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- Oregon’s drug decriminalization law expires (newsbreak.com)
Oregon’s pioneering 2020 law that decriminalized the possession of small amounts of hard drugs concluded on Sunday. The law had replaced potential jail time with a maximum fine of $100 for such offenses.
Starting Sunday, those caught with personal-use quantities of illegal drugs in Oregon will face misdemeanor charges, with penalties including up to six months in jail.
The new legislation enacted in March reverts to criminalizing drug use and aims to simplify law enforcement efforts against public drug consumption, incorporating stiffer punishments for drug peddling in parks.
This shift modifies the 2020 voter-approved initiative, which garnered support from 58 percent of Oregon constituents seeking a new strategy to address criminal justice issues and to aid drug users with treatment options.
Proponents of the decriminalization asserted that imprisonment was ineffective in reducing drug abuse, advocating instead for treatment-focused responses.
Despite the redirection of substantial revenue from cannabis taxes to fund addiction services, state auditors indicated failures in the deployment of these new programs, exacerbated by the escalating fentanyl crisis, deadly overdoses, and ongoing challenges posed by COVID-19.
The recently passed law also mandates treatment-first approaches for individuals arrested for drug use, promoting county-level programs to steer them away from the criminal justice system. Yet, this dependency on counties to initiate such programs has sparked concerns over potential inconsistencies that could benefit some individuals over others.
According to reports from The Associated Press, 28 of Oregon’s 36 counties have applied for grants aimed at supporting these initiatives, with $20 million earmarked for distribution over the coming year.
However, concerns about the readiness of these programs have also been voiced by Republican House Minority Leader Jeff Helfrich, who worries about the preparatory lag. “Unfortunately, I think we’re kind of setting people up for failure,” Helfrich remarked.
For more detailed coverage on this topic and other news, head to The Hill website.
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- Oregon’s drug decriminalization law expires (newsbreak.com)