Back in 2003 the DEA ran “Operation Pipe Dreams,” effectively shutting down every bong shop selling paraphernalia on the internet. The ill-fated and misguided war on drugs fueled then Attorney General John Ashcroft with nary an eye to the future of marijuana.
The operation was a smashing success, if you consider wasting $12 million dollars and the efforts of 2,000 officers to arrest 55 people (mostly glass blowers) and only charge one — Tommy Chong — a success. It was a sickening misuse of government funds and energy, but nothing new in the ridiculously long standing war on drugs.
“The drug paraphernalia business is now accessible in anyone’s home with a computer and Internet access,” Ashcroft said at the press conference back in 2003. “And in homes across America we know that children and young adults are the fastest growing Internet users. Quite simply, the illegal drug paraphernalia industry has invaded the homes of families across the country without their knowledge. This illegal billion dollar industry will no longer be ignored by law enforcement.”
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