Oregon’s innovative 2020 drug decriminalization law, which was the first of its kind in the United States, officially ended on Sunday. This pioneering measure decriminalized the possession of small amounts of hard drugs by reducing penalties to a ticket and a maximum fine of $100. The aim was to move away from punitive measures and instead focus on providing treatment and support for individuals struggling with drug addiction.
Starting Sunday, the new legal framework reclassifies the possession of personal-use quantities of illicit drugs as a misdemeanor. Offenders now face up to six months in prison, marking a return to more traditional criminal penalties. The revised law also includes stricter controls on public drug use and imposes harsher penalties for drug dealing in parks, indicating a tougher stance on drug-related offenses.
The new legislation, passed in March, revises the 2020 ballot measure that had been approved by 58 percent of Oregon voters. The original measure was intended to reform the criminal justice system and prioritize treatment over incarceration for drug users. Supporters had argued that imprisonment was ineffective in addressing drug abuse and that treatment should be the primary response.
Despite the good intentions, the execution of the 2020 law faced significant challenges. State auditors found that the system struggled to establish new addiction treatment programs, particularly in the face of the fentanyl crisis and ongoing COVID-19 disruptions. As a result, the state did not achieve the anticipated improvements in addiction services, prompting the shift back to more conventional legal approaches.
The new law aims to enhance treatment options by encouraging counties to create diversion programs for those apprehended for drug-related offenses. However, there are concerns that this approach could lead to disparities and confusion, as relying on counties to develop these programs may result in an uneven application of justice.
While $20 million in grants is being distributed to support these efforts, some leaders, like Republican Minority Leader Jeff Helfrich, worry that the rush to implement these programs could ultimately hinder their effectiveness and set individuals up for failure.
