Experts agree: Measure 110 was a big mistake
“Addicted people usually do not seek treatment and recovery without external pressure from family, friends, employers, health care providers or the law,” Humphreys said. “This matters because Oregon has removed all legal pressure to stop drug use and seek treatment.”Addiction also affects the community, with drug-related crime and people lashing out at others in a drug-induced psychosis, he said.
“Harm reduction for people who use drugs does not necessarily translate into harm reduction for everyone else,” Humphreys said. “We need treatment and prevention policies that actually reduce drug use as well as harm reduction programs that recognize the need to protect communities from the harms of drug use.”
But Oregon will double down on Measure 110, because stupid. The building permit guy running the health "authority" says so.
We need outright, straight-up repeal. Not "time to let it work." It is not working and it is not ever going to work.
Read the whole thing here.
As I recall before the bill there was no legal pressure for possession of small amounts of illegal drugs. Were you around in 1971 when they reduced the penalty for possession of small amounts of Marijuana? If it had failed do you think we'd be any better off?
ReplyDeletePot is something else entirely.
ReplyDeleteTrue but over 50 years ago and in a very different Portland.
ReplyDeleteStill you're right it's a case of apples and oranges. Back then it was about dealing with more serious crimes and more vigorous prosecution now it's about a city government that no longer gives a sh**.