Oregon Lawmakers Move to Recriminalize Drugs After Massive Spike in Fentanyl Overdose Deaths
A few years ago, Oregon decided to decriminalize drug use, perhaps in an attempt to further prove their progressive values. Things did not work out as planned.
In addition to a sharp rise in crime and homelessness, Portland and other areas in the state saw a dramatic rise in drug related deaths, many of them due to fentanyl use.
Now lawmakers are pushing to recriminalize drug use and even Democrats are supporting the effort.
The Oregon Capital Chronicle reports:
In first vote, committee passes controversial bill that would unwind Measure 110
Oregon lawmakers on the joint addiction committee on Tuesday evening voted for a proposal to backtrack on Measure 110 and reshape the state’s approach to the drug addiction and overdose crisis after months of planning and an intensive three weeks of debate and reworking the proposal.
The committee’s bipartisan 10-2 vote to send the bill to the House came after wrenching testimony in a series of hours-long meetings by family members who lost loved ones to fentanyl as well as opposition from civil rights advocates and public defense attorneys. To become law, the bill needs to pass the House and Senate and be signed by Gov. Tina Kotek.
Democrats, who control the Legislature, say they have enough support for it to pass.