Oregon lawmakers move to undo part of drug decriminalization law

A group of Oregon Democrats will introduce a bill in the upcoming state legislative session to undo parts of a landmark drug decriminalization law, citing rising overdoses.

Measure 110, passed by a ballot referendum in 2020, eliminated criminal charges for possessing small amounts of any drug. Possessing less than a gram of heroin, for example, would be met with only a $100 fine that could easily be dismissed and is rarely enforced.

Amid growing pushback from voters and political pressure from the state’s GOP, Democrats on the Legislature’s addiction committee announced Tuesday a bill that would recriminalize the possession of small amounts of drugs as a low-level misdemeanor.

The effort, if passed, would allow police to confiscate and punish the use of certain drugs in public places and parks; the state is dealing with the largest increase of synthetic overdose deaths in the country and the third highest of all overdose deaths, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The changes could also make it easier to prosecute drug dealers and ease access to addiction treatment, proponents claim.

“It’s the compromise path, but also the best policy that we can come up with to make sure that we are continuing to keep communities safe and save lives,” state Sen. Kate Lieber (D), who will introduce the decriminalization measure, told The Associated Press.

While the specifics of the bill have not been finalized, “personal use” possession of drugs — except for cannabis and psychedelic mushrooms — would be punishable by up to 30 days in jail or a $1,250 fine.

Misdemeanor charges for possession could be dismissed by attending a meeting with an addiction specialist, Lieber said.

Critics of Measure 110 claim the effort hasn’t made access to addiction treatment any easier, while public drug use has become more common. Proponents say the alternative, returning to the criminalization of drugs, would only hurt those with addiction.

“We don’t believe a return to incarceration is the answer, but restoring a misdemeanor for possession with diversion opportunities is critically important,” Jason Edmiston, chief of police in Hermiston, Ore., told the state’s addiction committee in November.

The Associated Press contributed.