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{{short description|Retail outlet for cannabis and tobacco products}}
{{distinguish|smart shop}}
{{distinguish|smart shop}}
{{About|the type of retail outlet|information about the psychedelic rock band|The Head Shop}}
{{for|the film|HeadShop}}
{{About|the type of retail outlet|the psychedelic rock band|The Head Shop}}
[[File:Nirvana head shop.jpg|thumb|right|200px|The "Nirvana" head shop in Dublin, Ireland. A large image of a cannabis leaf adorns the front of the store.]]
[[File:Nirvana head shop.jpg|thumb|right|200px|The "Nirvana" head shop in Dublin, Ireland. A large image of a cannabis leaf adorns the front of the store.]]
[[File:Red Eye Headshop Oxford.JPG|thumb|right|200px|Bongs and pipes on display at a typical head shop]]
[[File:Red Eye Headshop Oxford.JPG|thumb|right|200px|Bongs and pipes on display at a typical head shop]]
[[File:Electic Fetus Saint Cloud.jpg|thumb|right|200px|The "Electric Fetus" head shop in [[St. Cloud, Minnesota|Saint Cloud]], [[Minnesota]].]]
[[File:Electic Fetus Saint Cloud.jpg|thumb|right|200px|The "Electric Fetus" head shop in [[St. Cloud, Minnesota|Saint Cloud]], [[Minnesota]] (closed)]]
{{Cannabis sidebar}}
{{Cannabis sidebar}}
A '''head shop''' is a retail outlet specializing in paraphernalia used for consumption of [[cannabis]] and [[tobacco]] and items related to [[cannabis culture]] and related [[counterculture]]s. Products may include magazines (e.g., about cannabis culture, cannabis cultivation, tattooing and music), clothing, and home décor (e.g., posters and wall hangings illustrating drug culture themes such as cannabis, [[jam band]]s like [[The Grateful Dead]], [[psychedelic art]], etc.) Some head shops also sell oddities, such as antique [[walking stick]]s and [[sex toy]]s. Since the 1980s, some head shops have sold clothing related to the [[heavy metal subculture|heavy metal]] or [[punk subculture]], such as band T-shirts and cloth patches with band logos, studded wristbands, bullet belts and leather boots. Head shops emerged from the hippie counterculture in the late 1960s, and many of them had close ties to the [[anti-Vietnam War movement]] as well as groups in the marijuana legalization movement like LeMar, Amorphia, and the [[National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws]].<ref>Joshua Clark Davis, [http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17541328.2015.1058480 The Business of Getting High: Head Shops, Countercultural Capitalism, and the Marijuana Legalization Movement], The Sixties: A Journal of Politics, Culture and Society, Summer 2015</ref>
A '''head shop''' is a retail outlet specializing in [[Drug paraphernalia|paraphernalia]] used for consumption of [[cannabis]] and [[tobacco]] and items related to [[cannabis culture]] and related [[counterculture]]s. They emerged from the hippie counterculture in the late 1960s, and at that time, many of them had close ties to the [[Opposition to United States involvement in the Vietnam War|anti-Vietnam War movement]] as well as groups in the marijuana legalization movement like LeMar, Amorphia, and the [[National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws]].<ref>Joshua Clark Davis, [https://cup.columbia.edu/book/from-head-shops-to-whole-foods/9780231171588 From Head Shops to Whole Foods: The Rise and Fall of Activist Entrepreneurs], New York: Columbia University Press, 2017</ref>


