Fox’s Wisdom Martin reports that Maryland State Senator Anthony Muse calls the sale of bongs in gas stations a slap in the face in the war on drugs. Muse says drugs cause murders and incarcerations, and therefore he [along with Senator Miller, of course] has proposed emergency legislation banning bong sales – or at least significantly raising taxes on bong sales – in order to advance his political career and get some face time on Fox.

Senator Muse is right when he says that incarceration can result from the use of marijuana. Of course, according to the Marijuana Policy Project, “The greatest harm associated with marijuana is prison.” The senator loses steam, however, when he equates all drugs with murder. D.C.’s days as murder capital of the world had their roots in an entirely different drug – crack. Crack smoking supplies, which can include lighters, small vases, light bulbs and spoons are nowhere to be found in Fox’s sensationalist story, or in Muse’s poorly edited bill, although we do urge our readers to check section [(d)](E), where the bill’s author defines veneral diseases, apparently just to see if we’re paying attention.

It looks like all that Muse’s syphilitic posturing will accomplish is the removal of a valid revenue stream from Maryland small businesses. We’re sure Maryland pot smokers noticed that, at the end of the Fox story, Wisdom points out that head shops will still be open in D.C. and most states, including Virginina.

Therefore, this emergency legislation will probably just lead to more stoned drivers slowing down D.C. traffic (already third-worst in the nation, thank you) to participate in an untaxable (by Maryland, anyway), nebulous interstate market in bong sales. This doesn’t make sense when bongs are currently sold in gas stations as safely, legally and taxably as another evil marijuana always leads to: snack food!

Photograph of potential crack pipe by Flickr user globalglenn.