Oregon Recriminalises Drug Possession After Overdoses Rocket
Oregon has approved a state law that recriminalises drug possession.
The law rolls back an experimental policy – the most liberal drug measure in the US – that made possession for personal use a ticketed offence with a fine up to $100.
The new legislation penalises those possessing small amounts of drugs with probation, and up to 180 days in jail.
The governor said the state still aims to provide a path for drug treatment, rather than punishing drug users.
Tina Kotek, the Democratic governor, signed the bill on Monday. It goes into effect on 1 September.
Rehabilitation and destigmatisation was the intention of the original law, known as Measure 110, when it was passed in a 2020 voter measure, but a spike in the number of overdoses caused lawmakers and supporters to backtrack.
Measure 110 was seen by many as the most liberal effort in the US to decriminalise drugs like cocaine, heroine and methamphetamine.
State leaders admitted, however, that there were several implementation issues. Roadblocks to rehabilitation remained, and the upswing in fentanyl overdoses caused an uproar in the state.
In cities like Portland, sightings of people openly using drugs on streets, sidewalks and in front of stores increased and images appeared in national media.
Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler told the New York Times: “The truth is that addiction rates and overdose rates skyrocketed.”
The mayor, who remained supportive of Measure 110, accused the state of failing to implement the law effectively. He said they decriminalised the use of drugs before putting the proper treatment services in place.
