Oregon's New Drug Law

In 2020 on November 3, Oregon was the first state in the United States to decriminalize most drugs. Oregon is one of the top states with drug and alcohol addiction but has the least chances for recovery. If you get caught with a small amount of drugs then you won’t go to prison. You will have a fine of around 100 dollars just like a traffic violation, not a criminal charge. That fine will simply go away if you just agree to get a health screening with a recovery hotline that can lead to going to counseling or treatment.

 

 People that work at the facilities are scared because they don’t think they were ready for all of it. The people in Oregon that support this look back at Portugal because in 2001 they decided to decriminalize all drugs and if you were caught with less than a ten day supply you would have to get medical treatment. Portugal approached drug and alcohol addiction as a public health crisis. Oregon was going for what was going on in Portugal, but it did take Portugal two years to finally straighten it all out. They got a new system replacing judges, jails and lawyers with doctors, social workers and addiction specialists. Mike Marshall is the co-founder and director of the group called Oregon recovers. His opinion on this is that the health care system wasn’t prepared, doesn’t have the resources and that they don’t have the leadership to start to expand treatment. When the pandemic hit it was a struggle because of social distancing for example, and other protocols.They weren’t able to keep as many treatment beds and services. 

 

Personally I think this is a good technique that most states should follow. Instead of just sending people to prison and them getting out and doing the same thing again, they have better chances of actually seeking help. From the fines and going to rehab the state is able to put that money toward general things and to better the facilities that you would go through. People will get through the criminal justice system and to the health system. The opposing side does say that if people know it’s just like a traffic violation they will just pay the fine and go on their merry way. People will actually just come to Oregon for that reason because they know they won’t go to prison. They won’t get that push and seek help. I think with the right people and time that this strategy might work.

 

Source: Oregon's Pioneering Drug Decriminalization Experiment Is Now Facing The Hard Test : NPR

 

Do you think this would be effective?

Should Iowa consider this law?

You need to be a member of History 360 to add comments!

Join History 360

Replies are closed for this discussion.

Replies

  • This is a great topic choice and you did a really good job with it Kyrsten! It will be interesting to see how things go in Oregon in the next couple of years. If it goes well, we will see more states do this I'm sure. This was posted a little late.

  • I don't think Iowa should consider this law until drug and alchohol use gets really bad. I do think it would help though especially for people that have went to jail multiple times. Jail does change some people however depending on the time they are in there.

    • I disagree because sending people to prison costs the state more money. I don't think we should wait till it gets really bad because when it does get bad it's gonna be hard to actually help the people in need. Like what is going on in Oregon. They don't have the right people for it or the places. 

  • I think this could be an effective law. There are many people in vulnerable groups who turn to drugs to shelter themselves from their life and would most likely seek help if they know that they wont be criminalized. It would be great if Iowa implemented this law, it would decrease the number of drug related crimes and make Iowa safer. 

  • I think it would be effective cause like if they couild get caught they can pay the fine ane maybe go into rehab and if they get caught doing it again then they should go to jail. I think Iowa needs to consider this law but also with the modifications that would be effective.

  • This reply was deleted.
    • Yes, i agree. If rehab doesn't work and they get caught again I do to think that jail would have to be the best solution. Sometimes poeple just fake it to get through it. 

  • I think this could be effective, prision doesn't keep everyone clean. Most people will go back to doing the same thing they were doing before ending up in prision. Iowa should consider making this into a law, having the right people leading it. 

    • I agree some poeple go to jail because they get caught again. But clearly it isn't workoing out very good at the moment. When better people with the right mindset come along I think this could work.

  • I think this solution would work. Sending people to jail for drugs would just let them sit in a cell and think about what they did. Sending them to a rehab center would help them get better and have a better sense of not going back to drugs. People in jail would get let out and go straight back to the drugs. I think Iowa should look into this and make it into a law. 

  • bump

This reply was deleted.
eXTReMe Tracker