Deputies with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department will soon be enforcing a change to the County’s Social Host ordinance.
On May 21, 2019, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted to approve an amendment adding marijuana to its Social Host ordinance. That means an adult who provides marijuana or alcohol to minors will face consequences. The updated ordinance will go into effect in 30 days. At that time, Sheriff’s Deputies will begin to enforce it.
The Social Host ordinance makes it illegal to provide an environment where minors have access to alcohol or marijuana, regardless of who provides these substances.
The Social Host ordinance assigns responsibility to those who knew or should have known
minors had access to alcohol or marijuana on their property. Violators face up to $1,000 fine and up to six months in jail or both. They can also be billed for law enforcement services and held liable for injuries sustained by third parties.
You can report underage Social Host violations to the Sheriff’s Department 24 hours per day by calling (858) 565‐5200. Teenagers who learn about a party on social media can also call the Students Speaking Out Hotline at (888) 580‐8477. You could be eligible for up to a $1,000 reward.
Start the conversation with your teens by visiting: https://www.sdsheriff.net/social-host
