Florida Passes New Bong Bill

[wiseman]

Source: http://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local-beat/Florida-Bong-Bill-Passes-92329309.html

A bill passed Wednesday will make it illegal in Florida to sell the drug paraphernalia in most head shops.

The so-called "Bong Bill" passed by the Senate and then overwhelmingly passed 115-0 in the House now heads to Gov. Crist for final approval.

The bill prohibits the sale of the items by businesses that don't make at least 75 percent of their money from tobacco sales or make over 25 percent from sale of the prohibited items.

Violators could face up to a year in jail.

The bill, sponsored by Rep. Darryl Rouson, of St. Petersburg, would go into effect July 1.

“I’ve been fighting the pipe industry for the longest, because it is all a part of the drug trade and the criminal enterprise that we know exists and destroys neighborhoods, families and order in our society,” Rouson said earlier this month.

The head shops aren't fooling Rouson when they say the pipes and bongs are used for legal tobacco.

“When is the last time you stopped at a red light and saw someone smoking a hit of tobacco out of one of these one-shooters or water pipes?” said Rouson.

Last year, Rouson also proposed HB 187, which calls for an extra sales tax on smoking paraphernalia, because he wanted to use the revenue for DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) programs, that were being cut.

“Florida has a conscience and an awareness that marijuana and the smoking and ingesting of it is not healthy for an individual, nor is it healthy for public safety and the order in society,” Rouson said.

Edit: Petition Site: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/2/florida-bong-bill

[Jaxson]

I guess this also means that stores will be prohibited from selling soft drinks and other beverages in aluminum cans, right?  LOL

[buckethead]

Crist can serve one last public interest prior to his pending retirement: Veto this bill.

[Cliffs_Daughter]

so, what's to say a business couldn't offer a $20 bong as a 'free gift' with purchase of $80 in tobacco products? Or would they now list the item AS such?

[Timkin]

they list them as "water pipes"  .. If you went into any establishment ,and said  " Id like to buy one of your bongs or, how much is that bong"  they would NOT sell anything to you .  The reason I know this is... there was this fridge magnet that said, "Jesus is coming , hide your Bong" at a local tobacco shop... I read this outloud and laughed... they asked me to leave.. I said the B word .

I think personally this is an utterly RIDICULOUS bill...but im not suprised... After all , we're Florida...not California , where marijuana is nearly legal.  Medical Marijuana is definitely legal...

What a waste of legislation.    The idea is to get rid of waterpipes ,etc.   Guess it may work.

[TheProfessor]

I don't see why it matters where pipes are sold.  Pipes will still be sold at tobacco shops anyway?  Seems like a waste of time.

[wiseman]

It may be just where you live that they ask you to leave if you say bong. In Gainesville and Jacksonville.. you can say bong all day long. This legislation, I think, is aimed at making tobacco more of a prominent figure than it is now (which is nearly fucking impossible considering nearly everyone smokes in Florida). Also Florida has been heading down this road for quite sometime now. I wouldn't be surprised to see Florida try and pass the same bill Arizona did in the near future. The immigrant bill.

[NotNow]

That's strange.  I don't know anyone who smokes anymore.  At least not in my circle.  And I haven't even seen a bong since maybe the seventies.  Do adults really sit around and stick their mouths on those smelly things still?  Yuck!  If your going to smoke MJ, do it in a non-disgusting way!!

Agreed, stupid bill.  I can't see it going anywhere.  And I hope all of your are college kids or at least recent college kids.

[CS Foltz]

I concur..........stupid bill! Glad to see that Tallahassee is wasting their time and our tax dollars with bullshit bills that don't control spending or something really usefull! It might just be me, but something that actually controlled spending or capped government............maybe HSR somewhere usefull for all.........maybe rail masstransit across the state............but hay!.......we have bill against drug equipment!

[Timkin]

Well.... Not only is this a ridiculous bill... but I  personally belive  (not saying that I do or do not endorse the use of marijuana ...to each their own) that like California and some other states where it is sold for medical reasons.....that they , meaning Florida and many other states will not be able to ignore the enormous tax base , that decriminalizing and in fact selling it as they would a pack of cigarettes,could generate.  Few would argue , continued use of cigarettes will kill you via COPD, Cancer or whatever.  If the use of Marijuana were governed by under the influence laws as is Alcohol , which im sure we all will agree is a drug, then to me ,it is up to the individual as to whether they choose to use it. Then the sales of waterpipes , bongs or w/e you want to call them would be a non-issue.   I would think every state would welcome additional tax revenue.  It is not like they are ever going to totally put a stop to the use of it.

I am getting off the topic.  Its a dumb bill.  a total waste of time.

[Peg]

This sounds like a convenience store relief bill.

[ChriswUfGator]

What a complete waste of time.

With everything going on at the moment, it's unbelievable that they could waste time on this silly crap.

[urbanlibertarian]

When there's less money to spend they have to do things like this to get re-elected.

[Timkin]

The focus should be on environmental disasters like the one we are currently dealing with , that clearly is still out of control. 

As to getting re-elected , the voters should be getting these fools out of office.  A total waste of time and taxpayer dollars.   If they want re-election , do something positive about something that will benefit all of the people , not just the ones that think pot smoking and bongs are a sin

[Ernest Street]

Oh my God how stupid!   You can just put a light bulb socket on top and it's a water lamp now to be used as the buyer sees fit.
People have been carving pipes out of vegetables and fruit for 40+ years!!
You sure don't see legislature banning 15 year old Scotch either