…drug criminalization debate… Oregon lawmakers consider creating a new misdemeanor
…some members of the two parties have begun discussing another option. They are looking at creating an entirely new misdemeanor to accomplish what both sides say they want: to offer police a greater ability to disrupt open drug use and create a new tool for steering users toward treatment.
The closed-door discussions haven’t yet arrived at an answer, sources on both sides said. But the negotiations reflect a tricky political math. Recriminalization in any form is bound to be unacceptable to some Democrats, but Republicans might not get on board without stronger potential consequences. Complicating matters, a coalition that includes some of the state’s richest people is threatening to pass a ballot measure including potential tough penalties if lawmakers don’t act. Tess Seger, a spokesperson for Senate Democrats, said the idea of creating a new “unclassified” misdemeanor for drug possession is “one of the many different ideas [committee] co-chairs are considering to get the policy right, but no one has agreed to anything.”
Original Article (OPB):
As drug criminalization debate rages, Oregon lawmakers consider creating a new misdemeanor
Artwork Fair Use: M.O. Stevens