Products offered typically include [[hashish]] pipes, [[One hitter (smoking)|"one hitter" pipes]]; pipe screens; [[bong]]s (also referred to as water pipes<ref name="PhoenixNT">{{cite web|last=Pela|first=Robert L|title=Head Games|url=http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/2006-02-16/news/head-games/|work=Phoenix New Times|accessdate=11 November 2013|date=16 February 2006}}</ref>); [[roach (marijuana)|roach clips]] (used for smoking the end of a marijuana "joint"); [[Vaporizer (inhalation device)|vaporizers]] used for inhaling THC vapour from cannabis; [[rolling paper]]s; [[rolling machine]]s; [[Weighing scale|small weighing scales]]; small ziplock baggies; cannabis grinders; [[blacklight]]-responsive posters and blacklights; [[incense]]; [[Lighter|cigarette lighters]]; "stashes", which include a range of standard consumer products such as clocks, books, tins of cleaning powder and toilet brushes which have hidden compartments for cannabis and non-camouflaged "stash boxes" which are tins or wooden containers for storing marijuana; and [[Legal intoxicant|legal highs]] such as [[whipped-cream charger]]s (which contain [[nitrous oxide]]) and ''[[Salvia divinorum]]'' (both of which are illegal in some countries and some US states for recreational purposes). Some head shops also sell items used for home cultivation of marijuana plants, such as [[hydroponic]] equipment and lights and guidebooks on cultivation. Since the 2000s, some head shops also sell [[e-cigarettes]] and the flavoured liquids used with these devices.
Products sold may include magazines (e.g., about cannabis culture, cannabis cultivation, tattooing, and music), clothing, and home décor (e.g., posters and wall hangings illustrating drug culture themes such as cannabis, [[jam band]]s like [[The Grateful Dead]], [[Phish]], [[psychedelic art]], etc.). Some head shops also sell oddities, such as antique [[walking stick]]s and [[sex toy]]s. Since the 1980s, some head shops have sold clothing related to the [[heavy metal subculture|heavy metal]] or [[punk subculture]], such as band T-shirts and cloth patches with band logos, studded wristbands, bullet belts, and leather boots. Other items offered typically include [[hashish]] pipes, [[One hitter (smoking)|"one hitter" pipes]]; pipe screens; [[bong]]s (also referred to as water pipes<ref name="PhoenixNT">{{cite web|last=Pela|first=Robert L|title=Head Games|url=http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/2006-02-16/news/head-games/|work=Phoenix New Times|access-date=11 November 2013|date=16 February 2006}}</ref>); [[roach (marijuana)|roach clips]] (used for smoking the end of a marijuana "joint"); [[Vaporizer (inhalation device)|vaporizers]] used for inhaling [[Tetrahydrocannabinol|THC]] vapor from cannabis; [[rolling paper]]s; [[rolling machine]]s; [[Weighing scale|small weighing scales]]; small ziplock baggies; cannabis grinders (i.e. [[herb grinder]]s); [[blacklight]]-responsive posters and blacklights; [[incense]]; [[Lighter|cigarette lighters]]; "stashes", which include a range of standard consumer products such as clocks, books, tins of cleaning powder, and toilet brushes which have hidden compartments for cannabis and non-camouflaged "stash boxes" which are tins or wooden containers for storing marijuana; and legal highs such as [[whipped-cream charger]]s (which contain [[nitrous oxide]]) and ''[[Salvia divinorum]]'' (both of which are illegal in some countries and some US states for recreational purposes). Some head shops also sell items used for home cultivation of marijuana plants, such as [[hydroponic]] equipment and lights and guidebooks on cultivation. Since the 2000s, some head shops also sell [[e-cigarettes]] and the flavoured liquids used with these devices.


==History==
==History==
American head shops originated in the 1960s in cities with high concentrations of college-age youth, often growing out of independently owned poster or candle stores. Historically, U.S. head shops proliferated on [[St. Mark's Place (Manhattan)|St. Mark's Place]] in [[New York City]]'s [[East Village, Manhattan|East Village]], in [[West Los Angeles]], in [[San Francisco]]'s [[Haight-Ashbury]] neighborhood, and in [[Chicago]]'s [[Old Town, Chicago|Old Town]]. Sources cite the Psychedelic Shop on [[Haight Street]] in San Francisco as the first head shop in the [[United States]].<ref name="UKCIA">{{cite web|url=http://www.ukcia.org/culture/history/chrono.php|title=A Cannabis Chronology|last=Christopher|first=Rob|author2=Neil Montgomery|year=2009|work=UKCIA.org|publisher=The United Kingdom Cannabis Internet Activists www.offyourheadshop.com|accessdate=29 January 2010}}</ref><ref name="SFHeart">{{cite web|url=http://www.sfheart.com/cohen_bio.html|title=Allen Cohen 1940-2004|last=Juanis|first=J.C.|year=2004|work=SFHeart.com|accessdate=29 January 2010}}</ref><ref name="PtReyes">{{cite web|url=http://vaporizerjudge.com/beloved-activist-in-valley-dies/ |title=Beloved activist in Valley dies |last=Henderson |first=Jennifer |work=Point Reyes Light |publisher=Tomales Bay Publishing Company |accessdate=29 January 2010 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140328052956/http://vaporizerjudge.com/beloved-activist-in-valley-dies/ |archivedate=March 28, 2014 }}</ref> Operated by [[United States Army]] veteran Ron Thelin and his younger brother Jay, it opened on January 3, 1966. Four months later Jeff Glick opened "Head Shop" on East Ninth Street in New York City.<ref>Smith, Howard. "Scenes". ''Village Voice'', June 23, 1966.</ref> Also in 1966, The Birmingham Balloon Company opened at 113 Fry Street in [[Denton, Texas]].{{cn|date=December 2016}}
American head shops originated in the 1960s in cities with high concentrations of college-age youth, often growing out of independently owned poster or candle stores. Historically, U.S. head shops proliferated on [[St. Mark's Place (Manhattan)|St. Mark's Place]] in [[New York City]]'s [[East Village, Manhattan|East Village]], in [[West Los Angeles]], in [[San Francisco]]'s [[Haight-Ashbury]] neighborhood, and in [[Chicago]]'s [[Old Town, Chicago|Old Town]]. Sources cite the Psychedelic Shop on [[Haight Street]] in San Francisco as the first head shop in the [[United States]].<ref name="UKCIA">{{cite web|url=http://www.ukcia.org/culture/history/chrono.php|title=A Cannabis Chronology|last=Christopher|first=Rob|author2=Neil Montgomery|year=2009|work=UKCIA.org|publisher=The United Kingdom Cannabis Internet Activists www.offyourheadshop.com|access-date=29 January 2010}}</ref><ref name="SFHeart">{{cite web|url=http://www.sfheart.com/cohen_bio.html|title=Allen Cohen 1940-2004|last=Juanis|first=J.C.|year=2004|work=SFHeart.com|access-date=29 January 2010}}</ref><ref name="PtReyes">{{cite web|url=http://vaporizerjudge.com/beloved-activist-in-valley-dies/ |title=Beloved activist in Valley dies |last=Henderson |first=Jennifer |work=Point Reyes Light |publisher=Tomales Bay Publishing Company |access-date=29 January 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140328052956/http://vaporizerjudge.com/beloved-activist-in-valley-dies/ |archive-date=March 28, 2014 }}</ref> Operated by [[United States Army]] veteran Ron Thelin and his younger brother Jay, it opened on January 3, 1966. Four months later Jeff Glick opened "Head Shop" on East Ninth Street in New York City.<ref>Smith, Howard. "Scenes". ''Village Voice'', June 23, 1966.</ref> Also in 1966, The Birmingham Balloon Company opened at 113 Fry Street in [[Denton, Texas]].{{cn|date=December 2016}}


