Commissioners pass controlled substance possession ordinance

EPHRATA — Grant County Commissioners passed an ordinance Tuesday keeping it “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.

The ordinance follows a 5-4 ruling by the Washington Supreme Court Feb. 25 striking down the “strict liability” statute, which made it a felony to possess illegal controlled substances, regardless of the person in possession’s knowledge or intent.

Grant County already was designated a high-density drug trafficking area, which can overwhelm county resources, according to an advisory from the Grant County Sheriff’s Office.

“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,” the advisory stated from the ordinance.

“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,” Grant County Sheriff Tom Jones stated. “I will inform our staff of the county ordinance and we will continue to battle the narcotics epidemic.”

The ordinance would become void if the Washington Legislature passed a law preempting it, according to the advisory.