Ban on tiny plastic bags sandbagged

Remember this story. Chicago's city council actually grew a pair moved to "sandbag" this bill. In other words they killed it or at least it won't come to vote in front of the full city council. So let's see which Alderman saw this potential ordinance as frivolous. From today's Sun-Times...

Ald. Freddrenna Lyle (6th) said Thursday she joined her colleague, Ald. Helen Shiller (46th), in sandbagging the plastic bag ban at this week's City Council meeting because it would "criminalize legal conduct."

"Their position is there's no use to any of these bags other than for illegal purposes. But Ald. Shiller brought to their attention that people who do bead work buy beads in small bags. I mentioned that a lot of young girls have these intricate braids and that those beads also come in plastic bags," Lyle said.

"I've seen these little, bitty, tiny plastic bags. You know they're selling crack cocaine in it. But we've got enough laws we can't enforce. We don't want to make any more or criminalize legal conduct."

Shiller could not be reached for comment.

Ald. Ed Smith (28th), Health Committee chairman, said he held the matter in committee because some of his colleagues have reservations and want another hearing to air those concerns.

"Drugs are handled and passed along in other [containers], rather than just a particular bag, and they had some concerns about that," Smith said.

Asked if he still supported the ban, Smith said, "Oh, sure. I do. Any measure -- whether it's minuscule or whatever -- that can make a dent on the drug activity, we need to do it because it is killing this country. Not only the young people."

Well OK, Ald. Smith is not one who thinks this ordinance is frivolous so he's in that camp. He thinks banning these little baggies would help make a dent in drug activitiy. I wish he could come up with more constructive ideas than banning something.