Oregon's 2020 drug decriminalization law expired Sunday, ending a first-in-the-nation effort to make possession of small amounts of hard drugs punishable by tickets and fines of up to $100.
Starting Sunday, possession of any amount of illegal drugs for personal use will be a misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in jail.
The new law, passed in March, makes it easier for police to crack down on drug use in public places by re-criminalising drug use and introducing tougher penalties for those selling drugs in parks.
The new law also overhauls a 2020 ballot measure approved by 58% of Oregon voters in November as a novel approach to addressing problems in the criminal justice system while trying to get drug addicts access to the treatment they need.
Supporters of decriminalization argue that prison is an ineffective way to curb drug abuse and call instead for a treatment response.
The 2020 initiative redirected hundreds of millions of dollars the state received from marijuana taxes toward addiction treatment services.
But state auditors found the system was ill-prepared to launch new addiction programs, especially as the fentanyl crisis caused a surge in deadly overdoses and health officials had to deal with ongoing COVID-19 issues.
The new law also provides a way to provide treatment as a first line of defense for people arrested for personal drug-related offenses. The new law encourages counties to create programs to divert these people from the criminal justice system, but some have expressed concerns about some aspects of the programs.
Some worry that relying on counties to establish diversion treatment programs could create an uneven playing field, confuse professionals and give certain individuals an advantage over others.
The Oregon Criminal Justice Commission said 28 of the state's 36 counties have already applied for grants to establish the fund, with $20 million expected to be allocated over the next year, The Associated Press reported.
Oregon House Republican leader Minority Leader Jeff Helfrich expressed concern about the lack of time to set up these programs.
“Unfortunately, I feel like we're failing people,” Helfrich said.
The Associated Press contributed.
