Crime
Marin: Health staff urges addition of marijuana to list of prohibited substances
The County of Marin first adopted a social host accountability ordinance in 2006 to help deter underage drinking, and now staff is proposing to add marijuana to the ordinance language plus further measures to reduce drug and alcohol use by minors.
If the ordinance amendment is adopted, party hosts would be liable and subject to fines even if the party location is a bus or limousine. Also, graduation from a restorative justice program would be mandated for all offenders under the age of 21.
The amendment received a first reading before the Marin County Board of Supervisors on June 6, and a merit hearing and subsequent Board vote is scheduled for 10 a.m. June 13.
The social host accountability ordinance holds adults responsible for underage use of alcohol and other controlled substances in their households whether or not the adults are present. The ordinance is designed to confront and mitigate the prevalent problem of underage drinking, drug use and loud or unruly gatherings at private residences or rented facilities.
Supported by more than a dozen local groups, the County strengthened its original social host accountability ordinance in February 2016 by adding controlled substances to the list of prohibitions. It also prohibited loud and unruly parties where controlled substances are served to, possessed by or ingested by people under the age of 21.
Marin has a national reputation as being one of the healthiest counties in the country, but also is known for as having an incredibly high rate of underage drinking and drug use.
“Parents want to know their kids are safe when they’re out with friends,” said Dr. Matt Willis, the County’s Public Health Officer. “Strengthening our social host ordinance sends an important signal that we all share responsibility for the safety of our kids. That’s especially important here in Marin, where our teen substance abuse and DUI rates are high. We’re fortunate our elected leaders and partners in law enforcement are taking a proactive approach to this public health problem.”
Law enforcement officials are allowed to issue citations for civil fines and fees against people responsible for such gatherings. Adults face a civil fine of $750, six hours of observation at a restorative justice hearing, and imposition of all of the costs of law enforcement’s response to the incident, and potential litigation from the families of people injured in the incident. Fines increase with additional violations.
“A restorative justice program helps the underage violator learn from the experience as opposed to their parents simply paying a fine,” Govi said. “I think it’s a good idea that adults are now going to face the required attendance at restorative justice program hearings. That makes this ordinance more effective.”
To date, the Marin County Sheriff’s Office has issued nearly 80 citations for violations in unincorporated Marin since the ordinance was adopted 11 years ago. Violators have paid fines, completed community service hours and participated in alcohol-related education.
Business
AG Bonta Announces Action on Cryptocurrency, Sextortion Fraud – Increasingly Targeting Gen-Z
California Attorney General Rob Bonta is warning residents about a surge in cryptocurrency fraud and online sextortion schemes that increasingly target Gen Z through social media platforms. With internet-based scams costing Americans nearly $21 billion in 2023, Bonta highlighted how artificial intelligence and deepfakes allow criminals to impersonate loved ones and promote fraudulent investment groups. The Attorney General’s Office has already shut down over 100 fraudulent websites and is now utilizing new legislative tools to recover assets for victims. Read more.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta warned residents about rising cryptocurrency fraud and online sextortion scams, urging Californians to recognize warning signs and protect themselves as scammers increasingly target younger people through social media.
Speaking at a news conference on Oct. 19, Bonta said Americans lost $20.9 billion to internet-based scams in 2025, including $11.4 billion to cryptocurrency scams. He said artificial intelligence, deepfakes, and malicious smart contracts have made fraud easier to carry out and more difficult to detect and prevent.
While older Californians remain targets, Bonta said his office has seen a sharp rise in reports of Gen Z consumers being targeted on platforms such as Twitch, TikTok, and Instagram.
One growing scheme involves so-called rug-pull scams, in which fraudsters promote low-priced stocks or volatile cryptocurrencies through online investment groups and streaming communities. After generating interest and driving up prices, scammers sell their holdings, causing values to collapse and leaving investors with losses.
Bonta also warned about sextortion, in which scammers trick or coerce victims into sharing explicit images before threatening to distribute them to friends and family unless they pay. He advised victims not to give in to demands, saying scammers often do not release the images when victims refuse to pay. Instead, he recommended ignoring and blocking the perpetrators.
Another scheme, known as recovery fraud, targets people who have already lost money to cryptocurrency scams. Fraudsters impersonate blockchain recovery specialists or law enforcement officials and demand additional payments while promising to recover stolen assets.
Bonta urged Californians to be skeptical of promises of large returns on small investments, fake cryptocurrencies resembling established ones, and celebrity endorsements that may have been generated using artificial intelligence. He also warned that scammers can use AI to impersonate loved ones through manipulated video and audio.
“Never use a crypto ATM,” Bonta said, emphasizing that transactions can be difficult to trace and reverse and that the machines lack adequate consumer protections.
His office has shut down more than 100 fraudulent websites over the past two years that collectively scammed victims out of at least $8.3 million, he said.
Bonta also highlighted Senate Bill 1208, which he said was recently signed into law. The measure allows law enforcement to petition a court to return seized cryptocurrency to victims, including when alleged perpetrators are outside U.S. jurisdiction.
Residents who have fallen victim to scams can report them to the California Department of Justice at oag.ca.gov/report.
Bonta also urged victims not to feel embarrassed, stressing that scammers are responsible for the harm they cause.
Activism
Oakland Post: Week of October 28 – November 3, 2026
Oakland Post: Week of October 28 – November 3, 2026
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