Oregon’s controversial measure 110 went into effect Monday, decriminalizing possession of hard drugs such as cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and oxycodone, according to reports.
The measure reclassifies possession of small amounts of hard drugs as a civil offense: offenders will be fined $ 100, which they can avoid with a “health assessment” – a 24-hour, 7-day-a-week telephone service that will help determine which services. a person needs.
Small amounts contain less than 1 gram of heroin or MDMA; 2 grams of cocaine or methamphetamine; 12 grams of psilocybin mushrooms; and 40 doses of LSD, oxycodone or methadone.
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“People who suffer from addiction are treated more effectively with health care than with criminal penalties,” the bill reads. “A health care approach involves health assessment to identify the needs of people suffering from addiction, and it also includes connecting them to the services they need.”
Oregon will also fund addiction treatment and harm reduction efforts by rearranging millions of dollars from the state tax on cannabis.
Moderate amounts of those same drugs were also reduced from a felony to a felony, simple possession, according to the Registry Guard.
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Voters approved the measure in November with strong support from more than 100 organizations, including the Oregon Chapter of the American College of Physicians, Oregon Nurses Association, Oregon School Psychologists’ Association, Oregon Academy of Family Physicians, the ACLU, and others.
“It takes a lot of courage to try something new, and I’m really proud of our state,” said Haven Wheelock, a harm reduction specialist who filed the measure, said OPB. “I love being a model for other places to show that we don’t have to harm people because they are sick.”
Opponents of the measure argued that Oregon was ill-equipped to tackle such a radical new approach to drug use and addiction.
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“I am hopeful with this new effort that it will be successful in tackling addiction, but I think everyone can agree it is an experiment,” said Kevin Barton, Washington County district attorney.
Fox News’ Paul Best contributed to this report.