Many communities are traumatized by public nuisances such as drug trafficking, gang activity, crime and violence stemming from a specific property/  When a problem property is ignored, neighborhood residents often witness and endure encroaching blight, declining property values and a lost sense of security.

Businesses that specialize in selling drug paraphernalia became popular in the 1960s when marijuana and other drug use reached epidemic proportions.  During that period a subculture developed around the use of illegal substances, and businesses catering to drug users were commonly known as "head shops," a reference to the mind-altering substances used by their clientele.