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"I intend to sign House Bill 4002 and the related prevention and
treatment investments within the next 30 days," Kotek, a
Democrat, said in a statement.
The reversal, which can impose a misdemeanor sentence of 180
days for drug possession, was an acknowledgment that Measure
110, approved by voters in November 2020, failed in its approach
to treat addiction as a public health matter, not a crime.
Even as the state poured money from cannabis taxes into recovery
services, cities like Portland experienced people openly
consuming drugs in front of stores, trendy restaurants and
hotels, many of them crouched over torch lighters held up to
sheets of tinfoil or meth pipes.
Meanwhile Oregon's drug overdose deaths, which increased by a
third from 2019 to 2020, rose another 44% in 2021, according to
state figures.
Under Measure 110, instead of arresting drug users, police could
issue $100 citations along with drug treatment information. But
there were no ramifications for declining treatment, and state
data showed only 4% of those who received citations called the
hotline.
In November 2020, Measure 110 won support from 58% of voters.
But by August last year, a survey by Emerson College found 56%
of Oregonians supported a total repeal and 64% supported
changes.
While HB 4002 reimposes penalties, it also enables local
governments and law-enforcement agencies to choose whether they
want to offer users the opportunity to pursue drug treatment
before going to jail.
Nearly two dozen of Oregon's 36 counties have agreed to opt into
the treatment-first approach, the Oregonian reported, citing
state lawmakers.
(Reporting by Daniel Trotta; Additional reporting by Deborah
Bloom; Editing by Sam Holmes)
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