Police Step Up Raids On Norman Retailer

Oklahoma's flag has an exotic pipe featured; but is it legal to sell?

  In these times of Oklahoma's economic freefall, state & municipal law enforcement are adding to the crisis.

  For the 2nd time in as many months  they raided a licensed retailer and seized most of his inventory and operating cash.

  Their stated justification is that someone might use his products to get high. The merchant sells pipes of various designs.

Where does it end?

•  The matches and lighters at the town grocer were never raided.
• The copper tubing at the hardware store was not confiscated. 
•   The Demoral at the pharmacy  is still on sale.
•   Craft glue at the hobby shop and gasoline at the station can still be purchased at record low prices...

  But pipes are raided repeatedly, based on their imagery, rather than functionality.

  It's like outlawing an AR-15 rifle, but not the Browning 30-06 (which is far more lethal).

  Then net result is that state budgets keep getting smaller as sale tax collections continue to constrict.

  But law enforcement is now turning even more to Asset Forfeiture to fund themselves for further warfare against Oklahomans.

  Nothing encourages online shopping as much as when a patron fears a police raid on his home, simply because he bought a hookah pipe as a Christmas gift at a local merchant. And nothing shrinks sales tax collections as much as online shopping does. 

Read the story at Red Dirt Report: