A majority of people living in Oregon would like to repeal the law that decriminalized hard drugs, new polling has found.
The simple truth is that rampant drug abuse is connected to many of the other major problems in the state.
Homeless camps are essentially open-air drug markets and have only increased their numbers in recent years. Drugs are also connected to theft as many addicts resort to crime to support their drug habit.
Repealing this law would be a good start to correcting some of these problems.
The Washington Examiner reports:
Oregon residents increasingly support repealing decriminalization of drugs: Poll
A majority of Oregon residents support repealing a law that decriminalized hard drugs within the state, a reversal of the position’s passage after three years.
A poll commissioned by the Foundation for Drug Policy Solutions surveyed registered Oregon voters to measure public attitudes toward Measure 110, a voter-passed measure in 2020 that decriminalized the possession of hard drugs in favor of expanding addiction treatment options as funded by the state’s cannabis tax.
Measure 110 decriminalized small amounts of drugs such as heroin and other street drugs shortly before fentanyl burst onto the scene as a highly addictive and dangerous synthetic opiate alternative. Fifty-six percent of respondents said that they wanted to see Measure 110 repealed completely, while 45% said the measure should be left as is.
Voters also supported repealing parts of the measure to bring back penalties for possessing small amounts of drugs.
The measure has reportedly had adverse effects on the community, according to respondents. Fifty-four percent of respondents claimed that it increased homelessness in their communities, while 50% said it decreased safety in their communities.
As they say, better late than never.
https://t.co/sDg1FIYZPe pic.twitter.com/FgKUcsW6ZB
— T_p_tio 🎈 (@Txp_RBI_Xctuxl) August 28, 2023
Oh, didn't work out the way you expected? What a shock. https://t.co/wp8B1rkLYs
— Carolina Lion (@CarolinaLion2) August 28, 2023
Oregon will be better off if this goes the right way.