From 1968–c. 1975, head shops served as an important outlet for [[underground press|underground newspapers]] and the [[underground comix]] of [[Robert Crumb]] and other counterculture cartoonists, which had little access to the established channels of newsstand distribution.<ref>Goodwin, Mike. "Youngsters of All Ages Free to Browse Among Hashish Pipes, Obscene Comic Books and Posters." ''Los Angeles Times,'' Apr. 9, 1972, pg. SF A1.</ref>
From 1968 to c. 1975, head shops served as an important outlet for [[underground press|underground newspapers]] and the [[underground comix]] of [[Robert Crumb]] and other counterculture cartoonists, which had little access to the established channels of newsstand distribution.<ref>Goodwin, Mike. "[https://undercover.hosting.nyu.edu/s/undercover-reporting/item/13889 Youngsters of All Ages Free to Browse Among Hashish Pipes, Obscene Comic Books]". ''Undercover Reporting'', April 9, 1972, pg. SF A1.</ref>


The shops' popularity eventually waned with the aging of that era's [[baby boomer]] generation, as well as a 1973 [[U.S. Supreme Court]] ruling, [[Miller v. California]], that found that local communities could decide their own [[First Amendment]] standards with reference to obscenity. In the mid-1970s, sale of drug paraphernalia was outlawed in many places, and the distribution network for underground comics and newspapers dried up.<ref>Estren, Mark James (1993). "Foreword: Onward!". ''A History of Underground Comics''. Ronin Publishing. pp. 7–8; 10. {{ISBN|0-914171-64-X}}.</ref> In addition, the retail mainstream discovered and co-opted aspects of the head shop's market niche, such as [[acid rock]] and [[eco-friendly]] products.
The shops' popularity eventually waned with the aging of that era's [[baby boomer]] generation, as well as a 1973 [[U.S. Supreme Court]] ruling, [[Miller v. California]], that found that local communities could decide their own [[First Amendment]] standards concerning obscenity. In the mid-1970s, the sale of drug paraphernalia was outlawed in many places, and the distribution network for underground comics and newspapers dried up.<ref>Estren, Mark James (1993). "Foreword: Onward!". ''A History of Underground Comics''. Ronin Publishing. pp. 7–8; 10. {{ISBN|0-914171-64-X}}.</ref> In addition, the retail mainstream discovered and co-opted aspects of the head shop's market niche, such as [[acid rock]] and [[eco-friendly]] products.


