Minn.: Bong Water Can Get You in Hot Water

Person Can Be Prosecuted for First-Degree Drug Crime for Bong Water, High Court Says

(AP)  The Minnesota Supreme Court says bong water can qualify as a controlled substance.

In a split decision Thursday, the high court says a person can be prosecuted for a first-degree drug crime for 25 grams or more of bong water that tests positive for a controlled substance.

The decision comes in the case of a Rice County woman. Items seized from her home included a glass bong - a type of water pipe often used to smoke drugs. It contained over an ounce of liquid that tested positive for the presence of methamphetamine.

The Supreme Court says that counts as a drug "mixture" under state law. It noted that the liquid wasn't plain water, but had a pink color and fruity odor. A narcotics officer testified that drug users sometimes keep bong water to drink later.

CBSNews.com Special Report: Marijuana Nation

[bootspurs]

It's good to know that the Minnesota Court has their priorities straight?

[buzzin-in-indy]

this goes out to everyone trying to guilt trip the cannabis users on here these laws that make cannabis illegal are only in place because it is a threat to the plastic, textile, paper, most importantly the pharmaceutical industry. it was originally outlawed because it was a threat to the cotton plantation owners. they lobbied congress and pumped money into the capitol. and because of that in 1937 cannabis was made illegal to grow distribute or possess. the government continued to support its illegality until we got involved in ww2. that is when the government started its "Hemp for Victory" campaign. hemp is one of the strongest natural fibers in the world and makes excellent rope. as soon as the war was over the government dropped its pro hemp campaign. there have been many studies that show cannabis has wonderful medical qualities including reducing damage done by binge drinking and reducing the risk of getting head throat and neck cancers. oh and i agree with the rest of you no one that only uses marijuana would drink bong water. the fruity part was probably because it was fruit juice in the bong.

[bobnjersey]

[The Supreme Court says that counts as a drug "mixture" under state law. It noted that the liquid wasn't plain water, but had a pink color and fruity odor. ]

pink color and a fruity odor? it sounds like it would be quite refreshing w/ some ice on a hot summer day.

[jsilver2th]

Can you believe the waste of tax payer money, prosecutor and police time, court time, etc. pursuing this? What a joke.

We have hungry homeless veterans and children in the stree with no place to sleep tonight shuddering in the cold and our government has money for this garbage.

Shame.

[cidaia]

It's called obeying the law.

Yes, we could hand a lot of free money out to people if we just stopped enforcing the laws - even if we just restricted it to laws we don't happen to like - but the problem is, we just can't agree on which laws we ought to ignore.

But, in the meantime, there is no shame in "wasting" resources on law enforcement.

If you're so worried about it, let me ask: how much money have you spent donating directly to homeless veterans and children?

Hopefully more than you've spent on drugs....

[FUciadia]

**** you cidia you're a piece of ****. the law shouldn't be there in the first place . this would say that nonviolent users of marijuana can be charged for forgetting to clean the bong.****

[FUciadia]

screw you cidia unjust laws putting potheads in jail. suck it

[incog-nito]

Next, the authorities will start installing sensors in people's plumbing to detect illicit substances in their sewage. Violators will be mailed a letter to report to the nearest prison.

[KHLady7]

Meth heads probably drink it because they're already so screwed up. No stoner would do such a thing.

[AttentionDeficit]

I knew a guy many years ago who would drink bong water. He was a sick puppy, and a pretty severe alcoholic. I think he would have drank anything

[FUciadia]

lol crazy

[rwsmith29456]

Yeah, I was saying like, "What a horrible crime!" until I read it was meth that was found. I don't give a hoot about pot but meth and others ruin people and families.

[ludvig1-2009]

I'm not into drugs. The last time I can remember inhaling marijuana fumes was about 40 years ago when a military policeman moved into my apartment with his bong. I'm so hacked off about the war on drugs though in the next election in Cal. I'm going to vote to legalize marijuana for the sole purpose of saying "IN YOUR FACE". I had my car searched twice in 4 days when I went to Missouri to visit my parents because I had Cal. license plates, so I must be a drug dealer and 3 days later had a highway patrolman behind me ignore a red-light runner and keep tailing me. I've been randomly drug tested at work twice in 100 days, passing both times. I've had my picture taken for riding a bike down the street as exercise to keep from getting diabetes. I've had a decoy car put in my walking path. I've been spied on when I walk laps around a park, I've had a cop try to run me down in a crosswalk and I've had a bag labeled "Medical" dropped in the street perfectly centered on my driveway when a cop hid a block down the street where the road starts to bend. When I drove off and ignored it, the cop and the bag disappeared. I'm heartened by the fact the city just laid off 12 cops because they can't afford them. I've been boycotting the town for taxable items so am in part responsible for it. A majority of Californians favor legalizing marijuana and hopefully this will be the year.

[bytheway59]

Not that this is specific to the article, but is your skin 'other than white'?

[Aphecks]

Don't forget your tinfoil hat before you go out man.

[mitch0927]

Some of you didn't read the whole article. THe bong water tested positive for meth and not pot. Some states don't consider pot as a controlled substance. METH USERS ARE LOSERS!!!

[ellensmithee]

This is pretty excessive.
We'll be living in a martial law state soon.
Legalize drugs and treat it for the health issue it is.
That's the only way we'll see progress in Addiction.

[cidaia]

Which is it? Is it a problem or is it perfectly OK to use drugs?

You say, on the one hand, that drugs should be legalized. But if they're a health issue, then we don't want to legalize the drugs.

If you recognize drugs as a problem, then instead of criticizing the cops, maybe you should criticize those who promote the drugs, and/or those who use the drugs.

Either it's a problem or it's a perfectly acceptable alternative. You can't have it both ways.

[mecanik-2009]

Next, they will be testing the airfilters in your heating system and nabbing you for that.

[Henri_Rochard]

Decades ago, when I did this sort of stuff, we called bong water 'moose ****'.

[billpl-2009]

stop wasting people's time and taxpayer's money

I'm not a big on legalizing pot, but if it will stop all this legal nonesense....maybe count me in

[antoniof123]

Dude me too this is getting out of hand these wing nuts are carringing things way to far count me in too.

[Ms_enza]

Pour it out; keep it clean.

[stuart-johns2]

LOL

[cherry-brown]

Buzz kill. Drinking bong water, NASTY!