Free Republic

Oregon’s first-in-the-nation law that decriminalized the possession of small amounts of heroin, cocaine and other illicit drugs in favor of an emphasis on addiction treatment is facing strong headwinds in the progressive state after an explosion of public drug use fueled by the proliferation of fentanyl and a surge in deaths from opioids, including those of children. “The inability for people to live their day-to-day life without encountering open-air drug use is so pressing on urban folks’ minds,” said John Horvick, vice president of polling firm DHM Research. “That has very much changed people’s perspective about what they think Measure...

In November 2020, Oregon voters approved Measure 110, essentially decriminalizing possession of small amounts of drugs — from heroin to cocaine to opioid pills. Instead of criminal penalties, the law calls for treatment centers to be set up all over the state, so addiction could be treated as a health care issue, not a law enforcement issue. The problem, law enforcement says, is that has led to a huge increase in the amount of drugs on the streets — and now, an increase in crime. . . . "It's everywhere. It's everybody we contact. I have a couple cases that...