BELLINGHAM, Wash. – A public drug use ordinance will soon take effect in Bellingham.

The Bellingham City Council voted 5-2 on Monday, April 10th, to make public drug use a crime following a third reading of the ordinance.

Mayor Seth Fleetwood proposed the ordinance in March in an effort to combat a rise in overdoses and crimes within the city.

Starting on April 25th, officers will have four options when encountering someone using drugs in public.

In most cases, police can give someone either a verbal warning or citation if they are caught.

However, depending on the seriousness of the situation, a person could be arrested and booked into the Whatcom County Jail.

And depending on staffing levels, a person could also be booked into the King County SCORE facility for more serious offenses.

Diversion options, such as referring offenders to the city’s LEAD program or to the Mental Health Court, are also potential outcomes for low-level offenders.