Oregon's first-in-the-nation drug decriminalization law faces growing pushback amid fentanyl crisis
Oregon's first-in-the-nation drug decriminalization law faces growing pushback amid fentanyl crisis
Oregon's first-in-the-nation drug decriminalization law faces growing pushback amid fentanyl crisis
Oregon’s first-in-the-nation law that decriminalized the possession of small amounts of heroin, cocaine and other illicit drugs in favor of an emphasis on addiction treatment is facing strong headwinds in the progressive state after an explosion of public drug use fueled by the proliferation of fentanyl and a surge in deaths from opioids, including those of children.
“The inability for people to live their day-to-day life without encountering open-air drug use is so pressing on urban folks’ minds,” said John Horvick, vice president of polling firm DHM Research. “That has very much changed people’s perspective about what they think Measure 110 is.”
When the law was approved by 58% of Oregon voters three years ago, supporters championed Measure 110 as a revolutionary approach that would transform addiction by minimizing penalties for drug use and investing instead in recovery.
But even top Democratic lawmakers who backed the law, which will likely dominate the upcoming legislative session, say they’re now open to revisiting it after the biggest increase in synthetic opioid deaths among states that have reported their numbers.
And of course nobody even contemplating the idea that they underfunded the resources invested in recovery and that's the change they need to make.
Oregonian here. And... Yep. That's it exactly.
Second Oregonian here, and also yup. We decriminalized but then decided not to require treatment (Portugal method), and then didn't fund treatment anyway.
Also severe police shortage amidst nationwide increase in crimes. I don't think any of the drug users are getting cited for public drug use at all unless they have to be taken to the hospital.
Edit: I DIDN'T SAY DEFUND. Portland has a massive police shortage. They also STATE that they don't prioritize nonviolent drug use because they don't have manpower.
There isn't a nationwide increase in crime, and there haven't been defundings of the police.
What reality do you live in?
Yeah fucking right. I work in downtown Salem. It doesn’t matter if half these people have “resources.” They’re here because they can get their fix without being harassed.
You need repercussions in order for addicts to want to get clean. We don’t have any.
Sick, love to see a fascist thinking about criminalizing those who need help, not punishment, the most.
You're going to need to cite your sources that repercussions do anything meaningful for addicts to get clean, as opposed to decriminalized but mandatory treatment (a la Portugal).