Oregon's drug decriminalization failure

[Anonymous]

Portugal, which was once the drug decriminalization poster child, is also having regrets about going this route as well: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/07/07/portugal-drugs-decriminalization-heroin-crack/

Portugal became a model for progressive jurisdictions around the world embracing drug decriminalization, such as the state of Oregon, but now there is talk of fatigue. Police are less motivated to register people who misuse drugs and there are year-long waits for state-funded rehabilitation treatment even as the number of people seeking help has fallen dramatically. The return in force of visible urban drug use, meanwhile, is leading the mayor and others here to ask an explosive question: Is it time to reconsider this country’s globally hailed drug model?

“These days in Portugal, it is forbidden to smoke tobacco outside a school or a hospital. It is forbidden to advertise ice cream and sugar candies. And yet, it is allowed for [people] to be there, injecting drugs,” said Rui Moreira, Porto’s mayor. “We’ve normalized it.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m not for decriminalizing drugs but I think addiction should be dealt with medical intervention. Criminal intervention isn’t working. America spends like $100 billion on illegal drugs; clearly “Just Say No” and police aren’t making a dent. We waste a lot of time and money on people who choose to destroy their lives with drugs. What’s your solution?

Did you even listen to the podcast or read the article?

I did read the article. As I stated, I don’t think drugs should be decriminalized. The War on Drugs didn’t work nor did decriminalization. I think conservatives are just for putting people into jail so you don’t have to see them (homeless drug addicts). But we have too many criminals in jail and no one wants to be a corrections officer.

Currently, nothing is working! So what’s the controversy in my posts?!

So if "nothing is working," why are you upset about going back to the status quo?

Because our jails are full and there is a hiring crisis for correction officers. Why do you care if people overdose in jail vs outside of jail?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m not for decriminalizing drugs but I think addiction should be dealt with medical intervention. Criminal intervention isn’t working. America spends like $100 billion on illegal drugs; clearly “Just Say No” and police aren’t making a dent. We waste a lot of time and money on people who choose to destroy their lives with drugs. What’s your solution?

Did you even listen to the podcast or read the article?

I did read the article. As I stated, I don’t think drugs should be decriminalized. The War on Drugs didn’t work nor did decriminalization. I think conservatives are just for putting people into jail so you don’t have to see them (homeless drug addicts). But we have too many criminals in jail and no one wants to be a corrections officer.

Currently, nothing is working! So what’s the controversy in my posts?!

So if "nothing is working," why are you upset about going back to the status quo?

Because our jails are full and there is a hiring crisis for correction officers. Why do you care if people overdose in jail vs outside of jail?

It should be obvious why it's preferable to have something ugly and traumatic like overdosing happening where there's a small/contained audience versus out on the street in front a broad, public audience that includes children......Common sense really is not common.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m not for decriminalizing drugs but I think addiction should be dealt with medical intervention. Criminal intervention isn’t working. America spends like $100 billion on illegal drugs; clearly “Just Say No” and police aren’t making a dent. We waste a lot of time and money on people who choose to destroy their lives with drugs. What’s your solution?

Did you even listen to the podcast or read the article?

I did read the article. As I stated, I don’t think drugs should be decriminalized. The War on Drugs didn’t work nor did decriminalization. I think conservatives are just for putting people into jail so you don’t have to see them (homeless drug addicts). But we have too many criminals in jail and no one wants to be a corrections officer.

Currently, nothing is working! So what’s the controversy in my posts?!

So if "nothing is working," why are you upset about going back to the status quo?

Because our jails are full and there is a hiring crisis for correction officers. Why do you care if people overdose in jail vs outside of jail?

It should be obvious why it's preferable to have something ugly and traumatic like overdosing happening where there's a small/contained audience versus out on the street in front a broad, public audience that includes children......Common sense really is not common.

Yes, it is astonishing that the progressive left decriminalization people believe that it’s better for addicts to die on the cold streets without access to any healthcare than in a jail where there is at least some form of healthcare and a roof. Simply crazy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m not for decriminalizing drugs but I think addiction should be dealt with medical intervention. Criminal intervention isn’t working. America spends like $100 billion on illegal drugs; clearly “Just Say No” and police aren’t making a dent. We waste a lot of time and money on people who choose to destroy their lives with drugs. What’s your solution?

Did you even listen to the podcast or read the article?

I did read the article. As I stated, I don’t think drugs should be decriminalized. The War on Drugs didn’t work nor did decriminalization. I think conservatives are just for putting people into jail so you don’t have to see them (homeless drug addicts). But we have too many criminals in jail and no one wants to be a corrections officer.

Currently, nothing is working! So what’s the controversy in my posts?!

So if "nothing is working," why are you upset about going back to the status quo?

Because our jails are full and there is a hiring crisis for correction officers. Why do you care if people overdose in jail vs outside of jail?

