Recreational use of psychoactive bath salts, psychoactive herbal incense, and similar products commonly known as "synthetic drugs" has been documented to cause hallucinations, agitation, psychosis, aggression, suicidal and homicidal ideations and death. While state and federal laws and regulations prohibit some synthetic drugs, the makers of these drugs continually alter the composition of the compounds in their products so as to escape the scope of these laws and regulations. The purpose and intent of this chapter is to provide the city with measures to address the dangers to the community posed by synthetic drugs that are not regulated by state or federal law.
Synthetic drugs are extremely dangerous and are gaining popularity at an alarming rate among high school and college-aged individuals, as well as among parolees and probationers. These drugs are available in stores, despite the state of California's attempt to ban such drugs under Health and Safety Code Section 11375.5 ("Section 11375.5") and the federal government's attempt to ban such drugs under the Controlled Substances Act (the "CSA") (21 U.S.C. Section 81, et seq.). The city council further finds that the dangers of synthetic drugs, which have been documented to cause hallucinations, agitation, psychosis, aggression, suicidal and homicidal ideations, cannibalism, and death, require regulation.
While Section 11375.5 and the CSA prohibit certain compounds that are used to create synthetic drugs, they are not sufficiently comprehensive to eliminate the distribution and sale of all synthetic drugs in the city. Specifically, the council finds that the makers of synthetic drugs continually alter the composition of the compounds in their products to evade the prohibition of Section 11375.5, the CSA and other laws and regulations that attempt to prohibit the sale of synthetic drugs. In fact, products which are being marketed for use as synthetic drugs are packaged with advertisements stating that the product does not contain the compounds specifically banned by Section 11375.5. Thus, the city council finds that this chapter is necessary to implement effective measures to prohibit the distribution and sale of synthetic drugs.
An effective way to prevent and abate the health, safety, and welfare concerns that exist as a result of the marketing, distribution, and sale of synthetic drugs in manners that brazenly seek to circumvent state and federal law is through the enforcement of the city's administrative, criminal, and civil enforcement procedures. This chapter shall not apply to any activity already regulated by Health and Safety Code Section 11375.5, the CSA, or any other applicable state or federal law or regulation.
(Ord. 885 § 1, 2014)
The following terms and phrases, whenever used in this chapter, shall be construed as defined in this section:
"Business"
means and includes professions, trades, occupations, and all and every kind of calling, whether or not conducted for profit.
"Consume," "consuming" or "consumption"
means to ingest, inhale, inject, smoke or snort (insufflate).
"Distribute," "distributing" or "distribution"
means to furnish, give away, exchange, transfer, deliver or supply, whether for monetary gain or not.
"Person"
means any natural person, business, firm, company, corporation, public corporation, club, trust, partnership, association or similar organization.
"Possess," "possessing" or "possession"
means to have for consumption, distribution or sale in one's actual or constructive custody or control, or under one's authority or power, whether such custody, control, authority or power be exercised solely or jointly with others.
"Provide," "providing" or "provision"
means offering to distribute or sell a product or substance to any person.
"Psychoactive bath salts"
means any crystalline or powder product that contains a synthetic chemical compound that, when consumed, elicits psychoactive or psychotropic stimulant effects. The term "psychoactive bath salts" includes without limitation:
1. 
Products that elicit psychoactive or psychotropic stimulant effects and contain any of the following intoxicating chemical compounds:
a. 
Cathinone (2-amino-1-phenyl-1-propanone), 4-methylmethcathinone (2-methylamino-1-(4-methylphenyl)propan-1-one), 4-methoxymethcathinone (1-(4-methoxyphenyl)-2-(methylamino)propan-1-one), MDPV (methylenedioxypyrovalerone), MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxy-N-methylamphetamine), methylene (3,4-methylenedioxy-N-methylcathinone), methcathinone (2-(methylamino)-1-phenyl-propan-1-one), flephedrone (4-fluoromethcathinone), 3-FMC (3-fluoro-methcathinone), ethcathinone (2-ethylamino-1-phenyl-propan-1-one), butylone (13-keto-N-methylbenzodioxolylbutanamine), a-PPP (a-pyrrolidinopropiophenon), MPPP (4'-methyl-a-pyrrolidinopropiophenone), MDPPP (3',4'-methylenedioxy-a-pyrrolidinopriopiophenone), a-PVP (1-phenyl-2-(1-pyrrolidinyl)-1-pentanone) or naphyrone (1-naphthalen-2-yl-2-pyrrolidin-1-yl-pentan-1-one),
b. 
