Jon Blistein, writing for Rolling Stone:
Oregon’s state law decriminalizing all drugs officially goes into effect today, February 1st.
The first-of-its-kind initiative, Measure 110, passed overwhelmingly last November, with 58.5 percent voting in favor. As the Salem, Oregon Statesman Journal notes, the law reclassifies possession of small amounts of drugs (e.g. less than one gram of heroin, 40 units of LSD, or 12 grams of psilocybin) as a civil violation that comes with a $100 fine, though that fine can be avoided if the person agrees to seek treatment. For possession of slightly larger amounts of some drugs (such as one to three grams of heroin, or two to eight grams of cocaine), the penalty has been reduced from a felony to misdemeanor possession.
Based on successful decriminalization models implemented in Portugal and Switzerland, proponents of Measure 110 see it as a chance to prioritize drug treatment over police enforcement. New treatment services — including 15 addiction recovery centers to be opened by October 1st — will be funded with excess marijuana tax revenue, which stands at over $45 million now and could grow to $129 million by 2027, per the Drug Policy Alliance. Additionally, Oregon will fund these services with the money it’s expected to save by no longer arresting, incarcerating and prosecuting people for drug possession.
February’s off to a good start.