A new law goes into effect September 31st, 2017 that will essentially make it a misdemeanor to paint rocks. Even more severe, if you are caught hiding “painted rocks” in public spaces you can be charged with a felony and face hefty fines and jail time.
Richard Head, a spokesman for the Southern Washington and Oregon Public Health Organization states, “Painting and hiding rocks in and around the country is becoming an epidemic. At first it is just once or twice a week. Before you know it, you are skipping meals, forgetting to feed your cats and staying awake until early in the morning.”
A former “rocker”, who wishes to remain anonymous, told reporters that for her it started out as a “…fun family activity. After only a few weeks, I was forgetting to feed my kids, clean the house and do the laundry or dishes. I couldn’t sleep. And when I did finally fall asleep, I went to sleep thinking about rocks that I wanted to paint. I became completely obsessed.”
State health officials urges WA and OR residents to contact their local law enforcement immediately or call 800-ROCKHLP if they know someone who has lost control because of this new craze and especially if there are children involved.