==Legality==
==Legality==
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===Ireland===
===Ireland===
{{Main|Illicit drug use in Ireland#Head shops|l1=Head shops in Ireland}}
{{Main|Illicit drug use in Ireland#Head shops|l1=Head shops in Ireland}}
Head shops exist and are legal in Ireland, and were reported by authorities to be opening at a rate of one per week in January 2010.<ref name="rte20100126head">[http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0126/head.html "Dramatic increase in 'head shops'"]. RTÉ. 2010-01-26.</ref> The legality of the shops was discussed in the [[Seanad Éireann|Irish Senate]], and a motion was passed requesting the Government to regulate the sale of products.<ref name="rte20100126head" /> Some politicians were in favour of outlawing the shops whereas others argued that prohibiting the purchases of legal intoxicants would be a "huge mistake" which would allow illegal street dealers to thrive.<ref name="sundayindependent2052072">[http://www.independent.ie/national-news/head-shops-booming-as-row-rages-over-legal-highs-2052072.html "'Head shops' booming as row rages over legal highs"]. ''Sunday Independent''. By Aislinn hughes. Sunday February 07 2010.</ref>
Head shops exist and are legal in Ireland, and were reported by authorities to be opening at a rate of one per week in January 2010.<ref name="rte20100126head">[http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0126/head.html "Dramatic increase in 'head shops'"]. RTÉ. 2010-01-26.</ref> The legality of the shops was discussed in the [[Seanad Éireann]], and a motion was passed requesting the Government to regulate the sale of products.<ref name="rte20100126head"/> Some politicians were in favour of outlawing the shops whereas others argued that prohibiting the purchases of legal intoxicants would be a "huge mistake" which would allow illegal street dealers to thrive.<ref name="sundayindependent2052072">[http://www.independent.ie/national-news/head-shops-booming-as-row-rages-over-legal-highs-2052072.html "'Head shops' booming as row rages over legal highs"]. ''Sunday Independent''. By Aislinn hughes. Sunday February 07 2010.</ref>


During early 2010, many incidents of firebombing and arson against head shops took place around the country.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/0215/1224264467047.html |title=€500,000 cash found in Dublin 'head shop' after fire |publisher=Irishtimes.com |date=2010-02-02 |accessdate=2012-03-15}}</ref><ref>[http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0311/sligo.html Sligo head shop & adult store damaged in fire], RTÉ News, 11 March 2010</ref> Some attacks were traced to disgruntled drug dealers.<ref>[http://www.independent.ie/national-news/head-shops-target-of-pipe-bomb-attack-2095124.html 'Head shops' target of pipe bomb attack] Irish Independent 2010-03-11.</ref><ref>[http://www.westmeathindependent.ie/news/roundup/articles/2010/03/18/3995727-garda-superintendent-slams-reckless-pipe-bomb-act/ Garda superintendent slams "reckless" pipe bomb act] Westmeath Independent, 2010-03-18.</ref> One petrol bomb attack occurred in the home county of the then [[Minister for Justice and Equality|Minister for Justice]], Dermot Ahern, and hours later, plans for legislation for regulation of head shops got underway.<ref>[http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/0416/1224268446585.html Fire breaks out at head shop in Dundalk], Irish Times 16 April 2010</ref>
During early 2010, a number of incidents of firebombing and arson against head shops took place around the country.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/0215/1224264467047.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101130140351/https://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/0215/1224264467047.html |archive-date=2010-11-30 |url-status=dead |title=€500,000 cash found in Dublin 'head shop' after fire |newspaper=[[The Irish Times]] |date=2010-02-02 |access-date=2023-02-26}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>[http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0311/sligo.html Sligo head shop & adult store damaged in fire], [[RTÉ News]], 11 March 2010</ref> Some attacks were traced to disgruntled drug dealers.<ref>[http://www.independent.ie/national-news/head-shops-target-of-pipe-bomb-attack-2095124.html 'Head shops' target of pipe bomb attack] Irish Independent 2010-03-11.</ref><ref>[http://www.westmeathindependent.ie/news/roundup/articles/2010/03/18/3995727-garda-superintendent-slams-reckless-pipe-bomb-act/ Garda superintendent slams "reckless" pipe bomb act] Westmeath Independent, 2010-03-18.</ref> One petrol bomb attack occurred in the home county of the then [[Minister for Justice (Ireland)|Minister for Justice]], Dermot Ahern, and hours later, plans for legislation for regulation of head shops got underway.<ref>[http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/0416/1224268446585.html Fire breaks out at head shop in Dundalk], Irish Times 16 April 2010</ref>


