Oak Park teens caught drinking, smoking cigarettes or doing certain drugs will face a different response if a new policy passes in the near future.
The Oak Park village board took a first look at a series of ordinance changes related to teen drug and alcohol use, as recommended by the parent group IMPACT. Those include lesser penalties for minors possessing tobacco, attending drinking parties, or having less than 30 grams of cannabis on their person.
Currently, if someone under 18 is caught with 30 grams or less of cannabis, the village defers to state laws, which require an arrest. But the new rule would have minors instead receive a ticket, keeping the offense a misdemeanor and off their record.
Those spearheading this shift stop short of calling it a step toward decriminalizing pot. Rather, it keeps possession of the drug a crime but redirects the response more toward healing and less toward punishment.
The new policy also cracks down on the loophole that minors aren’t prohibited from possessing tobacco, just buying it. It gives police the right to seize and destroy tobacco products, while increasing fines for use by minors.
Oak Park is also mirroring River Forest in its policy on “social hosting,” which the neighboring village adopted in May 2011. The ordinance would prohibit residents from hosting, condoning, or failing to take reasonable steps to prevent parties and gatherings that involve underage drinking or illicit drug use.
Trustees gave their initial thoughts on the new rules last week. After a few minor tweaks are made by the interim village attorney, they hope to adopt the new policy next Monday, March 19.