Oregon lawmakers deliver a false bill of goods to public suffering and overdose

Blog August 29, 2024

In 2020, Oregonians overwhelmingly voted for Ballot Measure 110 (M110). This decriminalized possession of small amounts of all drugs and greatly expanded addiction services and social supports. M110 did what it intended — it reduced drug-related arrests that cause barriers to critical supports such as housing and employment, and it allocated nearly $400 million from marijuana tax revenue and law enforcement savings to expand critical services such as drug treatment, recovery services, and housing services.

In 2024, state leaders recriminalized drug possession after a disinformation campaign falsely blamed the measure for hard issues Oregonians were facing, such as homelessness, public suffering, and a national overdose crisis. M110 was used as a political pawn to evade leaders’ shortcomings in addressing these issues.

Statewide criminal penalties for drug possession returned on September 1, 2024 under HB 4002. We spoke with Oregonian Tera Hurst — a person in long-term recovery and executive director of Oregon Health Justice Recovery Alliance — about the false promises of recriminalization, Measure 110’s successes, and why we need a public health approach to drugs and real solutions to other pressing issues.

Tera Hurst is a person in long-term recovery, a co-founding member of Oregon Recovers, and current executive director of Oregon Health Justice Recovery Alliance. She aims to reduce stigma around addiction to enable more access for people who need care. She has over a decade of political experience in Oregon, including leading advocacy efforts for Measure 110 after its passage.

A young woman holds a sign that says "End the Drug War."

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