+26 Oregon Drug Decriminalization was always going to fail. amirite?

by Reinhold59 1 year ago

There is also the fact that addiction drives other petty crime...shop lifting, auto break-ins, muggings, etc. Addicts who need to fix their junk sickness don't give a f about breaking other aws. In San Francisco, there is virtually NO consequence to shoplifting if the value is under $1k.

by Outrageous-Delay 1 year ago

Also the increased number of mind altering drugs people use, the more people will drive on them, and the more random innocent people will be killed in crashes

by Anonymous 1 year ago

So you want prohibition again then?

by TheoryEastern5617 1 year ago

Prohibition failed in part because we let alcohol become a social norm, so at that point banning it did nothing. Hard drugs are not normalized, so their ban actually does prevent a lot of people from even trying them

by Anonymous 1 year ago

So if you had it your way alcohol would be banned too?

by TheoryEastern5617 1 year ago

In a perfect world either yes, I think you can make the argument that alcohol objectively does more hard than good in society, weather or not you or I like to drink it. (Which I totally do)

by Anonymous 1 year ago

It doesn't matter if the law isn't enforced. I go through downtown Portland everyday and see people on the street doing hard drugs out in the open.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

Tl;dr: we shouldn't care about the drugs, we should care about what people do when on drugs.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

But the people who want decriminalization are generally the same people yelling to defund the police.

by Dazzling_Current_926 1 year ago

The part that people don't hear when talking about defunding the police is that it's about reallocating the funding to other services. Drug addiction is an issue, but the root of drug addiction tends to be struggles with mental health. Police aren't equipped to handle mental health issues. The shoot first, as questions later results in a lot of sick people dying. Portugal decriminalized drugs, but also offered the supporting services to deal with the root causes of why someone is an addict.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

That sounds great in theory, but social workers aren't equipped to roll around with violent tweakers, either.

by Dazzling_Current_926 1 year ago

But that's the thing, often they're more well versed with deescalation techniques than cops are. Funding a class of social worker that specializes in this type of stuff is exactly what the whole thing is about. That police shouldn't be just responders for every situation.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

I'm a social worker. I taught de-escalation to law enforcement. We went on calls together. It was a good system and would fall under the "defund the police" ideology because funds were shifted away from part of the police budget to fund the training of cops and the hiring of social workers.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

People get so hung up on the idea that defunding means policing should go away, they can't hear what the reallocation of funds actually does.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

Frankly, I'm sure the police would be delighted to not have to be involved in these situations. But just like some cops get killed every year, some of these mental health workers will get killed. It will be part of the job.

by Dazzling_Current_926 1 year ago

Do you have any idea how often mental healthcare workers already get attacked ? It already is part of the job

by No_Safe118 1 year ago

Sure, I realize that. But sending out social workers to get killed by raving drug lunatics also does not seem an effective solution.

by Dazzling_Current_926 1 year ago

Luckily that imagined scenario you made up in your head isn't how this would work in real life, but thanks for the concern

by Competitive_Long_106 1 year ago

I would have disagreed with you, but, well, what you said seems to make sense.

by carminedavis 1 year ago

I strongly believe there is a certain class of addicts that belong in jail. In Portland for instance, where a scenario like this is an everyday occurrence, someone shooting up on a sidewalk who then discards their hiv infected needle in a public space deserves to be punished for that. Being addicted alone is not deserving of jail time, but if you let your addiction spiral to the point of you being a literal hazard to public safety, something needs to be done about it. This is what Oregon fails to realize, the people creating public disturbances with their drug usage are largely the ones who don't want rehabilitation, it was a horrible idea from the get go the was guaranteed to exacerbate every issue the city already had.

by Different_Waltz5650 1 year ago

That's a lot of words just to say litter laws should be enforced. Not sure what it has to do with drug criminalization though.

by No_Anxiety 1 year ago

Yeah and that ideal ended up causing massive crime and a carpet of needles all over.

by Head-Obligation 1 year ago

I think the drug addicts hold 100% of the blame.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

Drug addicts are just drug addicts, the politicians down in Salem really sold this as a bill of goods that they had no intention of following through with.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

