Oregon Backpedals on Drug Decriminalization Amid Rising Concerns

Clear Facts

• Oregon has reintroduced criminal penalties for possession of small quantities of hard drugs, reversing a previous experiment with decriminalization.
• Measure 110, which decriminalized possession of small amounts of any drug, including hard drugs such as fentanyl, is being rolled back as public opinion turns against it.
• The new legislation, signed into law by Governor Tina Kotek, makes personal use possession a misdemeanor, punishable by up to six months in jail.

After an unsuccessful attempt at drug decriminalization, Oregon has returned hard drug possession to the status of a criminal offense.
Governor Tina Kotek signed a bill on Monday, criminalizing personal use possession once again with the potential of a six-month jail term.

The introduced legislation undoes the effects of Measure 110, which was backed by approximately 58% of Oregon voters in 2020.
Measure 110 eliminated criminal charges for having limited quantities of any substance, even potent drugs like fentanyl.

Criminal penalties were replaced with a maximum fine of $100, often unenforced.
Offenders could have their fine waived by contacting a hotline for an addiction assessment. However, in the first year following the law’s enactment, only 1% of individuals cited for drug possession took advantage of this provision.

Measure 110 has seen its popularity wane since its implementation as citizens confront the realities of public drug use.
A DMH Research survey conducted in May, two years into the measure, showed over 60% of voters believed that decriminalization had exacerbated drug addiction, homelessness, and crime in Oregon. A combined 63% expressed strong support or some interest in the re-criminalization of hard drugs.

Oregon’s drug fatalities, particularly those related to fentanyl, have surged alarmingly.

“Fatal drug overdoses in Oregon have spiked, driven by the fentanyl crisis. The state is on track for 1,250 overdose deaths last year, a stark rise from the 280 people who died of an overdose back in 2019.”

The drug crisis is particularly evident in Portland, where drug users openly inject drugs.
In response, the Portland City Council passed a ban on the public use of hard drugs in September.

Despite city-wide regulations, Portland’s new rules remained uncertain while state-level decriminalization persisted.
Portland’s Mayor, Ted Wheeler, supports the state’s new law, which will take effect on September 1.

“People are exhausted from feeling like they’re under siege. They want order restored to their environment,” Wheeler stated.

The new state law doesn’t only reinstate criminal penalties for drug possession. It also urges law enforcement agencies to develop programs that steer drug users towards addiction treatment and mental health services rather than the criminal justice system, suggesting a more holistic approach to addressing drug challenges.

Let us know what you think, please share your thoughts in the comments below.

Source