crackdown on paraphenelia???

[CosmicGiggle]

US Customs officials seize nearly 4,000 glass bongs

US Customs and Border Protection officials seized a shipment of almost 4,000 bongs at Washington Dulles International Airport, the agency said.

The $56,000 shipment arrived from China on October 2 manifested as "gravity pipes," the CBP said in a release Wednesday.

CBP import specialists "confirmed that the glass bongs violated U.S. laws on the importation of drug paraphernalia," the release said.

The bongs were headed to an address in Los Angeles County, California.

CBP officers screen international passengers and cargo for "illicit narcotics, unreported currency, weapons, counterfeit consumer goods, prohibited agriculture, and other illicit products that could potentially harm the American public, U.S. businesses, and our nation's safety and vitality," the release said.

What's next, glass spoons from China, haven't they noticed the horse is already long outa the gate?

 

[Cvh]

Euhm, now my European mind is confused. Isn't even recreational use legalised to where these bongs were heading to California?

 

[Amynamous]

I don’t know to which business they were headed, but i hope they hire some good attorneys to get them released.
After all, they were clearly intended for “medical use”.
And Medicine is NOT the purview of the federal government, it falls under the States.
Pure separation of powers/states rights issue.

 

[Three Berries]

When Illinois legalized it I asked my state rep about the paraphrenia laws and could not get an answer. I believe if they contain residue, it's just like old times and a ticket and confiscation. Your smoke material must be in a childproof container.

 

[Gry]

They found a work around with the glass spoons. Was a finding somewhere which stated they could be brought in if they were non
functioning look a likes.
So what happened is that they shipped over spoons that needed to have a hole drilled in the bottom of the bowl to make them work.
Some poor bastards here stood for months at drill presses drilling out the hole in the bottom of the spoons.

What amazed me was that they would ship crap like that in by air, and then truck it across the country to LA,
seems it would be have been way more cost effective to have brought it over by ship right to LA.

 

[funkyhorse]

Usually at third world countries when you ship something to a far away airport is because you have a customs contact in that far away airport
It might have been the case that buyers didnt reach an agreement or the inside contact had a problem and that is how this got seized

But what it really got my attention is this:

CBP officers screen international passengers and cargo for "illicit narcotics, unreported currency, weapons, counterfeit consumer goods, prohibited agriculture, and other illicit products that could potentially harm the American public, U.S. businesses, and our nation's safety and vitality," the release said.

So if I decide to make a tour to Usa and I happen to happily land wearing my best fake clothing and accesories: a fake rolex watch, a fake Polo shirt and fake Nike shoes
Can someone explain please how come a conterfeit consumer good is potentially harming the american public, US businesses and your nation's safety and vitality?????
I think the persons writing these laws have severely harmed their own mental health and they shouldnt be writing laws
People are eating too much agrotoxics and GMO food. We are what we eat. If we eat poison, are thinking becomes poisonous and brain gets affected too

I mean medicated people dont think they are taking very dangerous addictive drugs and this is seen as just a pill and the person taking those dangerous drugs are considered normal people in western society and results of this thinking are psychopatic laws like this

 

[flylowgethigh]

Stortz and Bickel seem to do OK.

 

[Hammerhead]

Those bongs will be stored until they sell when Fed legal. The fed gov doing their typical shady shit.. They know there legal in any state with legal laws. Having said that there are awesome glass vendors here in the USA. Cheep Chinese glass no thanks.

 

[HempKat]

Euhm, now my European mind is confused. Isn't even recreational use legalised to where these bongs were heading to California?

The problem is that it's only legalized on the state level. It's still considered illegal on the Federal level. So far the Feds have tolerated the legalizations in the states that have done so, so long as people follow whatever rules and regulations the states put in place. The reality though is that the Feds at any point in time, if they decided to do so could go after any "legal" cannabis related business be it recreational or medicinal. This is why banks won't allow these businesses to open accounts or accept deposits. Banks depend on the Federal Government insuring their operations and as such they refuse to take the risk of getting involved with cannabis related businesses until such time as the Feds legalize it.

 

[radioman]

So the "Gravity Pipes" are made in China? I'm smoking with a glass pipe right now that was made & sold by a local glassblower that has a shop right next to the laundromat where I wash clothes. I would rather buy my glassware off him than other shops - because I know the guy that made it. I think it is cool to buy directly from the "Artist" who created it. Kind of like Maple Syrup - The Farmer's who produce it, put their name tag on the jug. I have found over the years, stuff made in China generally is lower quality than American made stuff - even if the company is American...

 

[Hammerhead]

The only Chinese glass I have are ash catchers. Rigs,bongs, slides are all US made. I do have a ROOR I don't use in storage. Not sure who makes ROOR..

 

[Amynamous]

So the "Gravity Pipes" are made in China? I'm smoking with a glass pipe right now that was made & sold by a local glassblower that has a shop right next to the laundromat where I wash clothes. I would rather buy my glassware off him than other shops - because I know the guy that made it. I think it is cool to buy directly from the "Artist" who created it. Kind of like Maple Syrup - The Farmer's who produce it, put their name tag on the jug. I have found over the years, stuff made in China generally is lower quality than American made stuff - even if the company is American...

Maple syrup….yummmm
Once upon a time i went to the state fair in Vermont and they had maple syrup cotton candy.
OMFG! it would vaporize inside your mouth before it even touched your tongue. Frickin insane. It was literally pure heaven.

 

[armedoldhippy]

I don’t know to which business they were headed, but i hope they hire some good attorneys to get them released.
After all, they were clearly intended for “medical use”.
And Medicine is NOT the purview of the federal government, it falls under the States.
Pure separation of powers/states rights issue.

i'm not sure that the FDA would agree with your position.

 

[mexweed]

dhgate was a site I ordered a bong from once, similar designs to really expensive brand name bongs, I got mine for $25, but they were cheaper the more bulk you ordered, it would be really easy to order 100 each of a few different styles and do an online shop where they sell for much more

the quality of "china glass" isn't what it used to be, it was good for what it was, but a buddy threw a dog toy accidentally hit it and it fell off a deck railing onto concrete, took like 3 months to arrive and had it for less than a week

 

[audiohi]

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