It should be obvious why it's preferable to have something ugly and traumatic like overdosing happening where there's a small/contained audience versus out on the street in front a broad, public audience that includes children......Common sense really is not common.

We don’t have enough people willing to work in the prisons. Overcrowding is an issue and it create serious risk. There is no more room in jail. I’m not arguing for decriminalizing drugs. I don’t think pot should be legal because the rates of psychosis among teenagers have skyrocketed in areas where they have legalized pot. We have arrived at a situation where we can’t keep incarcerating people because States are unwilling to increase the pay of correction officers to hire more (although I’m unsure increasing pay would improve hiring because of demographics) and improve prison conditions.

You keep spouting your common sense BS but I would say you have zero because you look at just one tiny aspect of a problem. We have a problem for a variety of reasons! Saying we need to go back to throwing folks in jail is absurd because it doesn’t address the problems we have with that scenario.

…AND I’m not even going to discuss the fact that police officers also face critical shortages right now!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m not for decriminalizing drugs but I think addiction should be dealt with medical intervention. Criminal intervention isn’t working. America spends like $100 billion on illegal drugs; clearly “Just Say No” and police aren’t making a dent. We waste a lot of time and money on people who choose to destroy their lives with drugs. What’s your solution?

Did you even listen to the podcast or read the article?

I did read the article. As I stated, I don’t think drugs should be decriminalized. The War on Drugs didn’t work nor did decriminalization. I think conservatives are just for putting people into jail so you don’t have to see them (homeless drug addicts). But we have too many criminals in jail and no one wants to be a corrections officer.

Currently, nothing is working! So what’s the controversy in my posts?!

So if "nothing is working," why are you upset about going back to the status quo?

Because our jails are full and there is a hiring crisis for correction officers. Why do you care if people overdose in jail vs outside of jail?

It should be obvious why it's preferable to have something ugly and traumatic like overdosing happening where there's a small/contained audience versus out on the street in front a broad, public audience that includes children......Common sense really is not common.

Yes, it is astonishing that the progressive left decriminalization people believe that it’s better for addicts to die on the cold streets without access to any healthcare than in a jail where there is at least some form of healthcare and a roof. Simply crazy.

Look the idea that you think there is healthcare in prison is comical! I’m arguing this because I have a sibling who has been a CO in three states. Prisons right now are a total sh*tshow. Staffing rates are so low they don’t have the ability to get prisoners to the hospital.

[Anonymous]

The answer is not decriminalizing but having an alternative path to treatment not jail, which doesn’t rely on health insurance because drug addicts are unreliable employees and usually don’t have health insurance since it is tied to employment. Rich drug addicts already have this path because they pay out of pocket for treatment in lieu of jail.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The answer is not decriminalizing but having an alternative path to treatment not jail, which doesn’t rely on health insurance because drug addicts are unreliable employees and usually don’t have health insurance since it is tied to employment. Rich drug addicts already have this path because they pay out of pocket for treatment in lieu of jail.

Money is being poured by states into drug treatment programs which largely haven’t and do not work. We have already tried what you propose.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m not for decriminalizing drugs but I think addiction should be dealt with medical intervention. Criminal intervention isn’t working. America spends like $100 billion on illegal drugs; clearly “Just Say No” and police aren’t making a dent. We waste a lot of time and money on people who choose to destroy their lives with drugs. What’s your solution?

Did you even listen to the podcast or read the article?

I did read the article. As I stated, I don’t think drugs should be decriminalized. The War on Drugs didn’t work nor did decriminalization. I think conservatives are just for putting people into jail so you don’t have to see them (homeless drug addicts). But we have too many criminals in jail and no one wants to be a corrections officer.

Currently, nothing is working! So what’s the controversy in my posts?!

So if "nothing is working," why are you upset about going back to the status quo?

Because our jails are full and there is a hiring crisis for correction officers. Why do you care if people overdose in jail vs outside of jail?

It should be obvious why it's preferable to have something ugly and traumatic like overdosing happening where there's a small/contained audience versus out on the street in front a broad, public audience that includes children......Common sense really is not common.

Yes, it is astonishing that the progressive left decriminalization people believe that it’s better for addicts to die on the cold streets without access to any healthcare than in a jail where there is at least some form of healthcare and a roof. Simply crazy.

Look the idea that you think there is healthcare in prison is comical! I’m arguing this because I have a sibling who has been a CO in three states. Prisons right now are a total sh*tshow. Staffing rates are so low they don’t have the ability to get prisoners to the hospital.

So you believe addicts dying on the cold streets is preferable to dying in jail? Why?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m not for decriminalizing drugs but I think addiction should be dealt with medical intervention. Criminal intervention isn’t working. America spends like $100 billion on illegal drugs; clearly “Just Say No” and police aren’t making a dent. We waste a lot of time and money on people who choose to destroy their lives with drugs. What’s your solution?

