Oregon Gov. will sign bill that reverses portion of drug decriminalization policy

[Roadvirus]

A policy failure even Helen Keller could've seen coming.

Both the Oregon state Senate and House passed the bill last Friday, which lets law enforcement seize drugs if they are used in parks or on sidewalks. The small possession of drugs like heroin could also result in a misdemeanor and up to six months in prison. However, there is also an alternative to penalties by way of drug treatment.

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In 2021, Oregon became the first state to sign a drug decriminalization law. However, the state has recently faced a large rise in overdose deaths and had the second-highest rate of substance abuse disorder in the U.S., per a 2023 audit report. The decriminalization law has also resulted in criticism and pressure from the right due to the drug problems the state has been dealing with as of recent.

Oregon governor to sign bill recriminalizing drugs after backlash

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek (D) said she will sign a bill that will reverse an important portion of the Beaver State’s drug decriminalization law Thursday. “I intend to sign House Bill 4002 and the rela…

thehill.com

 

[Phys251]

A policy failure even Helen Keller could've seen coming.

So why did decriminalization work in Portugal?

 

[eohrnberger]

A policy failure even Helen Keller could've seen coming.

Reality comes home to roost, and Democrats start adopting what is more typically right of center public policies.

 

[Ginger Ale]

Good. You can't know if something might work without trying it. You're acting like they're refusing to change it after finding out it doesn't work. That's not an honest take on the situation.

 

[eohrnberger]

Good. You can't know if something might work without trying it.

By this logic, all failed social experiments need be repeated? Surely, you jest.

You're acting like they're refusing to change it after finding out it doesn't work. That's not an honest take on the situation.

Per the OP's citation:

In 2021, Oregon became the first state to sign a drug decriminalization law. However, the state has recently faced a large rise in overdose deaths and had the second-highest rate of substance abuse disorder in the U.S., per a 2023 audit report. The decriminalization law has also resulted in criticism and pressure from the right due to the drug problems the state has been dealing with as of recent.​

It's rather simple common sense that should hard drugs be decriminalized you'd only get more hard drugs use and more problems from that increase in hard drugs use.
You always get more of what you subsidize, in this instance the subsidy is decriminalization.

Doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure these simple things out. I mean really.

 

[dmpi]

It was a failed social experiment, too bad hundreds of lives were lost, billions were spent and it'll take years to undo the damage. But we are smarter now and maybe we can use the lessons we learned here for other parts of the county.

 

[dmpi]

So why did decriminalization work in Portugal?

Why choose Portugal? Why not Singapore? Or Japan? You know... countries that actually succeeded in stamping out the drugs.