If you're only kind when it benefits you, you're not actually being kind

by dameonheathcote 1 year ago

I think you're inconvenient to look at. I think you're inconvenient to drive by. I think you're inconvenient to smell. I think you're inconvenient to be around. You make my life worse. And I think you should be punished by law because I feel that way about you. Do you think that's fair or right? If the answer is no, why?

by frath 1 year ago

Right! Same with people who have debts! They should go to a special prison where they can "work" their debts off. Also definitely alcohol causes a lot of problems, ya think we should maybe just ban it? Anyone see an issue? Tell you what, I think we should just pick a religion, mandate everyone sign up. If we were all the same religion, life would be far less complicated. You say you're "not the most selfish guy out there." Seems to me like you think we're all here to be "acceptable" to you. So I guess I hope your a troll, cuz if this is really you you ought to feel a level of shame I don't reckon you're capable of.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

You sound really reasonable but there's like ten guys behind and with you who really do want to put people in camps and liquidate them for being inconvenient in some way or other.

by Pfefferhermann 1 year ago

Really that's the best response you could come up with?

by Anonymous 1 year ago

Because most ppl agree with him and not you. That's why this got re-criminalized. Law is just an expression of the public condemnation. Ppl are tired of dealing with homeless, simple as.

by Large-Welder 1 year ago

I have no compassion and I ask none from you. When our turn comes, we will not apologize for the terror.

by Used-Woodpecker-4601 1 year ago

I've found that most wannabee revolutionaries online are the same people who get anxious when ordering food over the phone.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

Hmm... going to have to disagree personally. If the visible drug addicts ODing on the side of the road were in jail maybe they'd actually get help and get cured of their addiction. Removing these people from our society is the first step in having a functional society.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

Maybe if our jails actually had the goal of rehabilitation. But we have some of if not the worst recidivism rates in the developed world

by Anonymous 1 year ago

I think it's a great idea to have a set of prisons dedicated to getting people back on their feet.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

And you think the solution.... is jail? Atleast just say forced rehab if you wanna force them to go somewhere for doing drugs.

by Friendly-Author 1 year ago

If the visible drug addicts ODing on the side of the road were in jail maybe they'd actually get help and get cured of their addiction. Removing these people from our society is the first step in having a functional society. Are these two sentences not obviously contradictory to you?

by Anonymous 1 year ago

Classic conservative narrative spin. Don't interact with the argument being made, just say "it's an absolute disaster", and somehow end up complaining about the word "woke".

by Anonymous 1 year ago

Prepare yourself for the conservative finisher "(whatever place I'm in) has a well known liberal bias!"

by Anonymous 1 year ago

So punish them for ruining their lives?

by EntertainmentEasy 1 year ago

Well you can't force aid onto them. Unless you're pro psych ward, it's either that or deal with the consequences of their presence on the street. Which a lot of ppl are tired of.

by Large-Welder 1 year ago

"Decimalization" of the drug use did not benefit society or the individual. Wider drug use with no repercussions lead to more crime and more drug users. The individuals need help. Whether voluntary or involuntary (incarceration), they need help.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

To call criminal incarceration "help" is absolutely koo-koo bananas. "No repercussions" ??? You don't think drug addicts suffer repercussions? Weather criminalized or not.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

Criminals go to jail and have fewer access to the drugs they are addicted to. They also get medical treatment. The failed experiment showed increase in crime and increase drug use. You think that is a good idea?

by Anonymous 1 year ago

It must be cool to have conservatism and dunking on the left as your entire personality.

by Recent_Tennis 1 year ago

Nah it's not cool. Everyone hates people like that. They're insufferable being they always think they're right and somehow they're nearly always wrong. They never understood what Democrats and liberals were proposing to begin with, yet Strawman their beliefs because they can't actually argue with what they really intended.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

"It was created because far left Oregonians". Source? Wasn't it because criminalization doesn't work?

by Caitlyn43 1 year ago

Corporate, Law Enforcement and Rethuglican malingering is behind a lot of this disinformation copaganda.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

