Oregon 1st state to decriminalize possession of drugs
Source: AP
Police in Oregon can no longer arrest someone for possession of small amounts of heroin, methamphetamine, LSD, oxycodone and other drugs as a ballot measure that decriminalized them took effect on Monday.
Instead, those found in possession would face a $100 fine or a health assessment that could lead to addiction counseling.
Backers of the ballot measure, which Oregon voters passed by a wide margin in November, hailed it as a revolutionary move for the United States.
Today, the first domino of our cruel and inhumane war on drugs has fallen, setting off what we expect to be a cascade of other efforts centering health over criminalization, said Kassandra Frederique, executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance, which spearheaded the ballot initiative.
Read more: https://apnews.com/article/oregon-decriminalize-drug-possession-6843f93c3d55212e0ffbdd8b93be9196
Volunteers deliver signed petitions in favor of Oregon Ballot Measure 110 last June.
Ballot Measure 110s backers said treatment needs to be the priority and that criminalizing drug possession was not working.
Besides facing the prospect of being locked up, having a criminal record makes it difficult to find housing and jobs and can haunt a person for a lifetime.
Just_Vote_Dem
(2,808 posts)Drug addiction is a medical condition, not a crime.
Besides being laughably ineffectual, the War on Drugs was one big, moving violation of the Bill of Rights.
The closest thing America has had to a 3rd world-style state of siege declaration, as one advocate put it.
(no wonder the GOPee was crazy about it)
msongs
(67,405 posts)sandensea
(21,633 posts)And pass the loot....
roamer65
(36,745 posts)About damn time treatment takes priority over incarceration.
Judi Lynn
(160,527 posts)sandensea
(21,633 posts)Though of course, federal War on Drugs-related laws remain on the books - for the time being.
Besides being laughably ineffectual, the War on Drugs was one big, moving violation of the Bill of Rights.
The closest thing America has had to a 3rd world-style state of siege, as it's been described.
Small wonder the GOP was always crazy about it.