Speaking of Republicans campaigning for more government regulation against min(o)rs, SDGOP National Committeeman and Watertown Mayor Ried Holien is working with his City Council to ban young people from buying THC products:
The Watertown City Council unanimously directed City staff to prepare a focused ordinance that will prohibit the sale, purchase, and possession of psychoactive, hemp-derived products to individuals under the age of 21.
The decision was made following extensive testimony detailing the public safety risks associated with the legal loophole that currently treats intoxicating THC beverages and edibles as unregulated “soft drinks.”
The Council prioritized a “clean” ordinance that focuses solely on the age restriction, with the first reading scheduled for the upcoming Monday night [Steve Jurrens, “Watertown City Council Moves to Ban THC Product Sales to Anyone Under 21, Setting State Precedent,” Northeast Radio, 2025.10.27].
Mayor Holien hopes Watertown’s underage-THC ban will prompt his Republican pals in Pierre to enact a statewide ban:
Mayor Holien expressed confidence that the local action could spur statewide legislation, referencing the city’s successful ban on synthetic marijuana years ago. “I believe that this might act as a kickstart at the state level. But at the very least, even if it doesn’t, we can do right by Watertown,” he concluded [Jurrens, 2025.10.27].
The proposed ordinance still allows Watertowners under 21 to buy and use hemp-derived psychoactive products if a doctor prescribes them. The City Council plans to give the ordinance first reading at next Monday’s meeting.