....But public health advocates behind the law say the repeal is coming before decriminalization had a chance to work. They point to Portugal, which saw a 75 percent drop in drug deaths since it adopted the same strategy in 2001 through 2022, as evidence that Oregon is giving up too quickly. Portugal's success, they point out, wasn't achieved overnight or even in three years. Oregon's experiment "was not given the time that it needed," said Tera Hurst, the executive director of Oregon's Health Justice Recovery Alliance. "This is a political response to a serious problem," she said of the measure's likely repeal.... I'm not sure I can really agree with the inevitable failure as you see it.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

That's still gonna and is happening without decriminalizing it tho

by dameonheathcote 1 year ago

I. really don't think we should be monetizing crack cocaine and heroin.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

If it's decriminalized and the worst ticket you get from it is loitering wilst smoking crack, then we need our fingers deeper in the pie. Moneys gotta come from somewhere, especially for the large overhaul that treatment and the other side of the coin of decriminalization implies. Taxing the drugs that are going to be available, and using the "problem" to pay for the problem seems like a logical jumping off point

by Anonymous 1 year ago

The roll out, media coverage and just general timing were all bad things for it. Def needs more time too. Its all such a slow processes and people want answers now unfortunately.

by Spiritual_Reward 1 year ago

Damage control costs less than incarceration. Incarceration gives free prison labor. So guess which always wins.

by Defiant_Reaction 1 year ago

this is extremely over played hand. Prisoners can refuse to work while incarcerated. They can take up internal prison work which is basically a community work to maintain their living quarters.. None of this is slavery

by Plus_Eagle 1 year ago

13th amendment: all slavery and indentured servitude is forbidden except when duly convicted of a crime. And no. Inmates can't refuse. I was an inmate. Tell them no you ain't working. See what happens.

by Defiant_Reaction 1 year ago

I fully believe you, but I'm curious - what does happen? Do they put you in solitary confinement?

by Sorry_Blood_4790 1 year ago

They can do many horrible things. For instance, put you in a situation where you will be harmed by other inmates. Or they can beat you themselves. Or they can put you in the SHU and forget about you. Or they can ship you to a gladiator school. There's so many things they do.

by Defiant_Reaction 1 year ago

Horrible that they enact those kinds of punishments, thank you for your perspective I wasn't aware of that.

by Sorry_Blood_4790 1 year ago

Okay, buddy. Go try it out and let us know how it goes.

by dickinsongonzal 1 year ago

What did

by Defiant_Reaction 1 year ago

I can't imagine how dull your life must be.

by Defiant_Reaction 1 year ago

I linked them. What is wrong with you?

by Anonymous 1 year ago

It's not community work my guy. They get paid sweatshop funds so companies can use cheap labor.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

Yes I know and prisoners can refuse to work their.

by Plus_Eagle 1 year ago

Not really…

by Anonymous 1 year ago

Yay slavery

by Kindly-Cod 1 year ago

Criminalizing drugs hasn't worked either. The world is full of people who are very skilled at pointing out problems, but fall silent when it's time for solutions.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

Putting addicts in jail actually does help things. It doesn't take long to find cases of drugged out people killing innocent people.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

Just today I saw someone on youtube talk about "decriminalize all drugs" which I can't help but feel like is a delusional and out of touch approach to policy

by Anonymous 1 year ago

Exactly! The response is always "decriminalize and have better access to treatment". I'd say the ideal solution is not to get addicted in the first place. Once you're an addict it's like playing Russian roulette with 4 bullets in the chamber. You now have a lifelong disease and no amount of treatment can guarantee you'll make it.

by Reinhold59 1 year ago

The only reason decriminalization worked in the Scandinavian countries was because they built up a really good support system, and it wasn't exactly decriminalized. It was you got caught with drugs, so either rehab or jail.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

David Lee Roth "I use to have a drug problem until I got rich and famous." What you omit from your analogy is the means to support a habit. Certainly if you can infinitely support a habit the only problem is your body giving out. For 95% of folks we cannot support a habit that is insatiable. Conversely there are many more celebs who watched their career and means of income be destroyed by drugs and alcohol.

