Oregon Governor Signs Bill Reintroducing Criminal Penalties for Drug Possession

Gov. Tina Kotek on Monday signed House Bill 4002, the law reintroducing criminal penalties for possession of small amounts of drugs, and urged those charged with its implementation to prioritize deflection programs.

Advertisement

Starting Sept. 1, Class E violations — created by Measure 110, which eliminated criminal penalties for possession of small amounts of illicit drugs — are repealed under HB4002. Instead, a person with small amounts of illicit drugs will face a new “drug enforcement misdemeanor."

The bill passed with bipartisan support as drug overdose deaths in the state continued to rise.

Ed Morrissey

Decriminalization is a failed experiment. So too are the end of vagrancy laws, or their non-enforcement, which amounts to the same thing. It's long past time to reinstitute disincentives to these destructive behaviors. 

Join the conversation as a VIP Member

Trending on HotAir Videos

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement