City staff propose downtown Alcohol Impact Area and require Naloxone at smoking‑paraphernalia sales in proposed ordinance

City staff presented two related draft ordinances on Jan. 6 to create a Community Health Impact Area (CHIA) for downtown Spokane: an Alcohol Impact Area (AIA) process focused on late‑night alcohol incidents and litter, and a Naloxone distribution ordinance that would require businesses selling smoking paraphernalia in the downtown precinct to offer free naloxone at the point of sale or stop selling those items.

Maggie Yates summarized data showing emergency medical calls for suspected overdoses at downtown Fire Station 1 nearly doubled in recent years, naloxone use before first‑responder arrival is low, and alcohol‑related offenses in the downtown police precinct increased about 60% over the last couple of years. Staff said roughly 30% of alcohol‑related offenses occur between midnight and 2 a.m., while state law already bars alcohol sales between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m.

Yates described the AIA as a voluntary local ordinance that would trigger a six‑month voluntary period during which the city would work with roughly 17 off‑premise liquor licensees within the proposed downtown borders to adopt mitigation measures; after six months staff could refer a persistent problem to the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (LCB) for a formal AIA designation. She said the proposed downtown AIA mirrors the downtown precinct boundaries to support alignment with public‑safety data and evaluation.

On the Naloxone distribution proposal, Yates said the ordinance would require businesses that sell smoking paraphernalia (pipes, bongs, foil) and are not regulated by the LCB to make naloxone (Narcan) available free at point of sale or to remove the paraphernalia from sale; businesses would be responsible for purchasing naloxone. The city would offer training; the Spokane Fire Department indicated it will provide Narcan training to affected businesses. Yates said administering naloxone is protected under Washington’s Good Samaritan law and that the emergency management office has a training video and procurement resources.

Council members asked multiple questions about scope, enforcement and alternatives. Councilmember Cathcart objected to attributing the prior repeal of earlier AIAs to an administration rather than to a council decision; he urged accurate attribution. Councilmember Dillon asked whether the businesses would have to buy naloxone; staff confirmed that businesses would be responsible for procurement under the draft ordinance. Staff said enforcement would be via a class‑1 civil infraction handled by complaint or code enforcement, and that code has capacity to assist.

Several council members and a public commenter said they would prefer a broader state law change to restrict sales of paraphernalia. A public speaker, Tyler Tamush, supported the AIA and urged state action to ban sales of foil and pipes: “We need to get the drugs off the street. It’s just as simple as that,” he said.

The committee confirmed sponsors for both measures: Council President Zippone and Councilmember Dylan. No vote on the ordinances occurred at the Jan. 6 committee meeting; staff said if council adopts on Feb. 3 the ordinances would take effect March 5 and that the AIA would begin the six‑month voluntary phase when adopted.

Ending: Staff said they will provide maps of the downtown precinct and additional data on impacted businesses and neighborhoods as the proposals proceed toward the Feb. 3 council meeting.