The Lynnwood City Council recently passed a new city criminal ordinance making it a gross misdemeanor offense to knowingly or recklessly expose children to most controlled substances / illegal street drugs, particularly fentanyl and cocaine. The new city ordinance also covers exposure to vulnerable adults with developmental disabilities. The new ordinance carries a maximum penalty of 364 days jail and a $5,000 fine. There is a specific exemption for marijuana / cannabis.

In doing so, Lynnwood joins Snohomish County, Everett and Marysville in passing similar local ordinances earlier this year.

These new local criminal ordinances were created to cover a legal gap left in the Washington Legislature's enactment of a 2002 Class B felony offense law to knowingly or recklessly expose children to methamphetamine (meth). But that 2002 state criminal offense did not apply to any other controlled substances / illegal street drugs.

These new city and county criminal ordinances would probably be preempted if the Washington Legislature amends its 2002 felony offense meth law to cover fentanyl, cocaine and other controlled substances / illegal street drugs.

Lynnwood Criminal Defense Lawyer

Contact Lynnwood criminal defense lawyer Paul Hanson for more information.