After Oregon decriminalized hard drugs in 2020, drug usage and overdose rates skyrocketed. Now, the state has decided to reconsider its position. Oregon’s Democrat governor has signed a bill that restores criminal penalties for possessing small amounts of drugs as the problems of addiction and overdose plague residents across the state. In February, Gov. Tina Kotek declared a state of emergency in Portland as the number of fentanyl overdoses skyrocketed a few years after drug use was decriminalized in the state. Meanwhile, NBC News reports the recently signed law stipulates that possession of small amounts of drugs, including heroin or methamphetamine, will be deemed a misdemeanour. The punishment that comes with being caught with the hard drugs could land suspects in jail for up to six months, the outlet said, adding that officials will offer individuals treatment as another option when it comes to criminal penalties. In 2020, voters in Oregon passed the decriminalization measure that reduced penalties but was also an effort to help those struggling to get treatment. The state’s fentanyl overdose rate has risen by 1,530% in the past few years, a number that was the most dramatic increase rate across America.
Source: Christian Post
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