Madison Heights Cig. Paper Ban Blocked

A controversial proposal in Madison Heights, Michigan, that would require all persons buying cigarette rolling papers to register with the city has been temporarily blocked by- of all groups- the Madison Heights Chamber of Commerce.

The Madison Heights City Council was slated to fïnalize the ordinance Monday night after council members approved it on a 4 to 3 preliminary vote last month.

The proposed bill would make it a misdemeanor for any Madison Heights store to sell the likes of Zig-Zags, Bambus or other rolling papers to minors. In addition, all adults purchasing rolling papers would be required to sign a city log listing their names and home addresses each time they purchased papers. The log, of course. would be available to the police.

However, Chamber of Commerce officials showed up at Monday night's city council meeting and protested the ordinance. Chamber representatives said that they were not opposed to the ordinance on civil liberties grounds; they explained that they were afraid the new law simply might hurt business, encouraging local residents to shop elsewhere.

As a result, the final vote on a rolling papers bilí has been delayed for two weeks.

City Councilman Loren King, who drafted the bill, says he hit on the idea after watching some young people "who were obviously high on something" purchase rolling papers in a local store.

If the law is enacted, any Madison Heights store owner caught selling papers to a minor of failing to record the I.D.'s of adults purchasing papers can be fined and sent to jail.