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BONGS will be banned in Victoria from next year, as the state government moves to introduce laws to stop the sale of marijuana paraphernalia. In a move criticised by one Ballarat retailer, the sale and display of bongs in Victorian stores as well as their supply, will be banned from January 1 under new laws being introduced in Parliament this week by the Baillieu government.Minister for Mental Health Mary Wooldridge said the legislation would address a long-standing contradiction in Victorian law.“While cannabis remains an illegal drug, one of the commonly used methods of consuming it – the bong – is widely available to buy,” she said.“We want to stop the confusing message that while it’s OK to display and sell equipment used for smoking cannabis it’s illegal to smoke cannabis.”Businesses will face fines of up to $1465 after the phase-out period expires.The laws will see new restrictions applied to limit the display of traditional hookahs.Ms Wooldridge said almost one-third of Victorians aged 14 years and over have used cannabis at some stage in their lifetime, making it the most widely used illicit drug in Victoria.Owner of Westside Hydroponics Andrew Michlin, one of a handful of Ballarat shops selling bongs, said the ban wouldn’t work. “The ban won’t solve any of their concerns about bongs and it’s not going to stop people doing what they want to do. “You can easily make your own bong, but the trouble is the stuff people use isn’t really safe and can be carcinogenic,” he said.Mr Michlin said his business would suffer from the laws, and that many people bought the products as novelty items. Victoria Police will begin enforcing the new laws in retail outlets from January 1, 2012.

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