Oregon Decriminalizes Drugs in Favor of Treatment [Video]

• Oregon has become the first state in the country to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of all drugs, including heroin and meth.
• The measure was passed in November and took into effect on Monday.
• Instead of getting jail time, possessing drugs in the state will only warrant a $100 fine that could also be waived after undergoing assessment and counseling.

Oregon’s Ballot Measure 110, which decriminalizes the possession of small amounts of all drugs, has come into effect on Monday.

The state is the first in the country to enact such measures. The proponents of the new measure believe that drug use is a medical problem and that the focus should be shifted from punishment to treatment.

Possessing a small amount of drugs (including methamphetamine, heroin, LSD, and oxycodone) will now warrant only a $100 fine, which could be waived by undergoing health assessment and addiction counseling. Possessing larger amounts of illegal drugs, meanwhile, could lead to a misdemeanor charge, CNN reported.

In the past, possessing any amount of drugs is considered a felony that warrants a potential prison sentence.

Janie Gullickson, the executive director of the Mental Health & Addiction Association of Oregon, talked about her own experience with drug use and incarceration in an interview with NBC affiliate KGW8.

She shared, “It wasn’t jail or prison that changed my life or got me into recovery. It was the treatment that was provided for me, which wasn’t offered to me until I was in prison. If that was out in the community and that was the standard response, I think we would see a lot more people accessing that treatment, not having to go the criminal justice pathway.”

Kassandra Frederique, executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance, said that the measure is the first step in ending “our cruel and inhumane war on drugs.”

There were still several critics of the measure. Some argued that it could normalize drug use, others expressed their concerns for minors, while some pointed out loopholes that could be abused.

It is yet to be seen whether other states will follow suit.

Back in December, a measure decriminalizing marijuana use at the federal level was passed by the Democrat-controlled U.S. House of Representatives with a vote of 228-164. Only five Republicans voted in favor while six Democrats voted against it.

The SAMHSA substance abuse helpline is available for anyone struggling with addiction at 1-800-662-HELP.

Source: People