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Comment by vortico | Hacker News Reader

Totally off-topic question to this thread, but what's the reason for being kicked out of those stores for saying "bong"? I would have guessed that as long as employees don't use the term, it's fine for the company for the customers to suggest what they'll actually be using it for.

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Because you might be a police agent trying to make them admit that they are knowingly selling something illegal.

Going to throw out a guess and say it's because selling you an item after you called it a bong is admitting that it's indeed a bong.

Ah, that makes sense, question answered.

My second question is that if bongs and water pipes are the same thing, why does the law distinguish their purpose by their name? It seems like given "I want to buy a water pipe for smoking the marijuana" and "I want a bong to smoke tobacco", the second should be legal to request, not both.

I'm pretty sure it's CYA more than anything. The DEA is very aggressive and raids like it's going out of style

_bong_ is considered drug slang, water pipe is not.

intent determines if a thing is illegal. If you intend to use that bong for weed it’s pariphinalia and a felony, if you intend to use it for sheesha it’s fine.

if you intend to use that power tool or crowbar to break into a house it’s “possession of burgular tools” and a felony, if you’re a contractor there to install some drywall it’s not.

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