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Oregon Decriminalized All Drugs During the 2020 Election. How are They Doing Now?

Overshadowed by the 2020 presidential election, this bill ‘s outcomes in Oregon have the potential to shift the way the US views drug decriminalization.

By Nicholas Just, April 18, 2021

You may recall that in November, among the chaos surrounding the election outcome, Ballot Measure 110 was passed in the state of Oregon with a 58% support among Oregon voters. Also known as the Drug Addiction Treatment and Recovery Act, this law completely changes the way Oregon’s government will react to drug usage by decriminalizing it entirely.

This new way of treating drug abuse is much less expensive, but the decriminalization of all drugs seems nightmarish to some. The measure is seemingly very bold, and the nation will surely keep a close eye on the results of this legislation.

Oregon as a state has been particularly struck by the opioid epidemic; drug use is all too common in the state, and Measure 110 was a part of a long decriminalization campaign.

The people of Oregon had been long fighting for less harsh punishments of drug users, as the misdemeanor charge that had been previously attributed to drug abusers in Portland does discourage some drug use but it also directly causes unemployment, homelessness and poverty.

Treating drug users as patients rather than criminals combats these problems, but some are afraid that the city will only become an epicenter or safe haven for drug users.

Measure 110 also attempts to provide housing for the homeless population and clinics for drug abusers that would have been prosecuted. Neither have been provided due to lack of funding, but the measure argues that it should pay for itself: “Oregon now receives more than 100 million dollars in tax revenue a year”.

Additionally, each offense is said within the measure to have cost the state 15,000 dollars on average, making noncriminal treatment less expensive by comparison. 

According to the Oregon Health Authority, there was a spike in overdoses with 343 deaths attributed to drug abuse in the years prior to and during the pandemic. However, a drop in overdoses has been observed statewide.

The drop in deaths could be attributed to the harm reduction for drug users that Measure 110 focused on. The distribution of clean syringes, naloxone and fentanyl test kits the bill authorized, for example, have likely saved lives. This type of harm reduction isn't new, but hopefully other states will increase funding for programs and local organizations, such as the Portland People’s Outreach Project that does this type of thing. 

As for the decriminalization, its effectiveness has yet to be seen because of the clinics’ funding issue. However, we can look at the success of clinics in places like Czechia, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Switzerland, all of which have implemented some form of decriminalization.

Decriminalization was famously effective in Holland and Portugal, Holland's legislation prescription was the first of its kind and inspired the decriminalization movement throughout the world. This is often brought up by advocates of this legislation, such as Bernie Sanders, among other politicians. 

If Measure 110 is successful in Portland, we will likely see legislation in its likeness spread across the nation. Around 49% of prisoners currently in the US prison system were convicted of drug related charges, and these legislations would change that number drastically.

We would especially see a difference in black communities that are disproportionately prosecuted for drug related crimes; for example, African Americans are arrested for violating marijuana possession laws at nearly four times the rates of whites, despite both ethnicities consuming it at roughly the same rates.

If Measure 110 succeeds, the US could see a great step towards rehabilitation of those in need, and towards a more just country. 

Nicholas Just is an author for and co-founder of Young Patriots Magazine.