Any derivative of the above listed intoxicating chemical compounds,
c. 
Any synthetic substance and its isomers with a chemical structure similar to the above listed compounds,
d. 
Any chemical alteration of the above listed intoxicating chemical compounds, or
e. 
Any other substantially similar chemical structure or compound; and
2. 
Products that elicit psychoactive or psychotropic stimulant effects and are marketed under any of the following trade names: Bliss, Blizzard, Blue Silk, Bonzai Grow, Charge Plus, Charlie, Cloud Nine, Euphoria, Hurricane, Ivory Snow, Ivory Wave, Lunar Wave, Ocean, Ocean Burst, Pixie Dust, Posh, Pure Ivory, Purple Wave, Red Dove, Scarface, Snow Leopard, Stardust, Vanilla Sky, White Dove, White Night and White Lightning.
The term "psychoactive bath salts" shall not include any product, substance, material, compound, mixture or preparation that is specifically excepted by the California Uniform Controlled Substances Act ("UCSA") (Health and Safety Code Section 11000 et seq.), listed in one of the UCSA's schedules of controlled substances (Health and Safety Code Sections 11053 through 11058), regulated by one of the UCSA's Synthetic Drug Laws (Health and Safety Code Sections 11357.5, 11375.5 and 11401), regulated by the Federal Controlled Substances Act (the "CSA") (21 USC Section 81 et seq.) or approved by the Food and Drug Administration ("FDA").
"Psychoactive herbal incense"
means any organic product consisting of plant material that contains a synthetic stimulant compound that, when consumed, elicits psychoactive or psychotropic euphoric effects. The term "psychoactive herbal incense" includes without limitation:
1. 
Products that elicit psychoactive or psychotropic euphoric effects and contain any of the following chemical compounds:
a. 
Salvia divinorum or salvinorum A; all parts of the plant presently classified botanically as salvia divinorum, whether growing or not, the seeds thereof, any extract from any part of such plant, and every compound, manufacture, salts derivative, mixture or preparation of such plant, its seeds or extracts,
b. 
Cannabicyclohexanol 2-[(1R,3S)-3-hydroxycyclohexyl]-5-(2-methylnonan-2-yl)phenol), JWH-018 (naphthalen-1-yl-(1-pentylindol-3-yl) methanone), JWH-073 (naphthalen-1-yl-(1-butylindol-3-yl)methanone), JWH-200 (1-(2-morpholin-4-ylethyl)indol-3-yl)-naphthalen-1-yl-methanone, HU-210 or 1.1-dimethylheptyl-11-hydroxy-delta8-tetrahydrocannabinol) (6aR, 10aR)-9-(hydroxymethyl)-6,6-dimethyl-3-(2-methyloctan-2-yl)-6a,7,10,10a-tetrahydrobenzo[c] chromen-1-ol), CP 47,497 2-[(1R,3S)-3-hydroxycyclohexyl]-5-(2-methyloctan-2-yl)phenol) and the dimethylhexyl, dimethyloctyl and dimethylnonyl homologues of CP-47, 497, AM-2201 1-[(5-fluoropentyl)-1H-indol-3-yl]-(naphthalen-1-yl)methanone), 1-pentyl-3-(2-methoxyphenylacetyl)indole (also known as JWH-250), 1-hexyl-3-(1-naphthoyl)indole (also known as JWH-019), 1-pentyl-3-(4-chloro-1-naphthoyl)indole (also known as JWH-398), N-benzylpiperazine (also known as BZP), 1-(3-trifluoromethylphenyl) piperazine (also known as TFMPP),
c. 
