City Council Votes to Ban Sales of Drug Items Near Schools

The Los Angeles City Council approved an ordinance Wednesday that outlaws the sale of drug paraphernalia near schools, libraries, parks and religious buildings and bans juveniles from entering so-called “head shops.”

The law, which will take effect in September, stemmed from the opening of a shop across from Fairfax High School in Hollywood that sells pipes for smoking marijuana, as well as posters and T-shirts that promote drug use. That store and others already doing business are exempt from the new law.

Existing head shops, however, will have to comply with the new law’s ban on juveniles entering their stores without a parent or guardian.

Previously, city law barred anyone younger than 18 from areas of stores where drug paraphernalia was displayed but not from the whole store.

Councilman Jack Weiss, who sponsored the head shop ban, said it is another way to promote a just-say-no message to children.

“Most kids these days know that they’re supposed to resist drugs

Reacting Wednesday to the new law, owners of head shops said the stricter regulations on their businesses are unnecessary.

They already keep out kids, they said.

“We are the same type of business as liquor stores. We do not cater to youths,” said Gabbie Lizzoli, manager of Chronic Pleasures in North Hollywood, which is several blocks from Victory Boulevard Elementary School.

Los Angeles does not have a similar law regulating liquor stores, but those businesses must have permits to operate. The city can deny a permit based on the store’s location.

The new head shop law is modeled after the city’s ordinance regulating the zoning of adult businesses.

Stores that sell devices for smoking or ingesting marijuana, hashish, cocaine and other drugs cannot open within 500 feet of schools, public libraries, parks, churches, mosques, synagogues or other religious buildings.

Councilwoman Janice Hahn said it is important to keep drug paraphernalia out of sight of kids when they leave school in the afternoon.

“That is the time of the day that they begin to experiment,” Hahn said.

The new ordinance requires the signature of her brother, Mayor James K. Hahn, who is expected to sign it.

It would become law 30 days later.