Oswego looking at increasing fines for student tobacco, marijuana use

The Oswego Police Department would like to increase the fines for students using tobacco and marijuana in order to deter their use and to compel the students to seek counseling.

The issue was discussed at the Feb. 20 Oswego Committee of the Whole meeting. Currently, the fine for violating the village’s tobacco and alternative products ordinance is $75 and the fine for violating the village’s cannabis and drug paraphernalia ordinance is $100.

The police department has recommended increasing the fine for both to $250. Oswego Police Chief Jason Bastin said the department has seen a rise in the number of young people using tobacco and marijuana products, primarily through vaping.

“Simultaneously, with that rise, our tickets we were writing rose significantly,” Bastin said during the meeting. “However, [Oswego School District 308] also came to us about not writing so many tickets to students. There has been a move statewide about the police not writing so many tickets to students.”

Bastin said that because it is so easy now for young people to get a hold of vaping equipment, “it has really become ubiquitous in the schools.”

“It’s a lot different than even cigarettes or plant cannabis used to be,” he said.

Bastin said the department has been working with District 308 on providing counseling services to students. On first offenses, the school district will speak to the students and provide psychoeducational counseling for them.

Those students who commit a second offense are turned over to the police department. The department, which is partnering with Family Counseling Services of Oswego, will then pay for the student to receive counseling outside of the school.

The session normally would cost between $100 and $150, Bastin said. Those students who choose not to seek counseling are ticketed.

“Tickets are a last resort,” Bastin said. “What we have found already this school year is that we are getting second offenders who are choosing – or at least their parents are choosing – to pay the tickets versus going in and receiving the counseling.”

Bastin said by increasing the fines, the department hopes more students will choose a free counseling session.

“If they had to choose between a $250 violation or a free counseling session, we think more of them would choose the free counseling session,” Bastin said. “And so did the school district.”

Oswego Village Trustee Tom Guist said he would be in favor of increasing the fines even more. District 308 officials also have supported such a move, according to Bastin.

“If the goal is to not have them pay that and actually do the counseling, it seems like $300, $350 or $400 are worth consideration,” Guist said. “I’m glad District 308 wanted it to be more. And honestly, if they want it to be more, I feel like it’s worth considering. The goal isn’t to get the money. The goal is to get them and their parents to do the counseling.”

Village Trustee Kit Kuhrt agreed.

“It’s not about the money,” he said. “I could care less if we get the money. I want them to go to counseling.”

Trustees also talked about increasing fines for those selling tobacco and marijuana products to minors.

“It seems like we need to tackle both sides of the equation, the supply and the demand,” Village President Ryan Kauffman said.

Village trustees plan to discuss the issue again at a future meeting.