Democrat-Led State Ends Experiment, Recriminalizes Possession Of Hard Drugs

In Oregon, it will once again be a crime to possess hard drugs such as fentanyl, heroin and meth.

The Democrat-led state became the first in the nation to decriminalize possession of small amounts of hard drugs after a 2020 ballot measure.

Oregon re-criminalizes the possession of hard drugs, including meth and heroin https://t.co/3f3NTFwro5

— John Solomon (@jsolomonReports) September 2, 2024

From the Associated Press:

The Democratic-controlled Legislature passed the recriminalization law in March, overhauling a measure approved by 58% of voters in 2020 that made possessing illicit drugs like heroin punishable by a ticket and a maximum $100 fine. The measure directed hundreds of millions of dollars in cannabis tax revenue toward addiction services, but the money was slow to get out the door at a time when the fentanyl crisis was causing a spike in deadly overdoses and health officials — grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic — were struggling to stand up the new treatment system, state auditors found.

The new law taking effect Sunday, which passed with the support of Republican lawmakers who had long opposed decriminalization, makes so-called personal use possession a misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in jail. It aims to make it easier for police to crack down on drug use in public and introduced harsher penalties for selling drugs near places such as parks.

Supporters of decriminalization say treatment is more effective than jail in helping people overcome addiction and that the decadeslong approach of arresting people for possessing and using drugs hasn’t worked.

Oregon reverses course and recriminalizes possession of hard drugs including fentanyl and heroin https://t.co/sixnJ9lzlI pic.twitter.com/CvgwO9N3bT

— New York Post (@nypost) September 2, 2024

WATCH:

Oregon’s experiment with drug decriminalization ends today, and the possession of small amounts of hard drugs will once again be considered a crime.

Oregon Public Broadcasting’s Michelle Wiley discusses.

More: https://t.co/5N831I2LR7 pic.twitter.com/Dp2ns2kENg

— ABC News Live (@ABCNewsLive) September 1, 2024

Per Fox News:

Offenders who choose treatment programs will have to meet strict eligibility criteria to avoid charges, Portland police chief Bob Day told the Guardian, mandating that those caught in possession have “no other charges, no warrants, no violent behavior, medically stable.”

If someone caught in possession of hard drugs chooses and is eligible to participate in a deflection program, officers will call their county’s deflection dispatch line and connect to a mobile behavioral health outreach team.

“If the behavioral health people cannot be there within 30 minutes, we’re going to go to jail. We’re not able to just wait around,” Day said. “There is certainly a lack of equity in that. But I would argue that it’s not necessarily common. I’m not saying it’s right.”

Nevertheless, detractors of the new law have argued that it is too complicated, noting that every county will have different resources and rules that could confuse drug users who face possible criminal penalties.

This is a Guest Post from our friends over at 100 Percent Fed Up.

View the original article here.