Oregon’s drug decriminalization experiment known as Ballot Measure 110, passed by the voters in 2020, has failed to address our state’s drug addiction crisis. Since its implementation, overdoses have skyrocketed and deadly drug use has increased. Meanwhile, according to some observers, law enforcement has felt alienated, and addicts haven’t sought the treatment they desperately need.

“Oregonians have spoken clearly. They don’t feel they were told the whole truth about Measure 110. Now it is the Legislature’s job to hear voters and respond to their concerns,” said Senate Republican Leader Tim Knopp (R-Bend). “Communities across Oregon feel the drug addiction crisis worsening. We need a solution, and we need it now. The Senate Republican Caucus will ask the newly formed Joint Addiction and Community Safety Response Committee to consider a bill referring Measure 110 back to Oregon voters.”

Legislative Democrat leaders have created a Joint Interim Committee on Addiction and Community Safety. Senator Tim Knopp will represent the voice of Senate Republicans on the committee.

According to recent polls:

• 63% of voters would support bringing back criminal penalties for the possession of hard drugs.
• 65% of voters felt that Measure 110 has made addiction and overdoses in the State of Oregon worse.
• 63% of voters felt that Measure 110 has worsened the homelessness crisis.

House Republicans put out a statement saying that they "remain dedicated to advancing solutions to the crisis created by Measure 110. With the announcement of the Joint Addiction and Community Safety Response Committee, the Legislature will soon begin to create legislation meant to deal with the crisis. The same Democrat leaders and committee chairs who chose not to advance bills in the last legislative session to address Oregon’s drug and crime crisis are finally willing to deal with the pleas of desperate Oregonians. Ironically, the Democrats chosen to serve on this committee are the same members who refused to hear Republican solutions in their committees as chairs. While Republicans are happy to see movement on the issue, they are concerned it may too little, too late."

“The Democrat majority has allowed the drug crisis to worsen each day by ignoring nearly every opportunity to fix Measure 110 when we had the chance. I am relieved that Democrat leaders have finally recognized the responsibility we have to address a problem exacerbated by their failed policies and prolonged by their inaction. However, the same people who helped create the problem and continue to perpetuate the problem will not solve the problem. House Republicans are committed to hearing all potential solutions to fix Measure 110 and urge Democrats to do the same,” said House Republican Leader Jeff Helfrich (R-Hood River).

In 2020, Oregonians approved Ballot Measure 110, bought and sold to voters as an experiment to address drug addiction from a public health approach instead of criminalization. It has had deadly consequences. Measure 110’s shortcomings have fallen most heavily on drug users in every community across Oregon. Since its implementation, overdoses rose 61% compared to 13% nationally. On average, 3 Oregonians die each day from unintentional drug overdose.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

Fentanyl, a drug that is 50 times stronger than heroin, has surpassed methamphetamine as the most frequent drug involved in overdose deaths in Oregon. For all ages, fentanyl overdoses surged nearly 600% between 2019 and 2021. And it kills Oregon’s teenagers at a rate higher than any other state. The Oregon Health Authority reports that the amount of seized fentanyl in Oregon's high intensity drug trafficking areas increased from 690 counterfeit pills in 2018 to more than 2 million in 2022.

Recognizing the urgent need to solve Oregon’s drug crisis, last session House Republicans proposed several measures fixing or reversing the most ineffective portions of Measure 110. They included:

• HB 2973: Referral to the People. Allows voters to decide whether Measure 110 is still Oregon’s chosen path to solve the drug crisis.
• HB 2310: Reestablishes criminal penalties for possession and distribution of hard drugs, including fentanyl, that were stripped by Measure 110, while still supporting funds that go towards expanding access to rehabilitation programs.
• HB 3549: Restores criminal penalties for possession of controlled substance offenses to level prior to enactment of Measure 110 when person has been previously cited for Class E violation for possession of hard drugs.

--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2023-09-29 16:19:04

Last Update: 2023-09-29 17:01:26