One of the country's biggest rollbacks of restrictive drug laws went in effect in February. In November, voters passed a measure to decriminalize possession of small amounts of drugs, making it the first state in the country to do so. Tera Hurst, executive director for the Oregon Health Justice Recovery Alliance, said possession will go from a misdemeanor to a citation, and on that citation will be a number to call for recovery help. "The options will be to pay a $100 fine or call a 24-hour, seven-days-a-week phone line and talk to a peer-support specialist and get a social-services needs screening done," Hurst outlined. Hurst said they then can be connected to someone in their community. Services for treatment options are funded through a portion of marijuana tax revenue. Critics of the new law said it's flawed and are particularly concerned with how it will play out for youths, since there is no language on whether their parents should be notified. The law's
Oregon’s drug treatment system is not ready for Measure 110 aftermath, Salem Reporter finds
Updated Feb 06, 2021;
Posted Feb 06, 2021
“Oregon has one of the worst prevention systems in the country measured by dollars spent,” said Mike Marshall, executive director of Oregon Recovers, which advocates for improving addiction treatment. Courtesy of Oregon RecoversCourtesy of Oregon Recovers
Facebook Share
By Rachel Alexander and Saphara Harrell, Salem Reporter
Oregon is poised to dramatically expand an addiction treatment system that already consumes millions of dollars each year with no clear results.
Oregonians passed Measure 110 last fall to take drug users out of jails and put them into clinics. That could move thousands of people into a system already clogged and lacking evidence it’s effective, an investigation by Salem Reporter found.
Oregon is poised to dramatically expand an addiction treatment system that already consumes millions of dollars each year with no clear results.
Oregonians passed Measure 110 last fall to take drug users out of jails and put them into clinics. That could move thousands of people into a system already clogged and lacking evidence it’s effective, an investigation by Salem Reporter found.
For years, Oregon has had among the highest rates of substance abuse in the country. Federal estimates indicate more than 332,000 Oregonians are substance abusers, based on surveys about drug and alcohol consumption.
Alcohol abuse accounts for the bulk of that, but Oregon ranks first among states in painkiller abuse and second in methamphetamine use.
PORTLAND, Oregon (KPTV) A new law that decriminalizes possession of small amounts of drugs goes into effect through Oregon on Monday.
Voters passed Measure 110 in the November election, and Oregon is the first state in the country to have a rollback like this.
Possession of common street drugs will go from a misdemeanor to a citation, and on that citation will be a number to call for recovery help.
Tera Hurst with the Oregon Health Justice Recovery Alliance talked about those resources.
“The options will be to pay a $100 fine or call a 24-hour, 7-days-a-week phone line and talk to a peer-support specialist and get a social-services needs screening done,” Hurst said