Are You in Favor of Decriminalizing Hard Drugs?

Are You in Favor of Decriminalizing Hard Drugs?

Here’s The Scoop

Oregon Democrats are finally waking up to the disaster they’ve created with their drug decriminalization law, Measure 110. The once-popular law has now become a major burden on the state, with skyrocketing overdose deaths and public drug use becoming the new norm.

In a desperate attempt to save face, Democrats on the state legislature’s addiction committee have announced a new bill to reintroduce misdemeanor criminal penalties for possessing small amounts of drugs. This comes after only 1% of people who received tickets for drug possession called the addiction hotline, as per state auditors.

The people of Oregon have had enough. A recent DMH Research survey revealed that more than 6 in 10 voters believe decriminalization has made drug addiction, homelessness, and crime worse in the state. A combined 63% now support or would be interested in re-criminalizing hard drugs.

Fatal drug overdoses in Oregon have spiked, with a staggering 38% increase in deaths from the previous 12 months. Clearly, the Democrats’ experiment with decriminalization has failed miserably.

The new bill, a desperate attempt to salvage the situation, would make using drugs in public places a low-level misdemeanor, punishable by jail time or fines. It would also allow police to confiscate drugs and establish stronger sentences for dealing drugs near parks or homeless shelters.

State Senator Kate Lieber (D), who co-chairs the addiction committee and will introduce the new bill, has flip-flopped on her stance. In November, she claimed overturning Measure 110 would be a “mistake.” Now, she’s championing the new bill as a “compromise path.”

The Portland City Council has already passed a ban on using hard drugs on public property, but it cannot go into effect unless the state reverses its decriminalization law.

It’s time for Oregon Democrats to admit their failure and take action to protect their citizens from the devastating consequences of their misguided policies.

What do you think? Let us know by participating in our poll, or join the discussion in the comment section below!

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