High court ruling spurs effort to retool state's drug laws
OLYMPIA — It’s been six weeks since the state Supreme Court struck down the Washington law that makes simple drug possession a felony.
That ruling, known as the Blake decision, threw a curveball at the criminal justice system — where county prosecutors are now busy getting people out of jail and vacating convictions as a result — and reignited a dialogue on the benefits of treating, not jailing, those with substance use disorder.
“The Blake decision was monumental. Our prior approach was not really making a difference,” Snohomish County Prosecutor Adam Cornell said. “We have to replace criminalization with treatment and services.”
Since the ruling, seven people in custody for drug possession have been released from Snohomish County Jail. Another 164 saw their criminal charges dismissed by Cornell’s office, with 30 people so far having their convictions vacated.
https://www.heraldnet.com/news/high-court-ruling-spurs-effort-to-retool-states-drug-laws/