Many head shop products became illegal in Ireland on 23 August 2010<ref>[http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2010/en/si/0401.html S.I. No. 401/2010 — Criminal Justice (Psychoactive Substances) Act 2010 (Commencement) Order 2010]. Irish Statute Book. 2010-08-17.</ref> when the new ''Criminal Justice (Psychoactive Substances) Act 2010'' became law.<ref>[http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2010/en/act/pub/0022/print.html Criminal Justice (Psychoactive Substances) Act 2010] Irish Statute Book.</ref> The Act empowered [[Garda Síochána|Gardaí]] (Irish police) to seek court orders to close head shops suspected of selling drug-like products, with the onus on the owners to prove they are not doing so.
Many head shop products became illegal in Ireland on 23 August 2010<ref>[http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2010/en/si/0401.html S.I. No. 401/2010 — Criminal Justice (Psychoactive Substances) Act 2010 (Commencement) Order 2010]. Irish Statute Book. 2010-08-17.</ref> when the new ''Criminal Justice (Psychoactive Substances) Act 2010'' became law.<ref>[http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2010/en/act/pub/0022/print.html Criminal Justice (Psychoactive Substances) Act 2010] Irish Statute Book.</ref> The Act empowered [[Garda Síochána|Gardaí]] (Irish police) to seek court orders to close head shops suspected of selling drug-like products, with the onus on the owners to prove they are not doing so.


===United States===
===United States===
In the [[United States]], head shops are legal so long as they only sell items used for legal substances. Shops typically place signs stating that the products sold are "for tobacco use only" or "not for use with illegal substances".<ref>{{cite web |title=Disclaimer |url=http://knuckleheadstobacco.com/disclaimer |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130212023244/http://knuckleheadstobacco.com/disclaimer |archive-date=2013-02-12 |website=Knuckleheads Tobacco & Gifts |access-date=26 February 2023}}{{cbignore}}</ref> In many head shops, a sign will be posted (and often reiterated verbally) stating that customer references regarding the use of the shop's products for illegal drug use will result in the suspension of all sales for that time period, and/or removal of the customer from the shop. In some shops, simply saying the word "[[bong]]" is grounds for removal from the shop.<ref name="PhoenixNT"/>
In the [[United States]], head shops are legal so long as they sell items used for legal substances. For this reason, head shops typically display signs claiming that products such as glass pipes and herb grinders are "for tobacco use only".


Head shops have been targeted by the [[Drug Enforcement Administration]]. In 2003, The [[U.S. Department of Justice]] indicted fifty-five people on charges of selling [[drug paraphernalia]] in [[Idaho]], [[Texas]], [[Iowa]], [[Pennsylvania]], [[Florida]] and [[Ohio]] as part of ''Operation Headhunter'' and ''Operation Pipe Dreams'', including comedian [[Tommy Chong#US vs. Chong|Tommy Chong]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Derienzo |first=Paul |title=Why we all can't just get a bong |url=http://www.anchoragepress.com/archives-2005/coverstoryvol14ed36.shtml |accessdate=11 November 2013 |newspaper=Anchorage Press |date=14 September 2005 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070405151634/http://www.anchoragepress.com/archives-2005/coverstoryvol14ed36.shtml |archivedate=April 5, 2007 }}</ref> During the investigation, government officials also targeted customers of the shops, arresting those who were in possession of drugs like [[cannabis (drug)|cannabis]] and [[heroin]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Ove|first=Torsten|title=Head shops remain open after taking hit from U.S.|url=http://old.post-gazette.com/localnews/20030226headshops0226p1.asp|accessdate=11 November 2013|newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|date=26 February 2003|author2=Ernie Hoffman}}</ref>Chong, was caught by sending shipments through the mail. Today, online head shops have also become prevalent; there are hundreds of head shops willing to shop their products online.
Head shops have been targeted by the [[Drug Enforcement Administration]]. In 2003, The [[U.S. Department of Justice]] indicted fifty-five people on charges of selling [[drug paraphernalia]] in [[Idaho]], [[Texas]], [[Iowa]], [[Pennsylvania]], [[Florida]] and [[Ohio]] as part of ''Operation Headhunter'' and ''[[Operation Pipe Dreams]]'', including comedian [[Tommy Chong#US vs. Chong|Tommy Chong]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Derienzo |first=Paul |title=Why we all can't just get a bong |url=http://www.anchoragepress.com/archives-2005/coverstoryvol14ed36.shtml |access-date=11 November 2013 |newspaper=Anchorage Press |date=14 September 2005 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070405151634/http://www.anchoragepress.com/archives-2005/coverstoryvol14ed36.shtml |archive-date=April 5, 2007 }}</ref> During the investigation, government officials also targeted customers of the shops, arresting those who were in possession of drugs like [[cannabis (drug)|cannabis]] and [[heroin]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Ove|first=Torsten|title=Head shops remain open after taking hit from U.S.|url=http://old.post-gazette.com/localnews/20030226headshops0226p1.asp|access-date=11 November 2013|newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|date=26 February 2003|author2=Ernie Hoffman}}</ref> Chong was caught by sending shipments through the mail. Today, online head shops have also become prevalent; there are hundreds of head shops willing to sell their products online.


