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 110 is.”

When the law was approved by 58% of Oregon voters three years ago, supporters championed Measure 110 as a revolutionary approach that would transform addiction by minimizing penalties for drug use and investing instead in recovery.

But even top Democratic lawmakers who backed the law, which will likely dominate the upcoming legislative session, say they’re now open to revisiting it after the biggest increase in synthetic opioid deaths among states that have reported their numbers.

  • @linearchaos
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    -2910 months ago

    It’s not that the penalty is effective, it lets law enforcement remove them from the public places.

    • @surewhynotlem
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      5210 months ago

      “go die someplace else. I’m trying to civilized society over here”

      • @linearchaos
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        -1710 months ago

        One solution’s been tried and it didn’t work we should just give up.

        • @njm1314
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          1410 months ago

          Did you mean this to sound like it undermines your argument as much as it does?

          • @linearchaos
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            -1110 months ago

            Yeah, sounds like I’m arguing with fascists.

            • @[email protected]
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              910 months ago

              It sounds like you have poor reading comprehension and don’t know who you’re arguing with.

              • @linearchaos
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                -410 months ago

                Nah, just another literal A-hole I need to block

                  • @linearchaos
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                    010 months ago

                    I see I tripped into yours…

            • Queue
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              310 months ago

              I don’t think fascists support treating addicted members of society and not exporting them elsewhere via final solution methods. I could be wrong, but I don’t think that’s what they are famous for, compassion towards a health crisis.

      • @linearchaos
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        -410 months ago

        That’s the same argument the gun rates activists use