Any derivative of the above listed intoxicating chemical compounds,
d. 
Any synthetic substance and its isomers with a chemical structure similar to the above listed intoxicating chemical compounds,
e. 
Any chemical alteration of the above listed intoxicating chemical compounds, or
f. 
Any other substantially similar chemical structure or compound, or
g. 
Any other synthetic cannabinoid; and
2. 
Products that elicit psychoactive or psychotropic euphoric effects and are marketed under any of the following names: K2, K3, Spice, Genie, Smoke, Potpourri, Buzz, Spice 99, Voodoo, Pulse, Hush, Mystery, Earthquake, Stinger, Ocean Blue, Serenity, Fake Weed and Black Mamba.
The term "psychoactive herbal incense" shall not include any product, substance, material, compound, mixture, or preparation that is specifically excepted by the UCSA (Health and Safety Code Section 11000 et seq.), listed in one of the UCSA's schedules of controlled substances (Health and Safety Code Sections 11053 through 11058) regulated by one of the UCSA's Synthetic Drug Laws (Health and Safety Code Sections 11357.5, 11375.5 and 11401), regulated by the CSA (21 USC Section 81 et seq.) or approved by the FDA.
"Psychoactive or psychotropic euphoric effects"
means affecting the central nervous system or brain function to change perception, mood, consciousness, cognition or behavior in ways that are similar to the effects of cannabis.
"Psychoactive or psychotropic stimulant effects"
means affecting the central nervous system or brain function to change perception, mood, consciousness, cognition or behavior in ways that are comparable to the effects of cocaine, methylphenidate or amphetamines.
"Sell," "selling" or "sale"
means to furnish, exchange, transfer, deliver or supply for monetary gain.
"Synthetic drug"
shall include psychoactive bath salts and psychoactive herbal incense, as those terms are defined hereinabove.
(Ord. 885 § 1, 2014)
A. 
It is unlawful for any person to provide, display for sale, distribute or sell any synthetic drug within the city of Moreno Valley.
B. 
Merely disclaiming a synthetic drug as "not safe for human consumption" will not avoid the application of this section.
C. 
It is unlawful for any person to store, provide, sell, or distribute, or to permit the storage, provision, sale, or distribution of synthetic drugs from any real property owned, possessed, managed, or controlled by that person in the city of Moreno Valley.
(Ord. 885 § 1, 2014)
A. 
It is unlawful for any person to claim or represent that a product that person is providing, displaying for sale, distributing or selling is a synthetic drug within the city of Moreno Valley.
B. 
To determine if a person is claiming or representing that a product is a synthetic drug, the enforcing officer may consider any of the following evidentiary factors:
1. 
The product is not suitable for its marketed use (such as a crystalline or powder product being marketed as "glass cleaner");
2. 
The business providing, displaying for sale, distributing or selling the product does not typically provide, distribute or sell products that are used for that product's marketed use (such as a liquor store selling "plant food");
3. 
The product contains a warning label that is not typically present on products that are used for that product's marketed use (such as "not for human consumption," "not for purchase by minors," or "does not contain chemicals banned by Section 11357.5");
4. 
The product is significantly more expensive than products that are used for that product's marketed use (such as half of a gram of a substance marketed as "glass cleaner" costing $50);
5. 
The product resembles an illicit street drug (such as cocaine, methamphetamine or marijuana); or
6. 
The product's name or packaging uses images or slang referencing an illicit street drug (such as "Eight Ballz" or "Green Buddha").
C. 
Merely disclaiming a substance claimed or represented to be a synthetic drug as "not safe for human consumption" will not avoid the application of this section.
(Ord. 885 § 1, 2014)
A. 
It is a public nuisance for any person to provide, display for sale, distribute or sell any synthetic drug within the city of Moreno Valley.
B. 
