Oregon has reversed its landmark drug decriminalisation law, Measure 110, after a three-year experiment that critics say turned the state into a 'hellscape' of open-air drug markets, soaring overdoses and crime. Governor Tina Kotek signed legislation this week restoring criminal penalties for possession of hard drugs, including fentanyl and heroin, effective September 1. Possession will now be punishable by up to six months in prison, marking an ignominious end to what was America's most radical left-wing drug policy.
Measure 110, passed by voters in November 2020, made Oregon the first US state to decriminalise possession of personal amounts of all hard drugs. Supporters hailed it as a compassionate alternative to punitive justice, aiming to treat addiction as a health issue. However, the policy coincided with a dramatic surge in fatal overdoses: accidental deaths from synthetic opioids like fentanyl increased by 500 per cent in the Portland area over four years, far outpacing other states. Open-air drug markets flourished, and crime rose as addicts struggled to feed their habits.
During a visit to Portland last October, journalist Tom Leonard reported that even addicts admitted the policy was a mistake. 'The truth is that addiction rates and overdose rates skyrocketed,' said Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler, a former supporter of Measure 110 who now insists it would have worked with proper treatment services. Experts counter that few addicts seek help without pressure, such as the threat of punishment. The reversal has been welcomed by many Oregonians, who wonder why it took so long to acknowledge the policy's failure.
