Oregon Measure 110 wasn’t a failure. Rolling back drug decriminalization will be.
As is often the case when it comes to drug topics, emotions have taken precedence over facts. Not only is it inaccurate to say that Measure 110 failed, but we actually can say after a century of opioid prohibition in the U.S. that drug criminalization has not worked to make anything better.
It is true that drug overdose deaths, driven by illicit fentanyl, have continued to increase in Oregon, with an estimated 1,250 in 2023 — a record high. But what the overwhelming coverage of Oregon’s drug situation often fails to mention is that overdoses have also continued to rise across the entire country. Compared to several other states, Oregon has actually not seen a significantly worse rise in overdose rates in the years since attempting decriminalization. In fact, there is no good evidence that drug decriminalization has worsened the situation in Oregon, and a lot of good data showing the exact opposite. Despite calling it “decriminalization,” Measure 110 did not fully remove all penalties for possession but made it more akin to a traffic ticket — people caught with small amounts of hard drugs would be given a $100 citation that could be avoided by taking a health assessment. And contrary to popular media coverage suggesting otherwise, the manufacture and sale of even the smallest amount of illicit drugs like fentanyl has remained a felony. Beyond misrepresentation of the law, the drug overdose situation in Oregon has been characterized unfairly. Let me put it in context. One popular narrative even suggests that people are choosing to be unhoused, even coming from out of state, just in order to do drugs. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Oregon’s large population of unhoused individuals is, however, very visible, and any drug use is likewise public as they do not have access to shelter, let alone housing, and also because Oregon has no designated consumption centers.
Original Article (Medscape):
Oregon Measure 110 wasn’t a failure. Rolling back drug decriminalization will be.
Artwork Fair Use: ZabMilenko
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