SPOKANE, Wash. — Spokane City Council discussed two ordinances on Monday aimed at preventing overdoses.
The ordinances, put forth by Mayor Lisa Brown, would establish an Alcohol Impact Area downtown and regulate certain aspects of downtown businesses.
The first ordinance, if approved, would require all stores that sell drug paraphernalia, such as pipes and foils, to provide Narcan, the medicine that reverses overdoses, for free.
The second ordinance, if approved, would ban the sale of single-serve, to-go alcohol, such as tall boys and small liquor bottles, in downtown after midnight.
According to Spokane Police Department, 336 people died from an overdose in Spokane in 2024, and 30% of all alcohol-related incidents took place downtown over the last three years. SPD also said off-premise alcohol stores are hotspots for drug activity.
City officials believe an Alcohol Impact Area will help save lives.
“The vast majority of what we’re seeing on the street is more fentanyl-related than it is alcohol-related, but I do think that we are seeing a lot of folks who are using both,” said Spokane City Councilmember, Michael Cathcart.
The Alcohol Impact Area would be voluntary for the first six months, and then, if approved by the Liquor Control Board, would become mandatory.
Some businesses downtown said they are not a fan of the proposed ordinances, because they don’t believe they will do much to help.
“I don’t think it will make a difference because whoever is drinking is drinking in the daytime as well,” said Paul Singh, manager at Bains Liquor Mart.
Singh said the store’s busiest time is between 12 a.m. – 2 a.m., largely due to alcohol sales.
He said the ordinance would be bad for business.
“We have so many expenses we have to cover. If they close us at 12 a.m., we have to close the store at nighttime, and somebody is going to lose their job,” said Singh.
Similarly, some store owners disliked the idea of being required to sell Narcan, which is around $20 for one.
“They shouldn’t be selling foils. They shouldn’t be selling chillums or whatever it is that these people use to smoke drugs. We need to get the drugs off the street,” said Spokane resident, Tyler Tamoush.
The city is not allowed to ban the sale of drug paraphernalia from stores, so Councilmember Cathcart said forcing stores to purchase Narcan is the next best option.
“The whole idea is that if they are required to purchase Narcan and give it out for free, then perhaps the alternative to that would be that they would pull the items from the shelves and no longer sell them. To me, that is really where we need to go,” he said.
Both ordinances are still in the planning phase. Over the next few weeks, City Council will hold more meetings to discuss the ordinances and hear community input.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Mayor Lisa Brown proposes alcohol ban after midnight in downtown Spokane
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