Oregon’s controversial experiment with decriminalizing hard drugs officially ends on Sunday, marking the conclusion of what many now see as a failed policy. Data from the Oregon Judicial Department highlights just how ineffective Measure 110 has been, with only 85 people seeking addiction assessments out of thousands cited during the three-year decriminalization period, while overdose deaths soared.
In November 2020, Oregon made history as the first state to decriminalize the possession of hard drugs such as heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, and LSD when voters passed Ballot Measure 110. The law, which took effect on February 1, 2021, reduced possession of these drugs from a criminal offense to a Class E misdemeanor, punishable by a citation of up to $100—comparable to a traffic ticket.
Under Measure 110, those cited for drug possession had the option to either pay the $100 fine or call a substance abuse helpline to have the citation waived. Progressive lawmakers had intended to use revenue from cannabis taxes to fund the state’s addiction treatment programs, hoping to channel hundreds of millions of dollars into these efforts. However, the data shows that very few people paid the fines or contacted the helpline.
In March, state lawmakers voted to