San Fran supervisor wants to ban 'head shops' from the Haight (would that be like Memphis banning BBQ ?)
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SAN FRANCISCO � Haight-Ashbury and head shops are practically synonymous.
But city officials may decide there are more than enough of those businesses along colorful Haight Street and ban new ones from opening up there.
In October, the Board of Supervisors adopted legislation requiring head shops, which sell smoking paraphernalia, to obtain a special permit � which includes a public hearing and notice to nearby residents � to open anywhere in The City.
Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi, whose district includes the Haight, has introduced legislation that would ban any new head shops along a portion of Haight Street. Mirkarimi has said there are enough of them already and the area needs a better balance of businesses.
Haight-Ashbury, known as the birthplace of the 60s counter culture, is also thought to be the birthplace of the head shop. The shops sell items such as hookahs and hand or water pipes, along with stylish lighters, T-shirts and incense holders. Selling drug paraphernalia is against the law, but the pipes are considered legal because they are said to be used to smoke tobacco products.
Mark Zeidan has been running the Ashbury Tobacco Center since 1994. The shop sells cigars and tobacco in the front, and pipes and bongs in the back. He says some of the newer head shops blatantly break the law and display paraphernalia in their windows for children to see.
�Enough is enough,� Zeidan said. �It is known for it here, because of the hippies and pot smoking and the peaceful life. But if you�ve got 15 on a couple blocks, it�s just too much.�
Locals are getting sick of shoe stores, clothing shops and head shops in their neighborhood, Zeidan added. Plus, with the sour economy, existing head shops don�t need the added competition, he said.
The Board of Supervisors Land Use and Economic Development Committee is scheduled to vote on legislation today. The full board must approve it before it becomes law.
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