Fact Sheet
August 29, 2024
Fact Sheet: The False Promises of Oregon’s Drug Recriminalization
In 2020, Oregon voters overwhelmingly approved Ballot Measure 110, which decriminalized possession of small amounts of all drugs, while greatly expanding addiction services and social supports. But in 2024, state leaders recriminalized drug possession after a disinformation campaign led by drug war defenders and backed by corporate interests. In a return to the failed war on drugs, people will cycle through the criminal legal system without connection to services. Policymakers must focus on implementing a thorough public health approach to drugs and real solutions to other pressing issues, not on the false promises of criminalizing drug possession.