Did you even listen to the podcast or read the article?

I did read the article. As I stated, I don’t think drugs should be decriminalized. The War on Drugs didn’t work nor did decriminalization. I think conservatives are just for putting people into jail so you don’t have to see them (homeless drug addicts). But we have too many criminals in jail and no one wants to be a corrections officer.

Currently, nothing is working! So what’s the controversy in my posts?!

So if "nothing is working," why are you upset about going back to the status quo?

Np. Because it. . . Wait for it . . . Didn’t work either. Other than to make you feel good about punishing ppl with addiction and putting them away in an inhumane environment where you don’t have to see them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m not for decriminalizing drugs but I think addiction should be dealt with medical intervention. Criminal intervention isn’t working. America spends like $100 billion on illegal drugs; clearly “Just Say No” and police aren’t making a dent. We waste a lot of time and money on people who choose to destroy their lives with drugs. What’s your solution?

Did you even listen to the podcast or read the article?

I did read the article. As I stated, I don’t think drugs should be decriminalized. The War on Drugs didn’t work nor did decriminalization. I think conservatives are just for putting people into jail so you don’t have to see them (homeless drug addicts). But we have too many criminals in jail and no one wants to be a corrections officer.

Currently, nothing is working! So what’s the controversy in my posts?!

So if "nothing is working," why are you upset about going back to the status quo?

Np. Because it. . . Wait for it . . . Didn’t work either. Other than to make you feel good about punishing ppl with addiction and putting them away in an inhumane environment where you don’t have to see them.

The alternative to the status quo, decriminalization, did not work. So what else do you expect?

[Anonymous]

New Yorker, I think it was, had done an article in the last couple of months. Seems to have been really crazy with different nonprofits with different points of view launching this that and the other thing, a lot of chaos. There really was a problem with the infrastructure for treatment, etc, not being ready for the change. My son, who visited a close friend in Eugene a couple of years ago and saw the craziness up close, believes they should have rolled this out as a pilot in one are (like Eugene) with the resources ready.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m not for decriminalizing drugs but I think addiction should be dealt with medical intervention. Criminal intervention isn’t working. America spends like $100 billion on illegal drugs; clearly “Just Say No” and police aren’t making a dent. We waste a lot of time and money on people who choose to destroy their lives with drugs. What’s your solution?

Did you even listen to the podcast or read the article?

I did read the article. As I stated, I don’t think drugs should be decriminalized. The War on Drugs didn’t work nor did decriminalization. I think conservatives are just for putting people into jail so you don’t have to see them (homeless drug addicts). But we have too many criminals in jail and no one wants to be a corrections officer.

Currently, nothing is working! So what’s the controversy in my posts?!

So if "nothing is working," why are you upset about going back to the status quo?

Because our jails are full and there is a hiring crisis for correction officers. Why do you care if people overdose in jail vs outside of jail?

It should be obvious why it's preferable to have something ugly and traumatic like overdosing happening where there's a small/contained audience versus out on the street in front a broad, public audience that includes children......Common sense really is not common.

Yes, it is astonishing that the progressive left decriminalization people believe that it’s better for addicts to die on the cold streets without access to any healthcare than in a jail where there is at least some form of healthcare and a roof. Simply crazy.

Look the idea that you think there is healthcare in prison is comical! I’m arguing this because I have a sibling who has been a CO in three states. Prisons right now are a total sh*tshow. Staffing rates are so low they don’t have the ability to get prisoners to the hospital.

So you believe addicts dying on the cold streets is preferable to dying in jail? Why?

The horror of dying in jail is that if you are ignored you have absolutely no way to so much as crawl for help. Surely that's obvious.

[Anonymous]

I'm more than okay with not having to see people doing drugs in the street and htting me up for dollars.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m not for decriminalizing drugs but I think addiction should be dealt with medical intervention. Criminal intervention isn’t working. America spends like $100 billion on illegal drugs; clearly “Just Say No” and police aren’t making a dent. We waste a lot of time and money on people who choose to destroy their lives with drugs. What’s your solution?

Did you even listen to the podcast or read the article?

I did read the article. As I stated, I don’t think drugs should be decriminalized. The War on Drugs didn’t work nor did decriminalization. I think conservatives are just for putting people into jail so you don’t have to see them (homeless drug addicts). But we have too many criminals in jail and no one wants to be a corrections officer.

Currently, nothing is working! So what’s the controversy in my posts?!

So if "nothing is working," why are you upset about going back to the status quo?

Np. Because it. . . Wait for it . . . Didn’t work either. Other than to make you feel good about punishing ppl with addiction and putting them away in an inhumane environment where you don’t have to see them.

Who says there is a solution that works? Maybe we’re stuck choosing from all bad options?