The Everett City Council has approved a new ordinance creating criminal penalties for people who expose children to dangerous drugs like fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine.
The council voted Wednesday, March 11, to adopt the measure, which city officials say closes a gap in Washington law that currently focuses primarily on methamphetamine exposure.
Under the new ordinance, it is now a crime in Everett to knowingly or recklessly expose a child under 18 to drugs classified as Schedule I or Schedule II controlled substances. Those include fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, ecstasy, and LSD, among others.
Everett Police earlier told the council the city needed a local law because existing state statutes only address situations where a child ingests methamphetamine or chemicals used to produce it.
Before the ordinance was adopted, Everett Police typically pursued reckless endangerment charges in cases involving exposure to other drugs, Detective Doug Purcell told council members during earlier discussions.
Violating the new law is a gross misdemeanor punishable by up to 364 days in jail and a $5,000 fine.
Officials say the law is aimed at protecting young children, who may accidentally ingest drugs that resemble everyday items.
As Puget Press reported, Everett Police investigated 33 overdose cases involving minors since 2019, including one fatal incident. More than one-third of those cases involved children between the ages of 1 and 3. Several of the incidents involved fentanyl exposure.
Concerns Raised During Meeting
One speaker opposed the ordinance during Wednesday’s council meeting. Carra Wetzel Chubb, a social worker and former Everett resident, said she worries criminal penalties could discourage parents struggling with addiction from seeking help.
She said she has worked with parents who avoided treatment out of fear they could lose custody of their children or face arrest.
City attorney Lacey Offut told council members that prosecutors will still have flexibility when handling cases under the ordinance.
Municipal prosecutors retain “a tremendous amount of discretion,” Offut said, adding that parents could be diverted into parenting classes or substance-use evaluations rather than jail.
Medical Exceptions Included
The ordinance includes exceptions for drugs such as fentanyl or morphine when they are administered in health care settings as legitimate medical treatments.
The new law also does not apply to methamphetamine exposure, which is already addressed under state law.
City officials said the ordinance could eventually become unnecessary if the Washington Legislature adopts a broader statewide law covering additional drugs.
Pierce County adopted a similar measure in 2024.
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