Oregon legalizes all drugs

[Bene Futuis]

Oregon law to decriminalize all drugs goes into effect, offering addicts rehab instead of prison:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2021/02/01/oregon-decriminalizes-all-drugs-offers-treatment-instead-jail-time/4311046001/

[GwynnInTheHall]

Oregon law to decriminalize all drugs goes into effect, offering addicts rehab instead of prison:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/...me/4311046001/

Great start.

[Kevin Seitzer]

I think this is great, particularly providing support for other ways to fight addiction rather than prison.

One of my favorite Twitter follows is a former heroin addict who is now a criminal justice reporter and reform advocate (Keri Blakinger). Hearing her talk about what a disaster the prison system is for people actually want to reform themselves has been sobering.

[GwynnInTheHall]

I think this is great, particularly providing support for other ways to fight addiction rather than prison.

One of my favorite Twitter follows is a former heroin addict who is now a criminal justice reporter and reform advocate (Keri Blakinger). Hearing her talk about what a disaster the prison systems is for people actually want to reform themselves has been sobering.

This will also help with the inequity in sentencing as POC get jailed at a higher rate and longer duration for simple possession.

[Sour Masher]

I think this is great, particularly providing support for other ways to fight addiction rather than prison.

One of my favorite Twitter follows is a former heroin addict who is now a criminal justice reporter and reform advocate (Keri Blakinger). Hearing her talk about what a disaster the prison system is for people actually want to reform themselves has been sobering.

I see what you did there.

[Sour Masher]

This will be a very interesting test case. Of course, other countries have done this with success, but folks are skeptical things that work elsewhere can work in Merica. If this works there, it could spread to a few other places, but I doubt it ever goes federal.

[The Feral Slasher]

This will be a very interesting test case. Of course, other countries have done this with success, but folks are skeptical things that work elsewhere can work in Merica. If this works there, it could spread to a few other places, but I doubt it ever goes federal.

Other countries have done a lot of things with success that "folks" are skeptical will work in America. Why are folks skeptical is the bigger question.

[Sour Masher]

Other countries have done a lot of things with success that "folks" are skeptical will work in America. Why are folks skeptical is the bigger question.

Obviously, because what works in countries filled with sheeple won't work in a country with freedom loving, God fearing folk like we got in Georgia's 14th Congressional district. Plus, this is obviously a plot by the left to sedate the masses to make it easier for them to take away all of their other rights.

I really do not know what tail is wagging what dog anymore. I used to think it was the right-wing media and politicians that was the dog and the voters the tail. But after Trump, I realize it may be the voters that really set the agenda and the media and politicians are not leading the way but catering to their clientele. Trump did not convert millions of people this his way of thinking. He identified their way of thinking and created himself in their image.

[chancellor]

This will be a very interesting test case. Of course, other countries have done this with success, but folks are skeptical things that work elsewhere can work in Merica. If this works there, it could spread to a few other places, but I doubt it ever goes federal.

I agree with GITH that it's a great start. I've said here before that our War on Drugs was a stupid policy from day 1.

That said, it's not just the US that's skeptical - Portugal decriminalized years ago, and if you believe their statistics, HIV dropped precipitously and use of hard drugs to a degree. Yet Spain has nowhere near the same policies, and they share a border and have significant cultural similarities. Germany the same, yet Austria's laws are nowhere near as liberal as Germany's. Same for the Dutch and the Belgians. And now the Dutch have a very significant problem with drug gangs manufacturing huge amounts of synthetics.

[Sour Masher]

I agree with GITH that it's a great start. I've said here before that our War on Drugs was a stupid policy from day 1.

That said, it's not just the US that's skeptical - Portugal decriminalized years ago, and if you believe their statistics, HIV dropped precipitously and use of hard drugs to a degree. Yet Spain has nowhere near the same policies, and they share a border and have significant cultural similarities. Germany the same, yet Austria's laws are nowhere near as liberal as Germany's. Same for the Dutch and the Belgians. And now the Dutch have a very significant problem with drug gangs manufacturing huge amounts of synthetics.

Yeah, anything this big will have unintended consequences. This is a radical change and I understand caution/conservatism on such matters. But it seems like we all agree what we have been doing has been an unmitigated failure on all levels and a tremendous waste of resources. This solution is not going to create a utopia in Oregon, but it is hard for me to fathom it will make things worse overall, and there is at least some evidence that it will make things a good deal better.

There should be bipartisan support for this to be tired out elsewhere, and maybe that will grow in time. The right left debate on this should not be if this should be tried out, but if we used to tremendous savings on this to fund treatment and other programs, which I imagine those on the left would advocate for, or give it back to tax payers and/or pay down the debt, which I imagine those on the right would be for, and ideally, there would be a compromise where we split the difference and make everyone happy with this. Decriminalization is really something progressives and libertarians agree on, so it will just taking convincing the moderate and conservative middle.

[chancellor]

Yeah, anything this big will have unintended consequences. This is a radical change and I understand caution/conservatism on such matters. But it seems like we all agree what we have been doing has been an unmitigated failure on all levels and a tremendous waste of resources. This solution is not going to create a utopia in Oregon, but it is hard for me to fathom it will make things worse overall, and there is at least some evidence that it will make things a good deal better.

There should be bipartisan support for this to be tired out elsewhere, and maybe that will grow in time. The right left debate on this should not be if this should be tried out, but if we used to tremendous savings on this to fund treatment and other programs, which I imagine those on the left would advocate for, or give it back to tax payers and/or pay down the debt, which I imagine those on the right would be for, and ideally, there would be a compromise where we split the difference and make everyone happy with this. Decriminalization is really something progressives and libertarians agree on, so it will just taking convincing the moderate and conservative middle.

Pretty much agree. Just wanted to point out that it's not just the US that's doubtful this is good policy - there's many that actually border countries where this is done who are much more liberal than the US and have said "hmmm...nope".

[The Feral Slasher]

Obviously, because what works in countries filled with sheeple won't work in a country with freedom loving, God fearing folk like we got in Georgia's 14th Congressional district. Plus, this is obviously a plot by the left to sedate the masses to make it easier for them to take away all of their other rights.

I really do not know what tail is wagging what dog anymore. I used to think it was the right-wing media and politicians that was the dog and the voters the tail. But after Trump, I realize it may be the voters that really set the agenda and the media and politicians are not leading the way but catering to their clientele. Trump did not convert millions of people this his way of thinking. He identified their way of thinking and created himself in their image.

Yeah, or it could all be about money.

[GwynnInTheHall]

Yeah, or it could all be about money.

It's always about the money.

[The Feral Slasher]

It's always about the money.

Yes it is

[Sour Masher]

Yes it is

Then who is making the fat stacks in Oregon over this change?