Chicago declares War on little plastic bags
Another useless obstacle the war on drugs puts into the common people's lives.
Lt. Kevin Navarro, commanding officer of the Chicago Police Department's Narcotics and Gang Unit, said the ordinance will be an "important tool" to go after grocery stores, health food stores and other businesses. The bags are used by the thousand to sell small quantities of drugs at $10 or $20 a bag.
You know those grocery stores... criminals - all of them!
Re: Chicago declares War on little plastic bags
The "war on drugs" is a big joke anyway. Taxing and strict regulation is the only way to make any sort of positive difference on drug crime.
Re: Chicago declares War on little plastic bags
The only way to stop drugs is at the source... If they're produced someone will bring them and sell them... simple as that...
Re: Chicago declares War on little plastic bags
The only way to stop drugs is at the destination. No demand. No supply.
But that means no budget for the cops. No civil forfeiture for the local government. I could go on but then I would have to starkly face the level of corruption and self-denial of their true motivation that is in our government.
Re: Chicago declares War on little plastic bags
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Pan Dah
How the hell can one be proven guilty of knowing what a plastic bag will be used for?
Knowledge, or mens rea, is a key element of almost any statute and is usually the most difficult element to prove. Knowledge in this case could be proved if it was shown that the store owner knew the person buying the bags had a reputation for being a drug dealer, for example.
This statute is beyond stupid, by the way. Like the article says, those little bags are often used to sell buttons for suits and other clothes. The notion that banning the little baggies will curb the sale of drugs is laughable.
Re: Chicago declares War on little plastic bags
thats just outrageous!
they should stop selling apples and soda cans and plumbing too! because you can make smoking apparatuses out of them...
Re: Chicago declares War on little plastic bags
I would like to point out that this is a city that banned spray paint in hopes that it would deter graffiti. My guess in time is that the drug dealers will figure out what the graffiti artists figured out. There are other places that you can buy plastic bags and spray paint.
In the meantime, law abiding citizen must waste extra gas to go out of town just to buy a box of Zip-locks. He/she might as well do the rest of their grocery shopping while they're there and take all that sales tax revenue that goes along with it. Almost makes you wonder if the suburban municipalities are behind this plot.
Re: Chicago declares War on little plastic bags
Bahaha! As if that will stop anyone from getting their high of choice. ::)
That's bullshit, and if I were the CEO of Ziploc I would be royally pissed.
Re: Chicago declares War on little plastic bags
^ Yehhbutt... how else do you keep your necklaces from tangling in a jewellery box?
Re: Chicago declares War on little plastic bags
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Pan Dah
As dumb as I consider the law, I have to doubt there's a huge demand for Zip-Locs less than 2 inches wide or high for food storage purposes.
Honestly, I've never seen any of the verboten sized bags sold in any grocery stores. What I'm told that some drug dealers do though is buy the regular size Ziplock bags, cut them in half vertically, sometimes in quarters, and then fold over the open ends and staple them. This way they get 2-4x the use out of a single bag.
I suppose a better question is, why are the local authorities are going after plastic bags when banning something like this cleverly disguised item (sold at a number of inner city convenience stores I'm told) would probably make more sense?
Re: Chicago declares War on little plastic bags
Ironically, I get them at the drug paraphinalia store. They come in different types that way! I can get one with little batman logos and blue ones and green ones.... I use the itty bitty meth kinds... I mean... the one inch across ones by like 1 1/2" tall. It's a great way to keep jewellery organized in a box.
The batman ones hold my earrings!
Re: Chicago declares War on little plastic bags
i doubt that a lot of people are using them for uses other than selling drugs though.
Re: Chicago declares War on little plastic bags
^So... what do those spare buttons tacked onto the inside of your shirts come in, then?
Either way, I'm gonna go snort my necklaces.
I also find it funny I get my baggies for my necklaces at a drug paraphinalia store and my drugs I actually get for free (what? I'm a fuckin stripper).
Re: Chicago declares War on little plastic bags
I think the war on drugs is stupid, stupid, stupid. Stupid waste of money, resources and energy.
whatever.
hb
Re: Chicago declares War on little plastic bags
^ Agreed. Let people do what they want to themselves. It's when they hurt other people I get pissy.
Re: Chicago declares War on little plastic bags
Quote:
Originally Posted by
doc-catfish
Honestly, I've never seen any of the verboten sized bags sold in any grocery stores. What I'm told that some drug dealers do though is buy the regular size Ziplock bags, cut them in half vertically, sometimes in quarters, and then fold over the open ends and staple them. This way they get 2-4x the use out of a single bag.
I suppose a better question is, why are the local authorities are going after plastic bags when banning
something like this cleverly disguised item (sold at a number of inner city convenience stores I'm told) would probably make more sense?
Haha! That reminds me of the day I was behind a guy in Walgreens and he was asking if they had those... The worker didn't understand him and he was trying to explain it but got frustrated and yelled "CRACK PIPE"...
Re: Chicago declares War on little plastic bags
Yes, if there were no plastic baggies, I'm sure we couldn't think of other things (cigarette wrappers, folded paper, dollar bills) to store small quantities of drugs in...... ::)
Re: Chicago declares War on little plastic bags
I use those tiny baggies when I buy spices at the co-op. They have bulk spices and you can measure out however much you want; those baggies can hold a gram of garam masala just as well as a gram of coke!
Bottom line is that the "War on Drugs" has gotten way out of hand. It's a stupid witch hunt. We need to just drop it already.