The City of Cave Junction voted to adopt the ordinance as well, but Grants Pass did not.
County commissioners said expanding the public intoxication ordinance will be a useful tool for law enforcement.
But they were surprised the City of Grants Pass chose not to adopt the ordinance.
Commissioner Dan DeYoung said, “I don’t know why they made that decision.”
Commissioners in Josephine County are making changes to a public drinking ordinance that covered alcohol.
It will now include a number of recreational drugs including marijuana, cocaine and others.
“We considered a dry county type situation, but that would have been very unpopular,” Commissioner DeYoung said, “but we figured that this touches 110 and at least addresses something the state did and I don’t think they paid much attention to what people had to say.”
DeYoung said expanding the law beyond alcohol will help counteract some of the damage he believes Measure 110 has done.
He believes its necessary because of how common recreational drugs are within the county.
“110 created a huge gap in our ability to keep people safe,” DeYoung said, “this was in response to that.”
DeYoung was surprised the City of Grants Pass elected to opt out of the ordinance.
Mayor Sara Bristol told NBC5 the city already has its own laws regarding public intoxication.
City Councilor Vanessa Ogier said the city council adopted its own law back in June.
Commissioner DeYoung said, “the City of Cave Junction saw merit in it. We’ve all got the same problem, but I think we are all looking at the problem differently maybe.”
The ordinance will go into effect immediately.
DeYoung said the expanded rules may help law enforcement when it comes to drug use in the county’s parks.
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