Grant County Commissioners Sign Drug Possession Ordinance

Grant County Commissioners signed an ordinance earlier this week that noted it remains unlawful for any person to knowingly possess a controlled substance.

The move comes in response to the state Supreme Court ruling this week saying that possession of narcotics is not considered illegal.

Sheriff Tom Jones says, "With the legislature failing to act, I am proud of our Grant County Commissioners for seeing the importance to still make possession of narcotics illegal by the passing of a county ordinance."

Grant County is considered a high intensity drug trafficking area.

Read the full press release below:

EPHRATA, Wash. (18MAR2021) Grant County Commissioners signed an ordinance (No. 21-020-CC) on March 16th, 2021, adopting and amending response to illegal drug possession in Grant County. This following the Washington State Supreme Court (State v. Blake) saying that possession of narcotics is not considered illegal. In Grant County, per the ordinance, it remains unlawful for any person to knowingly possess a controlled substance. Violation is considered a gross misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail and a fine of $5,000.
 
Should the Washington State Legislature pass a law preempting this ordinance, the ordinance shall cease to have effect on the same date. Anything prior, however, may be prosecuted and punished pursuant to this ordinance.
 
Grant County had already been designated a high intensity drug trafficking area, and illegal drug activity, and crimes often associated with it, has at times been overwhelming for county resources. The ordinance goes on to state, “This ordinance is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety and citizens of the Country and takes effect immediately upon passage by the Board of County Commissioners.”
 
Sheriff Tom Jones said, “The State Supreme Court made a decision that was not in the best interest of Washington State or individual counties. With the legislature failing to act, I am proud of our Grant County Commissioners for seeing the importance to still make possession of narcotics illegal by the passing of a county ordinance.  I will inform our staff of the county ordinance and we will continue to battle the narcotics epidemic.”