaints to the city
about nine stores and confronted the owners of many more.

Some owners react badly, Ebenal says, threatening the two with
violence and chasing them out of stores. Eight have relented and
removed the offending items after a barrage of phone calls from the
three-dozen coalition members.

"If you want to sell pipes, open a head shop," said King Sierle.
"It's like porno -- you don't put that next to the candy."

The two are pushing for a permanent solution. The problem is there's
only so much the city can do, says John Sherstone, Surrey's manager
of bylaw and licensing, .

There is no federal or provincial law prohibiting the sale of pipes,
nor are there municipal bylaws, said Sherstone. Vancouver is working
on a bylaw aimed at regulating the sale of pipes, but so far the city
only requires that such items not be displayed in store windows.

Sherstone said letters have gone out to nine Surrey stores requesting
they put the pipes out of reach of children. Bylaw enforcement
officers will inspect the stores this week to see who's complying.

"If they don't, we will consider going to council and recommending
they be prohibited from sale," he said.

If that doesn't work, he said, Surrey can suspend or cancel business licences.

In the meantime, says King Sierle, children who head off to the
corner store to spend their allowance on candy have to rub shoulders
with crack addicts.

"I have to do something. I have to protect my kids," he said.

The coalition is calling on parents to write to politicians demanding
action and to tell store owners that crack pipes and gummi bears don't mix.

A large glass display case of pipes was on the front counter at Tom's
Food Market on 148 Street yesterday. A sticker on the case noted the
dozens of pipes inside were for "legitimate use" only. Crack pipes
were for sale for $4.39 (an even $5 including tax).

The woman behind the counter pointed out that the slightly smaller
glass tubes in a box atop the cash register were far cheaper at $1.75
($2 with tax). The smaller tubes have a peel-back lid on one end and
hold a single plastic flower. It takes less than five seconds to
convert one into a crack pipe.

When owner Saeyl Pok was asked why he was selling the pipes, he said
they were "cigarette pipes."

He said he planned to return the large case of pipes to the
wholesaler. Asked about the flower tubes, Pok said he didn't know
what they were for.

"People ask, and I just sell it."