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Renton police photo: Drugs, weapons, and cash from 2021 drug bust
Renton City Council has just 64 days until possession of all drugs is completely legal in our city– fentanyl, heroin, meth, other people’s stolen prescriptions…. everything, thanks to our state legislature. And our seven council members appear split on what to do. It takes four votes to pass an ordinance, and five votes to pass an emergency ordinance (which can move faster). I’m confident Council Members James Alberson, Ruth Perez, and Valerie O’Halloran will vote to make these hard drugs illegal. Conversely, Council Members Carmen Rivera, Ed Prince, and Ryan McIrvin all signed a letter six months ago indicating they favored decriminalizing “low-level non-violent” offences, and the letter implied drug offenses. And in today’s Renton Reporter, Council Member Kim-Khanh Van was quoted using the phrases “over-policing” and “fear of law enforcement” just three days after she punted the topic of legislating drug policy out of her Public Safety Committee. So, it’s not clear Renton has the votes to pass drug legislation. But what does this mean to our city? Some have compared it to marijuana legalization, but it’s night and day different.
When recreational marijuana was legalized in our state, voters put in place a two-year process to ensure that there was a legitimate supply-chain created that would safely produce the drug. This supply chain is heavily regulated and taxed, and generates a billion dollars per year for our state general fund, cities, and other uses. Marijuana can impair judgement, but there have been few if any deaths directly from overdosing on marijuana. Recreational users can typically use it occasionally without getting addicted.
Fentanyl, in contrast, is the deadliest drug our society has ever dealt with, and it’s so highly addictive users can be hooked in just a few days. The legislature legalized it in Renton by July 1 (in just 64 days), while ignoring how people get it. By legalizing it’s possession and use, with no process to provide it legally (which would be unethical), we’re creating a huge drug market that the cartels will fill.
According to the US Department of Justice in a memo about drug cartels issued two weeks ago:
Fentanyl is a dangerous synthetic opioid that is more than 50 times more potent than heroin. Fentanyl is now the leading cause of death for Americans ages 18 to 49, and it has fueled the opioid epidemic that has been ravaging families and communities across the United States for approximately the past eight years. Between 2019 and 2021, fatal overdoses increased by approximately 94%, with an estimated 196 Americans dying each day from fentanyl.
Counties throughout our state are racing to make fentanyl possession illegal, and by July 1st it’s possible that only King County will allow legal possession of fentanyl. Within King County, most cities on the Eastside will have made it illegal, leaving only Seattle and a few other cities with legal possession of fentanyl.
If Renton is one of these cities, Renton will become a target market for fentanyl trafficking. Dozens of Renton residents will die needlessly each year from fentanyl overdoses while cities and counties that have taken a firmer approach will spare some of their residents’ lives.
Over 2500 Washingtonians died from overdose deaths last year, more than three times the number that died from car accidents or firearms. (Of the 800 firearms deaths, about two-thirds were suicides, and about half of the 250 or so gun homicides were likely linked to drugs.) This was with laws in place that made possession a misdemeanor. Without these laws, more fentanyl will come, and even more will die.
Please email the Renton City Council with your views on this important topic. Send your emails to council@rentonwa.gov
So they have 61 days to assist with their possible relections.
Maybe we’re fortunate to be in an election season in that they may get a sudden momentary lapse of politicking and may do something for the people of Renton.
Yes, I believe there are 3 people on that list that hope to reelect, and this is a perfect example of showing they care for Renton.
“Please email the Renton City Council with your views on this important topic. Send your emails to council@rentonwa.gov”
This is very important. Our Council Members need to hear from A LOT, MANY, NUMEROUS Renton residents and businesses. The sooner the better, this is fast moving. Your message can be brief or detailed, just let Council know what YOU want them to do.
Council@rentonwa.gov
Thanks Marcie! Your experience as a long-time council member comes through with your helpful, straightforward advice. It’s an excellent point that residents don’t need to write a long or complicated email. It can be as brief as a single sentence telling council how you wish for them to vote. Or longer, if you want. And you’re right that time is of the essence. Any input to council is helpful. council@rentonwa.gov
I can’t even begin to think how this kind of a stupid idea will help anyone in our city. The only outcome of this will be a ten fold increase in crime.
Woo hoo! Set up your last will and testament, tell your family you once loved them, and join the party in 64 days!
Thank you, enablers!
“leading cause of death for Americans ages 18 to 49”
And it’s imported through our relatively weak borders, carried by cartels that are gaining a foothold in America, delivered by an increasingly better-funded criminal underworld, and sold in daylight because our police have been neutered.
Nobody complicit in this can call themselves a “friend of the working class.” Our Democratic friends have some soul-searching to do, in my opinion.
Seattle Socialists pretending to be Democrats need to reconsider. There’s decent real Democrats that are fighting this crap, but the crazies in their party aren’t making it easy.
Crazy:
Who is she?
Carmen Rivera, she is a Renton City Council member, who in my opinion got voted in by changing her colors for the public.
What do you mean by “changing her colors”?
When a person says one thing but actually plans something else.
I do believe that there are many people who when told they are going to jail unless they actively work to rehabitate. I also believe there are those that no matter what will not change. If we lived in a perfect world where all people honored the law and other people (and their property) jailtime would not be required, sadly I do believe the proof is out there that some will always take advantage of other people’s opinions and ignore the law unless there are repercussions. Because of this I am of the opinion that laws need to state jail time is required for an infraction unless the person actively strives to rehabilitate. What I am saying is that people who choose to not honor the law of the majority than be required jail time with the option to work it off with supervised rehabilitation. Not just if you agree to rehabilitation we will excuse you.
Isn’t Kim Khan Van the Chair of Public Safety? What do you think about her statements in the Renton Reporter? Would you consider to run against her?
Sounds like she has 3 or 4 people running against her, need to do your homework and see who would be the better candidate.
Will they have an open house to talk to the candidates and allow the public to ask question?
Are you running against her?
No, I am not, it is my opinion that my mouth sometimes runs better than my mind. I do better writing out my thoughts and thinking about them, also I am active with a youth group on Mondays evenings.
I am up to 2 emails sent with 3 answers. Sorry, I am not saying who answered or whither I agree with the people answering.
Share your opinion with your Council member.
Council@rentonwa.gov
It is so much easier to get and use drugs than to get treatment for its use. Until we have more stability in treatment the drug scene will only increase. The bigger the problem gets without resolve the harder it will be to solve.
This is being done all wrong!
I will be watching for names of anyone on council who votes no and leaves it legal to openly use drugs in all of our public spaces like river trails, parks and a long all of our streets.
It is no secret that the fentanyl out there is deadly. People with their brain cells dying from the chemicals they use are no longer able to make good life decisions. They will continue to take hit after hit until they are dead. That’s exactly all their lives are.
Until someone steps up and passes a law that gives them a chance to clear their heads and quit.
The council members who vote to leave drugs legal are executioners. They are telling addicts it’s ok to continue using the drugs freely. The only consequence will be your life.
I believe my neighbor is a supplier / Mexican cartel