Repealing decriminalization would be a mistake. Researchers studying Measure 110’s effects recently presented compelling evidence that the current law is extremely unlikely to have done the harm for which it is being blamed. But rampant misinformation – often being spread for political gain – means that the legislature is likely to return to its old-school drug war approach.

With overdose deaths still on the rise and other states considering decriminalization, a reversal could undo vital national progress in fighting addiction, which is far more effectively resolved with care, not coercion. If we really want to end the overdose and homelessness crises – in Oregon and around the country – we have to understand and follow the evidence, not the fearmongering. When events occur in rapid succession, it’s easy to assume that the first one caused the second. But correlation isn’t all that’s needed to prove causation.

Original Article (New York Times):
How Oregon became a linchpin for the Country’s drug policies
Artwork Fair Use: Joe Mabel & JRLibby