Report to Mayor and City Council
Tuesday, August 20, 2019
Discussion
SUBJECT:
Title
CONSIDERATION OF INTRODUCTION OF ORDINANCE NO. 19-1936, AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CARSON, CALIFORNIA, AMENDING SECTIONS 4211 THROUGH 4211.9 OF CHAPTER 2 (ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES) OF ARTICLE IV (PUBLIC PEACE) OF THE CARSON MUNICIPAL CODE TO INCLUDE THE USE OR CONSUMPTION OF CANNABIS, CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES, AND TOBACCO PRODUCTS BY MINORS WITHIN THE PROHIBITIONS OF THE CITY'S SOCIAL HOST ORDINANCE, AND RENAMING SAID CHAPTER ACCORDINGLY (CITY COUNCIL)
Body
I. SUMMARY
The proposed ordinance would amend the City's Social Host Ordinance (Municipal Code Sections 4211 et seq.) to include the use or consumption of cannabis, controlled substances, and tobacco products by minors within the scope of its prohibitions.
Following the legalization of adult-use cannabis, and the subsequent reduction in the cannabis black market, one of the ways for minors to obtain cannabis is through parties or other events hosted by people over the age of 21. The City originally adopted the Social Host Ordinance in order to combat this form of minor access with regard to alcohol, by holding the adult (21+) hosts of parties or social events responsible for abetting or tolerating minors' consumption of alcohol at their events. Studies have shown that ordinances such as the Social Host Ordinance, which have been adopted by many cities statewide, have been effective at reducing minors' access to and consumption of alcohol. As cannabis has begun to follow the same trends as alcohol, the City Council may now deem it warranted for the protection of public health and safety to include cannabis in the Social Host Ordinance to deter adult hosts from allowing minors to access cannabis at parties or social events they host.
The City Council may also find it warranted to include the use or consumption of tobacco products and controlled substances in the scope of the ordinance, given the dangers asso...
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