RCMP said all the items seized in a series of raids at local head shops on Wednesday violated laws making it illegal to sell products to consume illicit drugs.

The raids have made people who shopped at the stores concerned.

Steven Stairs smokes medical marijuana using a bong he bought from a head shop, but he might not be able to shop there anymore.

“I shop there frequently, so I mean where else would I go? Where would other patients go for their medical devices?” he said.

RCMP and Winnipeg police raided all three Winnipeg locations of The Joint, taking most of its merchandise. One employee was arrested and faces charges of possessing marijuana for the purpose of trafficking.

Police said all the items seized were drug paraphernalia. Some of them, like Spiderman and Scooby Doo bongs, also break copyright laws.

“These are specifically designed for marijuana, so if you go into a tobacconist store, you won't find any of these particular items,” said RCMP Cpl. John Montgomery.

Some people are surprised it's illegal to sell these items since several shops have been visibly doing so for years. Police said they felt it was time to crack down on both the drug paraphernalia and copyright laws, and warn other businesses to take note.

“Probably they might want to reconsider what they're doing, if they're selling similar items,” said Montgomery.

Stairs is worried his business could be affected too. He legally grows medical marijuana and sells the seeds online.

He said past raids in other cities have put some stores out of businesses, and he hopes that doesn't happen to The Joint.

“Just to say they're going to eliminate the store because they sell marijuana products, what about the people who use it for what they're really used for?” he said.

RCMP said there aren't enough medical marijuana licenses in the province of Manitoba to support three drug paraphernalia stores, and of course there are more than just the three they raided.

RCMP would not rule out the possibility of more raids on other head shops.

- With a report by Alesia Fieldberg