Is Oregon's controversial drug decriminalization plan working?

ABC News' Ashan Singh reports on Oregon’s attempt to revolutionize drug policy in the United States.

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[ClarkyMalarky]

As a Canadian driving to Portland to pick up a truck camper.. I was blown away from what I saw . It’s not progressive it’s deteriorating.

[That_]

Im an Oregonian born and bred. Measure 110 was the worst thing to happen to Oregon. I lost too many people to drug overdoses. I am ex addict and I know that if you allow drug addicts to keep using without consequences then they will happily continue. Some people really do want to quit but there are a lot of people who never want to quit. If you enable them, they will continue. Portland has become a hell hole that I hate with a passion. It was once the beautiful city that I was proud of and never wanted to leave, now I dream of leaving.

[stuff]

I mean did they think drug addicts would magically turn their lives around?

[AnnoyedPancake-mfbd]

Every time I've ever heard anything about Portland and Oregon in the last 5 years, its been something absolutely next level retärded

[randallmartin]

The fact that they can't admit their mistake concerning the Bill makes me furious.

[farber]

Only half the policy was implemented, the treatment programs never happened.

[drewkoenen]

As an addict that has been clean for over 30 yrs, this doesn’t work. Long term rehabilitation is needed. And ! If the person isn’t willing to fight to get clean, it won’t work.

[m.peterson]

As an Oregonian…. Thank God, this has been a nightmare! It had good intentions but they went about it in a hair brained way.

[johnbellissimo]

>Decriminalize drugs
>Didn’t expand treatment programs
>Didn’t build more housing
>Didn’t improve access to better jobs (education, skilled labor training)
Why didn’t drug decriminalization work???

[krakatoainc]

Not all "revolutionary" ideas are good ideas.

[ericrunes]

There’s a difference between common sense drug enforcement that understands how to treat drug addiction as a health crisis… and creating legislation that allows junkies and tweakers to run wild on the streets with wanton disregard for the rest of society. I live in Eugene OR and our city is absolutely as bad as Portland (possibly worse because it’s a smaller city). Not only have these choices led to this becoming a place most would never want to raise children or a family… it’s opened the door to an absolute flood of fentanyl… honestly I don’t even think people here use heroin anymore it’s all meth and fentanyl!

[RCA]

By all means, be wishy washy when it comes to the law.
That results in minimal compliance.
Always do things as stupidly as possible.

[chadl]

We moved to Colorado from Portland last year due to the lawlessness and filth of Portland. We were in the middle of 2 different shoots downtown Portland within 2 months before we decide to leave. The people that were shot and didn't die drove themselves to the hospital because it was faster to drive yourself than wait for the ambulance and police to show up. They can change the law but it will not reverse the mess they made for many many

[petermello]

Politicians always want to take the easy way out.

[neosapienz]

I used to be all for legalizing drugs and letting people figure it out. Unfortunately, people are incapable of figuring it out on their own in enough cases where allowing it has created more suffering for everyone.

[everythingisfine]

I wouldn't be surprised the problems persist. It wasn't the decriminalizing of drugs that caused all this. It was the decriminalizing of theft and violent crime. Did they fix that?

Edit: Portugal's had a successful program for 20 years. Oregon's government should probably have consulted them before taking on the process of drug decriminalization.

[SOWICKEDIMWUZIE]

Imagine letting people get addicted then forcing them to quit after a 4 year binge

[jackkelly]

If you decriminalising weed its one thing decriminalising meth is completely different a weed addict is generally harmless where as a meth or heroin addict are generally very mentally unconnected from their actions and often very violent

[Lets_b_honest]

Wait... legalizing drugs didn't work out?!? I'm stunned!!!!

[kyungshim]

Politicians responsible for this crisis won't admit that they caused this mess up. Now they beat around the bush when trying to answer questions related to the crisis they caused.