Oregon Just Became The First State To Decriminalize These Drugs

Oregon recently made history by becoming the first state in the U.S. to decriminalize possession of small amounts of all drugs.

Oregon voters passed the initiative, known as Ballot Measure 110, in the November 2020 election, and the new rule officially took effect Monday.

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Today, the first domino of our cruel and inhumane war on drugs has fallen, setting off what we expect to be a cascade of other efforts centering health over criminalization. Kassandra Frederique with the Drug Policy Alliance

Under the new rule, those caught with small amounts of hard drugs, including heroin, methamphetamine, LSD, cocaine, methadone, oxycodone and MDMA, will not be arrested. Instead, they'll face a fine of $100 or a health assessment potentially leading to addiction counseling.

An advocacy group, known as the Drug Policy Alliance (DPA), spearheaded the push for drug decriminalization.

"The change represents a substantial shift in America’s half-century long war on drugs that has led to the criminalization and punishment of millions and has disproportionately harmed communities of color," the organization said in a statement today. 

DPA Executive Director Kassandra Frederique says this initiative is just the first step in decriminalizing drugs nationwide. 

"Over the last year, we have been painfully reminded of the harms that come from drug war policing and the absence of necessary health services and other support systems in our communities," said Frederique in the statement, "Today, Oregon shows us a better, more just world is possible.”