Hollister ordinance restricts butane sales

UPDATE 6/22/2018 5:15 p.m.: A rising number of butane honey oil busts is forcing on Central Coast city to crack down. Earlier this week, the Hollister City Council unanimously voted to restrict the sales of certain kinds of butane.

Butane is normally used to fill up lighters or cooking tools, but it can also be used to extract tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) from cannabis plants.

While legal to produce in commercial settings, police say smaller at-home operations are becoming more common since marijuana was legalized, and more dangerous. The odorless butane used in at-home labs is heavier than oxygen. During the extraction process, the butane gas sits on the ground, where it can be susceptible to ignition.

“It’s very easily ignited, it can be something as simple as static electricity or something like that, or a pilot flame in a residence,” said Hollister Sgt. Don Pershall.

According to the police department, since 2011 there have been more than 140 hurt and 41 deaths in butane honey oil lab explosions.

The city of Hollister is seeing its share of BHO labs. Last year, there was an explosion that sent one person to a trauma center for burns. So far this year, two labs have been discovered, including one on Hawkins Street where eight people were busted.

It’s prompted the city council to take some drastic measures – passing an urgent ordinance that regulates some of the sales, until a permanent one is approved.

People can purchase or possess up to 600 ml of odorless butane every 30 days. The butane with the odor is still ok to buy in large quantities.

Local businesses were given a notice, letting them know what is required under the new ordinance. That includes making sure the person buying it is over 18 and tracking the sales by getting identification information.

Police are going to make sure businesses comply with the new ordinance. Anyone busted with more than the allotted amount could face a $1,000 fine and six months behind bars.

Other areas with similar ordinances are Sacramento County and the city of Eureka.

ORIGINAL POST: The Hollister City Council enacted an ordinance to restrict butane sales, an ingredient used to make Butane Honey Oil (BHO).

The Hollister Police Department said the use of butane to chemically extract tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) from a cannabis plant can be dangerous.

“The refined butane used in these illegal, homegrown labs is colorless, odorless, and heavier than oxygen. This process allows the butane to be mixed directly into the surrounding environment where it turns the clandestine lab into a bomb waiting for an ignition source. A spark from static electricity is enough to ignite the gas. One 300ml canister of butane will fill a 1452 square foot residence with enough gas to explode,” said HPD.

Since 2011, there have been 140 injuries and 41 deaths due to BHO lab explosions and fires in California, according to Hollister PD.

Hollister had an illegal BHO lab explosion in May of 2017 where one person was airlifted to a trauma center for burn injuries. Two illegal BHO labs were discovered in Hollister so far this year.

The ordinance restricts the amount of butane a business may sell, requires them to track their butane sales, and only allows an individual to have a combined amount of 600ml at any time.

“The urgency ordinance was enacted to provide immediate protection to the residents until a permanent ordinance is approved,” HPD said.

KION’s Mariana Hicks will have more from police and businesses at 5 and 6 p.m.

Anyone with information about illegal making of BHO or sales of butane is asked to call officer Chris Wells at 831-902-8733.