The [[legality of cannabis]] varies widely in the United States, but in states where [[medical cannabis]] is legal, [[cannabis dispensaries]] often double as head shops.<ref>{{cite news|last=Dai|first=Serena|title=Smoke Shops Want To Become Dispensaries In Chicago On Heels Of Medical Weed Legalization|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/04/smoke-shops-dispensary-ch_n_3703744.html|accessdate=12 November 2013|newspaper=The Huffington Post|date=4 August 2013}}</ref>
The [[legality of cannabis]] varies widely in the United States, but in states where [[medical cannabis]] is legal, [[cannabis dispensaries]] often double as head shops.<ref>{{cite news|last=Dai|first=Serena|title=Smoke Shops Want To Become Dispensaries In Chicago On Heels Of Medical Weed Legalization|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/04/smoke-shops-dispensary-ch_n_3703744.html|access-date=12 November 2013|newspaper=The Huffington Post|date=4 August 2013}}</ref>


Notably, in the state of [[Florida]], items, "designed for use in ingesting, inhaling, or otherwise introducing cannabis, cocaine, hashish, hashish oil, or nitrous oxide into the human body" are illegal, while "pipes primarily made of briar, meerschaum, clay, or corn cob" are legal.<ref>[http://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2013/49 Florida HB 49: Drug Paraphernalia Chapter 2013-111]</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Berman|first=Matt|title=Florida: Say Goodbye to Your Bongs|url=http://www.nationaljournal.com/politics/florida-say-goodbye-to-your-bongs-20130606|accessdate=12 November 2013|newspaper=National Journal|date=6 June 2013}}</ref>
Notably, in the state of [[Florida]], items "designed for use in ingesting, inhaling, or otherwise introducing cannabis, cocaine, hashish, hashish oil, or nitrous oxide into the human body" are illegal. At the same time, "pipes primarily made of briar, meerschaum, clay, or corn cob" are legal.<ref>[http://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2013/49 Florida HB 49: Drug Paraphernalia Chapter 2013-111]</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Berman|first=Matt|title=Florida: Say Goodbye to Your Bongs|url=http://www.nationaljournal.com/politics/florida-say-goodbye-to-your-bongs-20130606|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130615055408/http://www.nationaljournal.com/politics/florida-say-goodbye-to-your-bongs-20130606|archive-date=2013-06-15|url-status=dead|access-date=26 February 2023|newspaper=[[National Journal]]|date=6 June 2013}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

To combat drug paraphernalia laws, head shops place signs stating that the products sold are "for tobacco use only" or "not for use with illegal substances".<ref>{{cite web|title=Language Policy|url=http://knuckleheadstobacco.com/disclaimer|publisher=Knuckleheads Tobacco & Gifts|accessdate=11 November 2013}}</ref> In many head shops, a sign will be posted (and often reiterated verbally) stating that customer references regarding the use of the shop's products for illegal drug use will result in suspension of all sales for that time period, and/or removal of the customer from the shop. In some shops, simply saying the word "[[bong]]" is grounds for removal from the shop.<ref name=PhoenixNT />


==Smart shops==
==Smart shops==
{{Main|Smart shop}}
{{Main|Smart shop}}
[[Smart shop]]s are shops, prominently found in the [[Netherlands]], where the sale of marijuana is legal, which sell [[psychoactive drug|psychoactive]] substances and various smokable herbs in addition to the [[drug paraphernalia]] found in head shops.
[[Smart shop]]s are shops, prominently found in the [[Netherlands]], where the sale of marijuana is practically legal, which sell [[psychoactive drug|psychoactive]] substances and various smokable herbs in addition to the [[drug paraphernalia]] found in head shops.


==See also==
==See also==
Line 49: Line 49:
* [[Underground press]]
* [[Underground press]]
* [[Gravity bong]]
* [[Gravity bong]]
* [[Tobacconist]]
* [[Cannabis shop]]


==Further reading==
==Further reading==
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[[Category:Drug culture]]
[[Category:Drug culture]]
[[Category:Drug paraphernalia]]
[[Category:Drug paraphernalia]]
[[Category:Retailers]]
[[Category:Retailers by type of merchandise sold]]

Latest revision as of 18:57, 22 July 2024

The "Nirvana" head shop in Dublin, Ireland. A large image of a cannabis leaf adorns the front of the store.
Bongs and pipes on display at a typical head shop
The "Electric Fetus" head shop in Saint Cloud, Minnesota (closed)

