Home WebMail Friday, November 1, 2024, 11:26 PM | Calgary | -2.1°C | Regions Advertise Login | Our platform is in maintenance mode. Some URLs may not be available. |
Posted: 2020-11-04T04:13:37Z | Updated: 2020-11-04T14:09:28Z

Oregon is set to become the first U.S. state to decriminalize possession of all illegal drugs after voters passed a ballot initiative in Tuesdays election, according to projections.

With the passage of Measure 110, Oregonians can no longer be criminally charged for possessing small amounts of illegal drugs, including heroin, methamphetamine and cocaine. The punishment for these felony and misdemeanor drug possession offenses will now be a simple $100 fine. The initiative also redirects some taxes raised through sales of legal marijuana to finance a new voluntary treatment system for drug users.

This marks the nations most significant development toward ending the 50-year war on drugs launched by President Richard Nixon. That catastrophic policy, disproportionately waged against Black, Latino and economically disadvantaged communities, swept generations of young men into a revolving-door criminal justice system punishing them for illegal drug possession or sales while drug usage rates held steady and overdose deaths skyrocketed.

Oregons initiative had broad support from groups like the NAACP Portland, local Black Lives Matter chapters, physicians groups and AFSCME, the government workers union whose membership includes corrections officers. It attracted no organized opposition.

Your Support Has Never Been More Critical

Other news outlets have retreated behind paywalls. At HuffPost, we believe journalism should be free for everyone.

Would you help us provide essential information to our readers during this critical time? We can't do it without you.

You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest we could use your help again . We view our mission to provide free, fair news as critically important in this crucial moment, and we can't do it without you.

Whether you give once or many more times, we appreciate your contribution to keeping our journalism free for all.

You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest we could use your help again . We view our mission to provide free, fair news as critically important in this crucial moment, and we can't do it without you.

Whether you give just one more time or sign up again to contribute regularly, we appreciate you playing a part in keeping our journalism free for all.

Support HuffPost

Drug Policy Action, a national drug reform group, led the campaign to pass the initiative. The group spent nearly $4.5 million on the effort, while working with state and local activists and supporters.

Supporters of drug decriminalization said they hope the passage of Oregons Measure 110 encourages other states to pass similar ballot initiatives or legislation that will ease the war on drugs. They aim to copy the success of the marijuana legalization movement, which has spread quickly across the U.S. over the past decade.

Oregon has been a leader in liberalizing its drug laws in recent years. The state legalized marijuana in 2014 and reduced many drug penalties from felonies to misdemeanors in 2017.