(A) Intent: Recreational or other use of psychoactive bath salts, psychoactive herbal incense (commonly referred to as "spice" or "synthetic marijuana") and similar products commonly known as "synthetic drugs", has been documented to cause hallucinations, agitation, psychosis, aggression, suicidal and homicidal thoughts, 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 purview of such laws and regulations. The purpose and intent of this chapter is to protect the public health and safety within the county of Kern from the dangers and ill effects of all synthetic drugs by declaring certain activities involving synthetic drugs to be a public nuisance and subject to all available civil remedies and, to provide the county of Kern with reasonable measures to address the dangers to the community posed by synthetic drugs that are not regulated by state or federal law.
(B) Incorporation By Reference: Pursuant to Government Code section 50022.1 et seq., ordinance G-8602 of the board of supervisors of the county of Kern, state of California which adds chapter 9.44 to title 9 of the Kern County ordinance code concerning psychoactive bath salts, psychoactive herbal incense (spice) and other synthetic drugs and each and every term, provision, rule, and regulation therein is hereby incorporated by this reference as if fully set forth herein verbatim. Provided, however, that all references to "unincorporated areas of the county of Kern" are hereby replaced with "the county of Kern" and this section shall apply within the city's boundaries.
(C) Environmental Quality Act: This section is exempt from the requirements of the California environmental quality act (CEQA) pursuant to section 15061(b)(3) of the CEQA guidelines and is not a project which has the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment.
(D) Severability: If any subsection, sentence, clause or phrase of this section is for any reason held to be unconstitutional, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining subsections of this section. The city council of the city of Taft hereby declares that it would have passed this section, and each subsection, clause and phrase thereof, irrespective of the fact that any one or more subsections, sentences, clauses or phrases be declared invalid or unconstitutional.
(E) Effective Date; Publication: This section shall take effect thirty (30) days after the date of its adoption, and within fifteen (15) days after its adoption shall be published at least once in the "Daily Midway Driller", a newspaper of general circulation, published and circulated in the city of Taft together with the names of members of the city council voting for and against same.