Did you notice at the festival?

At the festival some guy was selling bongs? I am ticked off about it. Its a family festival and we all try to teach our children right from wrong and to be upstanding citizens. Then you go to the park to see the arts and crafts and some guy selling bongs. NICE!!!!! Do they not screen people purchasing a booth for the weekend? Do they think its ok to sells bongs?

Sorry, Leslie...I don't even know what that is.....you can e-mail me the answer if you like?

they are used for smoking drugs! This guy was showing a couple teenagers that they dont break and hammering it against his tent poles

They have been selling those for years. Both at the Friendship Festival and the Fair. I have always wondered how they get away with it.

I thought, for the most part, the "art in the park" offerings were of flea-market quality.

Exceptions included the wood carver from Jarvis and (to the untrained eye ) the bong vendor - however, the rest was a real slide downwards

I was very disappointed with the vendors in the park this year. It seems to be really going downhill fast. Last year I called Mike Martin from the Rotary Club and complained about some "Free Vacation" outfit they had let in. All the company was doing was taking your ballot and harrassing you with a phone call. It was no "free vacation" at all. Mike was very disappointed to hear that the company was calling people who filled out the ballot and trying to sell them a vacation. He told me they would not be let back in this year and I didn't see them there so that was a good thing. Leslie, I would call Mike and voice your complaint. You're right, it is supposed to be a family festival and bongs should not be sold or any other paraphernalia related to drugs.

Well...to play devils advocate here.

They aren't illegal.(Bongs) A Bong is used for smoking illegal as well as legal plant material. You can no more ban the bong as you could rolling papers or even a regular pipe. Depending on the age of a child you are explaining the use to, tobbacco can be plant of choice if they are very young, and if they're over 10... Pot or tobacco would be the explaination they will understand.

Having said this, I do agree Art in the Park in Simcoe is NOT what it used to be.

Almost all events have clauses that prohibit the sale of items except as approved on their applications. Usually this type of vendor does not disclose this on their application. Usually when caught, they are either ordered to stop selling the item or leave.

If you ever see anything objectionable such as obscene T-shirts, violent or illegal products on sale at an event, please REPORT it to someone. This is usually the only way the organizers hear about the sale.

Reporting it is a great help for the event and it's a great example for your kids.

Why wouldn't at least one of the event organizers walk around to view the vendors? I would think they did and wouldn't have had a problem with the bongs (just playing devil's advocate here as well) ... unless they thought they were vases or something (?). Was anyone selling beer steins? I bet no one would complain about that. An open minded person would realize that there isn't a whole lot of difference between a beer stein and a bong. The potential extreme end result of either is still just as stupid ... alcoholic or drug addict.

Note: I'm deliberately being extreme to make a point. I realize there's a whole lot of gray between that black & white.

I get what your saying Groovin and a couple Rotary members did walk by this vendor while I was standing there! They didnt stop. I dunno maybe they have no clue as to what a bong is.... If it wasnt for my teenagers I wouldnt know either.

I agree with you Leslie, and I do believe they sell them at the little convenience store at Whitehorse Plaza which I also have a problem with.

max wrote:

I agree with you Leslie, and I do believe they sell them at the little convenience store at Whitehorse Plaza which I also have a problem with.

are you serious? wow

How can we stop this? As a parent I find it hard enough without these things being in the open and available to my children.

This is only heresay but I heard a few years back that the bongs could be used for some other legitimate use thus the reason they can sell them. Cannot for the life of me remember what it was. Perhaps someone here can shed some light on it.

Spidubic wrote:

This is only heresay but I heard a few years back that the bongs could be used for some other legitimate use thus the reason they can sell them. Cannot for the life of me remember what it was. Perhaps someone here can shed some light on it.

They sell the bongs claiming it under use of a tobacco product. You're supposed to be at least 19 years old to buy them I believe. As long as the product is claimed for "tobacco use only" or for novelty use, you can legally sell them. I guess gone are the days when these were regulated to the "back-room" of stores.

you had better stay on the other side of the street and not go near the CNE then. there is an incredibe display of tobacco ( as they claim) smoking devices, hookas, pipes, bongs etc. some with 8 hoses that people sit or lay around and puff their tobacco smoke.........and some beautiful hand carved and crafted pieces.
this is not just in a booth or 2, it is all over the grounds, and buildings, the international building mostly.
perhap here in the real world one must teach their children well, and not try and keep the boogie man sheet over their eyes. they (our kids) know a lot more than you think and they admit...... guidance and good and open communication is paramount to their growing up and surviving the drugs and gangs and who knows what else is out there to avoid next........video game brain perhaps.........