A head shop is a retail outlet specializing in paraphernalia used for consumption of cannabis and tobacco and items related to cannabis culture and related countercultures. They emerged from the hippie counterculture in the late 1960s, and at that time, many of them had close ties to the anti-Vietnam War movement as well as groups in the marijuana legalization movement like LeMar, Amorphia, and the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws.[1]

Products sold may include magazines (e.g., about cannabis culture, cannabis cultivation, tattooing, and music), clothing, and home décor (e.g., posters and wall hangings illustrating drug culture themes such as cannabis, jam bands like The Grateful Dead, Phish, psychedelic art, etc.). Some head shops also sell oddities, such as antique walking sticks and sex toys. Since the 1980s, some head shops have sold clothing related to the heavy metal or punk subculture, such as band T-shirts and cloth patches with band logos, studded wristbands, bullet belts, and leather boots. Other items offered typically include hashish pipes, "one hitter" pipes; pipe screens; bongs (also referred to as water pipes[2]); roach clips (used for smoking the end of a marijuana "joint"); vaporizers used for inhaling THC vapor from cannabis; rolling papers; rolling machines; small weighing scales; small ziplock baggies; cannabis grinders (i.e. herb grinders); blacklight-responsive posters and blacklights; incense; cigarette lighters; "stashes", which include a range of standard consumer products such as clocks, books, tins of cleaning powder, and toilet brushes which have hidden compartments for cannabis and non-camouflaged "stash boxes" which are tins or wooden containers for storing marijuana; and legal highs such as whipped-cream chargers (which contain nitrous oxide) and Salvia divinorum (both of which are illegal in some countries and some US states for recreational purposes). Some head shops also sell items used for home cultivation of marijuana plants, such as hydroponic equipment and lights and guidebooks on cultivation. Since the 2000s, some head shops also sell e-cigarettes and the flavoured liquids used with these devices.

History

[edit]

American head shops originated in the 1960s in cities with high concentrations of college-age youth, often growing out of independently owned poster or candle stores. Historically, U.S. head shops proliferated on St. Mark's Place in New York City's East Village, in West Los Angeles, in San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury neighborhood, and in Chicago's Old Town. Sources cite the Psychedelic Shop on Haight Street in San Francisco as the first head shop in the United States.[3][4][5] Operated by United States Army veteran Ron Thelin and his younger brother Jay, it opened on January 3, 1966. Four months later Jeff Glick opened "Head Shop" on East Ninth Street in New York City.[6] Also in 1966, The Birmingham Balloon Company opened at 113 Fry Street in Denton, Texas.[citation needed]

From 1968 to c. 1975, head shops served as an important outlet for underground newspapers and the underground comix of Robert Crumb and other counterculture cartoonists, which had little access to the established channels of newsstand distribution.[7]

The shops' popularity eventually waned with the aging of that era's baby boomer generation, as well as a 1973 U.S. Supreme Court ruling, Miller v. California, that found that local communities could decide their own First Amendment standards concerning obscenity. In the mid-1970s, the sale of drug paraphernalia was outlawed in many places, and the distribution network for underground comics and newspapers dried up.[8] In addition, the retail mainstream discovered and co-opted aspects of the head shop's market niche, such as acid rock and eco-friendly products.

Legality

[edit]

Ireland

[edit]

Head shops exist and are legal in Ireland, and were reported by authorities to be opening at a rate of one per week in January 2010.[9] The legality of the shops was discussed in the Seanad Éireann, and a motion was passed requesting the Government to regulate the sale of products.[9] Some politicians were in favour of outlawing the shops whereas others argued that prohibiting the purchases of legal intoxicants would be a "huge mistake" which would allow illegal street dealers to thrive.[10]

During early 2010, a number of incidents of firebombing and arson against head shops took place around the country.[11][12] Some attacks were traced to disgruntled drug dealers.[13][14] One petrol bomb attack occurred in the home county of the then Minister for Justice, Dermot Ahern, and hours later, plans for legislation for regulation of head shops got underway.[15]

Many head shop products became illegal in Ireland on 23 August 2010[16] when the new Criminal Justice (Psychoactive Substances) Act 2010 became law.[17] The Act empowered Gardaí (Irish police) to seek court orders to close head shops suspected of selling drug-like products, with the onus on the owners to prove they are not doing so.

