7 décembre 2022
What Drugs Are Legal in Oregon Now
Posted by under: Non classé .
On Feb. 1, a major experiment began in Oregon: the state decriminalized small amounts of all drugs, including heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine. In the November election, voters passed measure 110 by a margin of 16 points. « We`re already hearing about people coming to Oregon to use them because they know they can take drugs and sleep outside and there`s nothing police can do about it, » said a frustrated Oregon official who asked not to be named because of his work in drug prohibition. Last fall, Oregon voters decriminalized possession of small amounts of nearly all hard drugs, moving away from the model of arrest, charge and prison possession that has been at the heart of U.S. drug policy since President Richard Nixon declared war on drugs 50 years ago this week. « The biggest question is what to do for teens who use these highly addictive street drugs and aren`t on treatment, » Barton said. In Oregon, as in the rest of the country, there are racial differences in who is charged with drug possession. Prior to measure 110, if you were black or from Oregon, you were much more likely to get into trouble because of possession of a controlled substance. However, Oregon has already reduced possession of small amounts of drugs from a felony to a misdemeanor, so few people have spent time in jail just for possession.
Action 110 calls for the establishment of a national network of recreation centres for drug addicts. The problem is that these centers have not yet been set up and do not need to be legal until October. Temporarily, there is a phone line where people can call to do their assessment over the phone. If you don`t want to do that, you`ll pay a fine. Today, anyone arrested by police with small amounts of hard drugs across Oregon receives a civil quote — like a ticket — not a criminal charge. So if you have up to 2 grams of methamphetamine or cocaine, 40 shots of LSD or oxycodone, up to one gram of heroin, among others, you will receive a quote and a $100 fine. This fine disappears if you agree to undergo a health examination through an addiction treatment hotline, an assessment that could lead to counselling or treatment. « Oregans understand that we should treat drug use as a health issue, » said Kassandra Frédérique, executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance. « This is a giant hammer for the cornerstone of the war on drugs. Nevertheless, those who help change the system are well aware that the nation will be watching closely what hopes will become a model for other states that want to stop arresting and prosecuting people with substance use disorders. For example, when officers go (to a car) and notice immediately.
a pipe commonly used to smoke an illegal drug, usually, if a police officer sees this, they would immediately develop a probable cause of a potential crime, » Parosa said. Well, if they`re going to find a pipe that we can only assume contains a residual amount of the drug, that`s nothing more than a violation. « I look forward to helping Oregon law enforcement see this tool as a bridge to recovery, » Holton said. « That`s what it has to be. « Possession of small amounts of the drug will result in a citation, an electronic violation, whereas previously it could have led to arrest and the possibility of jail time, » Fox said. Seaman was previously a physician at the Multnomah County Jail in Portland. He says he has often seen a cycle with patients who must have had a cold turkey in prison: they go through rehabilitation in an unfamiliar environment, they are traumatized, and when they are released, they seek medication to heal themselves. The risk of overdose among opioid users is 129 times higher in the first two weeks after their release from prison. « Some people are really looking for decriminalization to lead to sobriety, and what I would say is that decriminalization can lead people down a path where they make the sobriety decision, but our measure for decriminalization, the way we assess whether it succeeds, is when people are no longer criminalized. » Kassandra Frédérique, said the Executive Director of the Drug Policy Alliance. In Oregon, MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine), GHB (gamma-hydroxybutyrate), ketamine and LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide) are available in varying amounts and are typically used in social venues in more densely populated areas and on college campuses.
Club drugs enter Oregon from a variety of sources: MDMA from Canada, ketamine from Mexico, GHB and LSD from California. Laboratory seizures indicate local production of GHB and LSD. GHB also comes from Internet sources. PCP and psilocybin mushrooms are typically available in and around cities with student populations. [17] Illicit prescription drug use is the fastest growing category of illicit drug use. Admissions for illicit prescription drugs increased by 332% from 1998 to 2008, surpassing admissions for cocaine in 2005. [1] In the United States, the main methods of diversion of legitimate medicines are illicit dispensing and prescribing by physicians, illegal distribution by pharmacists, counterfeit prescriptions, physician purchases, and drug theft from pharmacies, nursing homes, and hospitals. Pharmacy burglaries are prevalent throughout the state, and diversion investigators also encounter drugs purchased over the internet without a doctor`s prescription.
The use and sale of oxycodone (OxyContin, Percocet, Percodan), hydrocodone (Vicodin, Lortab) and anabolic steroids are of concern to the Drug Enforcement Administration. Since January 2008, methadone use in the state has increased significantly. [17] Over time, those working on this issue in Oregon will be able to tell what works and what doesn`t, and adapt accordingly. There is also very little government data to determine which programs work best or to track treatment outcomes and share best practices. There are also no agreed parameters or benchmarks to assess treatment effectiveness in Oregon and nationally. The measure makes possession of small amounts of drugs a civil offence. Violators are subject to a $100 fine, which can be avoided by agreeing to attend a health examination. The Oregon Criminal Justice Commission estimated that annual convictions for possession of a controlled substance would decrease by 3,679, or 90.7 percent. A particular problem for opponents is the lack of language in Measure 110 specifying how the civil penalty system would affect when young people are caught in possession of drugs and whether their parents will be informed. Oregon voters passed Bill 110 in November 2020, which decriminalized possession of all drugs, including cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin.
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