Oregon House votes to end state's dalliance with decriminalization, passing drug policy bill kgw.com/article/news/p…

A law that achieves 85% of what we proposed now is well worth the lives and communities that will be saved sooner rather than waiting for the passage and implementation of a ballot measure over a year from now. #orpol #orleg oregonlive.com/politics/2024/…

A wide range of associations, groups and businesses all support HB 4002 and are now urging the Senate to vote "yes" to get the bill onto the Governor's desk. #orpol #orleg

"The bill’s passage crystallized the public’s mounting buyers’ remorse – documented in multiple polls – that has dogged Measure 110 since its early days. It is unusual for the Legislature to effectively reverse the will of voters so quickly, underscoring how dramatically the

"That is why drug-treatment courts—a bipartisan model offering structured treatment with incentives—work. Drug-treatment courts bring in both the public-safety system and public-health system to hold people with substance use disorders accountable, something Measure 110 never

“Oregonians are ready to turn the page on the failed experiment of Measure 110. We urge the Governor to sign HB 4002 and supportive funding without delay to immediately kick in tougher penalties against drug dealers and to give local officials the maximum time to plan and

“Measure 110 is the gasoline that was thrown on a fire that was already burning out of control,” Washington County District Attorney Kevin Barton said. washingtonexaminer.com/news/2911701/o…

"Oregon is backing away from its controversial experiment with decriminalizing drug use, while San Francisco voters last week approved a ballot measure requiring drug screening for people receiving public benefits suspected of illicit drug use." axios.com/2024/03/12/dru…

in The Atlantic, Rob Bovett and I describe how the designers of Oregon's now-repealed drug policy misunderstood addiction and misunderstood Oregon. theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/…

This is a victory for Oregon—a second chance to save lives and rescue communities. Our ballot initiatives amplified the voices of Oregonians who overwhelmingly understood that Measure 110 has done more harm than good to the state we all love. Legislators listened. Today, we are

Measure 110 failed because it was driven by ideology, not best practices, science, or common sense. Decriminalized drugs are a policy failure, not simply a bureaucratic failure to “implement.” nytimes.com/2024/04/01/us/…

Very insightful op-ed on why drug decriminalization failed in Oregon. Worth the read. theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/…

"The law encourages officers and district attorneys to refer drug users to 'deflection' programs that will keep arrests off their records. Convictions for drug possession will also be expunged after three years. In other words, Oregon’s new rules maximize compassion, even as they

Multnomah County DA-elect says he's been frozen out of drug deflection program planning kgw.com/article/news/l…

"Two commissioners told KOIN 6 News they don’t like what has been proposed: letting those caught with drugs not be required to participate in a deflection program. Instead, all they would have to do is check in at a drop-off center — but not have to go through a screening or a

Yesterday, Max Williams sent a letter to Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson, DA Mike Schmidt, and Mayor Ted Wheeler, sharing concerns about the County's plan for the implementation of HB 4002. See the full text in the photos.