United States

[edit]

In the United States, head shops are legal so long as they only sell items used for legal substances. Shops typically place signs stating that the products sold are "for tobacco use only" or "not for use with illegal substances".[18] In many head shops, a sign will be posted (and often reiterated verbally) stating that customer references regarding the use of the shop's products for illegal drug use will result in the suspension of all sales for that time period, and/or removal of the customer from the shop. In some shops, simply saying the word "bong" is grounds for removal from the shop.[2]

Head shops have been targeted by the Drug Enforcement Administration. In 2003, The U.S. Department of Justice indicted fifty-five people on charges of selling drug paraphernalia in Idaho, Texas, Iowa, Pennsylvania, Florida and Ohio as part of Operation Headhunter and Operation Pipe Dreams, including comedian Tommy Chong.[19] During the investigation, government officials also targeted customers of the shops, arresting those who were in possession of drugs like cannabis and heroin.[20] Chong was caught by sending shipments through the mail. Today, online head shops have also become prevalent; there are hundreds of head shops willing to sell their products online.

The legality of cannabis varies widely in the United States, but in states where medical cannabis is legal, cannabis dispensaries often double as head shops.[21]

Notably, in the state of Florida, items "designed for use in ingesting, inhaling, or otherwise introducing cannabis, cocaine, hashish, hashish oil, or nitrous oxide into the human body" are illegal. At the same time, "pipes primarily made of briar, meerschaum, clay, or corn cob" are legal.[22][23]

Smart shops

[edit]

Smart shops are shops, prominently found in the Netherlands, where the sale of marijuana is practically legal, which sell psychoactive substances and various smokable herbs in addition to the drug paraphernalia found in head shops.

See also

[edit]

Further reading

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Joshua Clark Davis, From Head Shops to Whole Foods: The Rise and Fall of Activist Entrepreneurs, New York: Columbia University Press, 2017
  2. ^ a b Pela, Robert L (16 February 2006). "Head Games". Phoenix New Times. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  3. ^ Christopher, Rob; Neil Montgomery (2009). "A Cannabis Chronology". UKCIA.org. The United Kingdom Cannabis Internet Activists www.offyourheadshop.com. Retrieved 29 January 2010.
  4. ^ Juanis, J.C. (2004). "Allen Cohen 1940-2004". SFHeart.com. Retrieved 29 January 2010.
  5. ^ Henderson, Jennifer. "Beloved activist in Valley dies". Point Reyes Light. Tomales Bay Publishing Company. Archived from the original on March 28, 2014. Retrieved 29 January 2010.
  6. ^ Smith, Howard. "Scenes". Village Voice, June 23, 1966.
  7. ^ Goodwin, Mike. "Youngsters of All Ages Free to Browse Among Hashish Pipes, Obscene Comic Books". Undercover Reporting, April 9, 1972, pg. SF A1.
  8. ^ Estren, Mark James (1993). "Foreword: Onward!". A History of Underground Comics. Ronin Publishing. pp. 7–8; 10. ISBN 0-914171-64-X.
  9. ^ a b "Dramatic increase in 'head shops'". RTÉ. 2010-01-26.
  10. ^ "'Head shops' booming as row rages over legal highs". Sunday Independent. By Aislinn hughes. Sunday February 07 2010.
  11. ^ "€500,000 cash found in Dublin 'head shop' after fire". The Irish Times. 2010-02-02. Archived from the original on 2010-11-30. Retrieved 2023-02-26.
  12. ^ Sligo head shop & adult store damaged in fire, RTÉ News, 11 March 2010
  13. ^ 'Head shops' target of pipe bomb attack Irish Independent 2010-03-11.
  14. ^ Garda superintendent slams "reckless" pipe bomb act Westmeath Independent, 2010-03-18.
  15. ^ Fire breaks out at head shop in Dundalk, Irish Times 16 April 2010
  16. ^ S.I. No. 401/2010 — Criminal Justice (Psychoactive Substances) Act 2010 (Commencement) Order 2010. Irish Statute Book. 2010-08-17.
  17. ^ Criminal Justice (Psychoactive Substances) Act 2010 Irish Statute Book.
  18. ^ "Disclaimer". Knuckleheads Tobacco & Gifts. Archived from the original on 2013-02-12. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  19. ^ Derienzo, Paul (14 September 2005). "Why we all can't just get a bong". Anchorage Press. Archived from the original on April 5, 2007. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  20. ^ Ove, Torsten; Ernie Hoffman (26 February 2003). "Head shops remain open after taking hit from U.S." Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  21. ^ Dai, Serena (4 August 2013). "Smoke Shops Want To Become Dispensaries In Chicago On Heels Of Medical Weed Legalization". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 12 November 2013.
  22. ^ Florida HB 49: Drug Paraphernalia Chapter 2013-111
  23. ^ Berman, Matt (6 June 2013). "Florida: Say Goodbye to Your Bongs". National Journal. Archived from the original on 2013-06-15. Retrieved 26 February 2023.