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Oregon votes to decriminalize possession of hard drugs

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ASPartOfMe
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04 Nov 2020, 10:07 am

Arizona, Montana, New Jersey and South Dakota voted to legalize recreational marijuana in nationwide push to relax drug laws

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A nationwide push to relax drug laws scored significant victories on Tuesday as four states voted to legalize marijuana, and Oregon became the first state to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of hard drugs.

Voters in Arizona, Montana, New Jersey and South Dakota passed state ballot measures to legalize recreational cannabis use, major victories in the movement to undo the harms of cannabis criminalization.

The states join the District of Columbia and 11 other states that have already legalized adult use of cannabis, which remains illegal at the federal level in the US. The win puts New Jersey on the path to have the largest weed market on the east coast and one of the largest in the US. It also increases pressure on neighboring states, particularly New York, to follow suit. New Jersey first has to establish rules before weed businesses open, so it’s unclear when the new industry will start.

And in Oregon, voters made history by passing the first state law in the US to decriminalize possession of hard drugs including heroin, cocaine and LSD. The measure backed by criminal justice reform groups is aimed at diverting people from jails and prisons by treating possession as a citation and expanding access to treatment and recovery.

The Oregon drug initiative will allow people arrested with small amounts of hard drugs to avoid going to trial, and possible jail time, by paying a $100 fine and attending an addiction recovery program. The treatment centers will be funded by revenues from legalized marijuana, which was approved in Oregon several years ago.

Oregon voters also approved a measure making it the first state to legalize the therapeutic use of psychedelic mushrooms.


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magz
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04 Nov 2020, 10:16 am

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The Oregon drug initiative will allow people arrested with small amounts of hard drugs to avoid going to trial, and possible jail time, by paying a $100 fine and attending an addiction recovery program.
I find this approach more promising than simple jailing - especially when we think about resocialization outlooks for addicts.


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funeralxempire
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04 Nov 2020, 11:35 am

It's good to see prohibition slowly melting away. 8)


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04 Nov 2020, 11:40 am

Looks like 2020 isn't all doom and gloom.

But there is still some way to go if they consider LSD - which is even less harmful than marijuana - a hard drug.



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04 Nov 2020, 12:05 pm

South Dakota? Holy crap!


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04 Nov 2020, 11:06 pm

funeralxempire wrote:
It's good to see prohibition slowly melting away. 8)
I want a pardon for Al Capone!



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04 Nov 2020, 11:08 pm

Weed still isn't 100% harmless though. You can get arrested if you are baked behind the wheel.



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05 Nov 2020, 3:09 am

StayFrosty wrote:
funeralxempire wrote:
It's good to see prohibition slowly melting away. 8)
I want a pardon for Al Capone!


Why? Did they find evidence he didn't commit tax evasion? :lol:


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StayFrosty
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05 Nov 2020, 1:35 pm

funeralxempire wrote:
StayFrosty wrote:
funeralxempire wrote:
It's good to see prohibition slowly melting away. 8)
I want a pardon for Al Capone!


Why? Did they find evidence he didn't commit tax evasion? :lol:
Because we know the government officials were hoarding the liquor for their buddies and themselves. The prohibition was horses**t.



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05 Nov 2020, 1:40 pm

StayFrosty wrote:
funeralxempire wrote:
StayFrosty wrote:
I want a pardon for Al Capone!
Why? Did they find evidence he didn't commit tax evasion? :lol:
Because we know the government officials were hoarding the liquor for their buddies and themselves. The prohibition was horses**t.

So the DEA might have kept all that weed they have been confiscating throughout the years.... And now they're going to sell it?

Sure, why not? That'll probably cover a decade's worth of federal deficits...



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05 Nov 2020, 2:25 pm

GGPViper wrote:
StayFrosty wrote:
funeralxempire wrote:
StayFrosty wrote:
I want a pardon for Al Capone!
Why? Did they find evidence he didn't commit tax evasion? :lol:
Because we know the government officials were hoarding the liquor for their buddies and themselves. The prohibition was horses**t.

So the DEA might have kept all that weed they have been confiscating throughout the years.... And now they're going to sell it?

Sure, why not? That'll probably cover a decade's worth of federal deficits...


Who wants to buy 30 year old weed? :?


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magz
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05 Nov 2020, 2:27 pm

funeralxempire wrote:
Who wants to buy 30 year old weed? :?

Quite unlike 30 year old whiskey.


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05 Nov 2020, 2:58 pm

GGPViper wrote:
Looks like 2020 isn't all doom and gloom.

But there is still some way to go if they consider LSD - which is even less harmful than marijuana - a hard drug.


I don't really think you know what LSD does.


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05 Nov 2020, 3:14 pm

cberg wrote:
GGPViper wrote:
Looks like 2020 isn't all doom and gloom.

But there is still some way to go if they consider LSD - which is even less harmful than marijuana - a hard drug.


I don't really think you know what LSD does.


Care to enlighten us?


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05 Nov 2020, 3:17 pm

I'm actually going to spare you my anecdote, not everyone lived.


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05 Nov 2020, 3:21 pm

Personally I have seen the damage first hand what enforcing punishment by imprisonment has not only on an individual but on their close family, and later, the society.

Prison is not a cure for drug use or addiction.

You can't punish someone because they have an illness.

Prison often damages individuals who are put into prison for drug use.

My older brother was one of them, who was more of a hippy was put in prison,
he was put in prison for 5 years, but served 3 years for good behavior.

When he came out of prison, he was psychologically damaged and full of hate for his fellow man.
He wanted to hurt people, and commit dishonest and violent crimes.

Some of his new friends from prison were white supremacists.

Prison ruined him, his life, which had a massive impact on my family and my life.
Especially when he died 13 years ago of a drug overdose.

Family left trying to pull the pieces together and make sense out of everything.
I lost a good 10 years out of my life due to the grieving process and the knock
on affect health problems that often accompany bereavement.

I believe decriminalization across the board is the only sensible way forward.
As long as decriminalization comes with education programs, monitor facilities and
optional rehab for anyone who is ready for it.

Such a program would surely be lest costly, and better for society.
Save lives - don't make criminals out of your kids...