Friend, a new study co-authored by public health experts and CDC researchers found that decriminalizing drugs through Measure 110 was not associated with an increase in overdose deaths in Oregon.
This is a big deal and it’s making headlines nationwide from Axios and Newsweek to Time and more.
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This study confirms what we already know to be true – you can’t blame a local policy for a national issue. Overdose deaths rose in Oregon as well as in all other 49 states and Washington, D.C. where criminal penalties for drug possession remain.
Through Measure 110, Oregon invested millions in addiction services and social supports while others continued to punish and lock people up for drugs. Oregon’s overdose death rate remains below the national average and is comparable to other western states.
Decriminalizing drugs is not to blame for these preventable deaths. What’s fueling the overdose crisis is the unregulated and adulterated drug supply with fentanyl driving the surge in deaths nationwide.
How did we get here? After crackdowns on prescription opioids and heroin in the early 2000s, fentanyl entered the market and the overdose crisis intensified. This is known as the “iron law of prohibition” where harsh enforcement leads to more potent drugs, which is why fentanyl has overtaken the drug supply and become the major cause of deaths.
It’s led to an overdose crisis that claimed 110,000 lives nationally in 2022. We know even one overdose death is too many. That’s why we’ve been advocating for health solutions instead of the punitive drug war policies that have only made the overdose crisis worse.
As our opponents blame decriminalization for every social problem in Oregon and try to undo Measure 110, this new study is yet more proof that their claims are unfounded.
We know Oregonians deserve real solutions to the concerns they have in their communities. Measure 110 is part of the solution by treating drug use as a health issue. Policymakers in Oregon must strengthen Measure 110 by expanding accessible services and supports people need to both address their needs while ensuring safety for communities, without criminalization and coercion.