by Rutherfordcatha 1 year ago

okay well what's your solution for those already addicted? how can we help people not getting addicted to drugs? lol

by Anonymous 1 year ago

It doesn't make sense to send people to prison for years for doing drugs, and it costs a lot more.

by Powlowskisheila 1 year ago

Oregon isn't going to close all the prisons they built.

by Altruistic-Phrase 1 year ago

Day by day people were very much proving that unchecked addiction leads to more homelessness and crime.

by Fast_Trade3385 1 year ago

Less than 1% of the addicts/homeless who were offered treatment accepted it in PDX.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

My question is why does it seem to work in Portugal?

by AssociationWhich 1 year ago

Our legislators wildly mislead us about how this measure would be rolled out, they promised expanded capacity to help treat these individuals and it never happened. Thats why you're seeing these reactions.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

Thats pretty true.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

Yeah I sorta figured we were only getting a piece if the story

by Kindly-Cod 1 year ago

Not sure how anyone can disagree with this looking at how it has played out.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

Look at Portugal bitch

by More_Depth 1 year ago

To be fair, their culture is very different from the U.S.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

Addiction is addiction is addiction

by More_Depth 1 year ago

Yes, but Portugals culture deals with addiction in a way that works better than the way we do in America. That's the difference.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

No. It's starts with good parenting and a community that looks after one another so that no one gets left to deal with depression and other problems on their own that lead to addiction in the first place. Rugged individualism and too much freedom are to blame for a lot of our problems here in America.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

Good luck with promoting "good parenting" when you put the parents in jail for drug use.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

There's no easy solution. I get it.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

Correct me if im wrong but dont these usally come with mandatory rehab for people caught? Obviously addicts arent always making the best decisions but throwing an opiod abuser in rehab when you catch them instead of prison seems like a much more logical solution. (Provided they arent guilty of other crimes which isnt always the case)

by Anonymous 1 year ago

They could enforce laws against using drugs in public and building tent cities on public property. I think by criminalizing drugs again they're just trying to solve the huge number of homeless addicts setting up there in a way thats more politically acceptable than directly targeting homeless people with laws or funding programs to get them off the street

by Anonymous 1 year ago

It was a stupid idea by Oregon and only encouraged hardcore drug users to relocate to Oregon. Downtown Portland is a dump now along with every off ramp.

by Embarrassed_Light 1 year ago

Works in Portugal very well

by Clemensschinner 1 year ago

It works in other Countries but yet for some mystical and magical reason it couldn't work here. Shocking.

by Jordanmorar 1 year ago

They should make all drugs legal and available otc

by Klutzy-Weakness-1364 1 year ago

They hate you because you speak the truth. For you folk who love throating government cock - pray tell why it's fully legal for me to buy and ingest cyanide but morphine, something synthesized by the human body, is a terrible crime?

by Scary-Shine-2592 1 year ago

Oregon has done a 180 and made drug possession criminal again dumb decision. banning helps nothing

by Top_Insect 1 year ago

Its because Oregon didn't invest enough in treatment and also didn't force anyone into treatment

by Anonymous 1 year ago

It was a success

by Anonymous 1 year ago

Its because Oregon didn't invest enough in treatment and also didn't force anyone into treatment. Also what about housing and jobs after treatment? Absolutely failed because of the lack of support system.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

How did Lisbon do it? They did it pretty successfully

by Anonymous 1 year ago

Drug crime is not going to end until; A. Drugs are cheap, legal, taxed, and sold to adults like alcohol in state run pharmacies. B. Public intoxication is ticketed heavily and drug related crime(cartels etc) is cracked down on at the same time. Decriminalization is pointless because it's still criminal pushed product at exorbitant prices. A state produced daily dose of morphine would be like 2$, whereas street price for a daily dose of heroin back in 2015 was 50$.

by Scary-Shine-2592 1 year ago

I think all drugs should be legal.

by Valuable_Statement 1 year ago

A better solution would be to open free recreational drug clinics with monthly rations for the addicts and make sure all the drugs are laced with lethal amounts of fentanyl that way natural selection can take care of the leeches and clean up the streets.

by Such-Page583 1 year ago