It is a public nuisance for any person to allow the provision, display for sale, distribution or sale of any synthetic drug on property owned, controlled or managed by such person within the city of Moreno Valley.
C. 
It is a public nuisance for any person to provide, display for sale, distribute or sell any substance claimed or represented to be a synthetic drug within the city of Moreno Valley.
D. 
It is a public nuisance for any person to allow the provision, display for sale, distribution or sale of any substance claimed or represented to be a synthetic drug on property owned, controlled or managed by such person within the city of Moreno Valley.
E. 
To determine if a person is claiming or representing that a substance or product is a synthetic drug, the enforcing officer may consider any of the evidentiary factors set forth in Section 11.11.040 of this chapter.
F. 
Civil Remedies Available—Remedies Cumulative. In addition to the penalties provided in Section 11.11.080, any property used in violation of any provision of this chapter shall constitute a public nuisance and may be abated by the city by civil process by means of a restraining order, a preliminary or permanent injunction, or in any manner provided by law for the abatement of such nuisance. All remedies herein are cumulative and non-exclusive.
G. 
Attorneys' Fees. Any person, including the city of Moreno Valley, who prevails in any action or proceeding for the abatement of a public nuisance as provided herein shall be entitled to recover attorneys' fees incurred in any such action or proceeding.
(Ord. 885 § 1, 2014)
Because the use of synthetic drugs has been documented to cause hallucinations, agitation, psychosis, aggression, suicidal and homicidal ideations, cannibalism and death, any violation of this chapter presents a grave and imminent danger not only to the person consuming the synthetic drug, but also to the public at large. If the code compliance officer, based on the facts then known, determines that a violation of this chapter presents an imminent danger or hazard or is imminently injurious to the public health or safety, then that violation is punishable by the summary abatement procedures set forth in Chapter 6.04 of this code.
(Ord. 885 § 1, 2014)
A. 
Misdemeanor Violation. Failure to comply with any of the requirements of this chapter is a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment in the County Jail for a period not exceeding six months or by fine not exceeding $1,000, or by both, provided that where the city attorney determines that such action would be in the interest of justice, he or she may specify in the accusatory pleading that the offense shall be an infraction.
B. 
Infraction Violation. Where the city attorney determines that, in the interest of justice, a violation of this chapter is an infraction, such infraction is punishable by a fine not exceeding $100 for a first violation, a fine not exceeding $200 for a second violation of the same provision within one year, and a fine not exceeding $500 for each additional infraction violation of the same provision within one year. An infraction is not punishable by imprisonment. A person charged with an infraction shall not be entitled to a trial by jury and shall not be entitled to have the public defender or other counsel appointed at public expense to represent him or her, unless he or she is arrested and not released on his or her written promise to appear, his or her own recognizance or a deposit of bail. However, any person who has previously been convicted two or more times during any 12 month period for any violation of this chapter for a crime made punishable as an infraction shall be charged with a misdemeanor upon the third violation.
C. 
The fine amounts set forth above may be modified, from time to time, by city council resolution. In no event shall such fine amounts exceed the amounts authorized by state law.
(Ord. 885 § 1, 2014)
Any product(s) or substance(s) possessed, provided, distributed or sold in violation of any provision of this chapter shall be seized by the enforcing officers and removed, stored and disposed of in accordance with law.
(Ord. 885 § 1, 2014)
A. 
This chapter shall not apply to drugs or substances lawfully prescribed or to intoxicating chemical compounds that have been approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration or which are specifically permitted by California law, including without limitation, intoxicating chemical compounds that are specifically excepted by the California Uniform Controlled Substances Act (Health and Safety Code Section 11000 et seq.).
B. 
This chapter shall not apply to drugs or substances that are prohibited by state or federal law, including without limitation, California Health and Safety Code Sections 11357.5, 11375.5, 11401 and the Federal Controlled Substances Act.
C. 
This chapter shall not be deemed to prescribe any act that is positively permitted, prohibited or preempted by any state or federal law or regulation.
(Ord. 885 § 1, 2014)