For those of you who’ve watched Portlandia, this news may come as no surprise.
The state of Oregon may be the first in US to decriminalise drugs like heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, and MDMA after the recent passing of two ‘landmark bills’ in the House of Representatives.
As reported by HERB, House Bill 378 “reduces drug-related property crimes from felonies to misdemeanors,” whilst 2355 “decriminalize[s] at least six drugs, as long as the person doesn’t have any prior felonies or more than two prior drug convictions.”, meaning when possession in ‘personal’ quantities would yield no criminal consequences.
The laws do not condone drug use, however, they do lessen the legal consequences for those without prior recorded drug charges – an important step in the right direction for drug laws.
Whilst discussing drug usage Rep. Mitch Greenlick (D-Portland) said to The Lund Report, We’ve got to treat people, not put them in prison. It would be like putting them in the state penitentiary for having diabetes. This is a chronic brain disorder and it needs to be treated this way”. Oregon was also the first state to decriminalise cannabis, back in 1973.
