Measure 110 (2020) has become one of the most debated ballot measures by voters. Voters felt that drug prohibition had failed and instead of punishing them for small amounts, they needed help. Voters relied on the propaganda that decriminalizing possession of controlled substance would discourage drug dealers and decrease the drug cartel activity and thus reduce illegal drugs on streets. It was advertised that drugs would be cheaper and easier to get for adults suffering from pain that need medical marijuana. That establishing a drug addiction treatment and recovery program would be paid for by state prison savings and marijuana tax revenue.

The Oregon Health Authority reported that more than 60,000 addicts have been helped from Measure 110. In the first three months the report shows that 18,000 were helped and 42,000 through grants. That included housing assistance, access to treatment and hiring assistance costing $3.1 million and created 200 new jobs. Auditors are saying, not so fast. It is too soon to tell if Measure 110 is working. There is very little structure on how the money allotted $264 million was spent, nor can data be connected to the results. House Revenue has discussed cutting funding up to $60 million.

The decriminalizing part of Measure 110 is making addiction worse. Oregon has seen a 3 fold increase in opioid overdose death in the past two years after wiping out laws against hard drugs. Oregon and Washington offer “sanctuary” to criminal aliens making our state a haven for cartels to operate their massive marijuana plantations using illegals as ‘Narco slaves’ for labor.

The Oregon Criminal Justice Commission Report on Illegal Marijuana Market Enforcement states that since the passage of Measure 110, felony arrests of doubled in the three counties reported on: Deschutes, Jackson and Josephine. Firearms taken went from 23 to 156 and the number of illegal marijuana plants went from 13,677 to 551,004

In 2016, Oregon spent about $375 million on drug prohibition compared to 2019 when Oregon spent about $470 million on substance abuse treatment. Now Governor Kotek is aimed at giving the addicted “woke” homeless subsidies in free housing, food stamps, welfare, meals, tents, tarps…all their basic needs, plus $1,000 cash every month for two years to support their drug addiction (SB 603). Maybe she is counting on fentanyl to wipe them out of their misery to reduce the homeless.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

Representative Lily Morgan (R-Grants Pass) with Representative E. Werner Reschke (R-Crater Lake) think the homeless are humans deserving to be saved from themselves and have sponsored HB 3549. This bill will restore criminal penalties for possession of controlled substance offenses to levels prior to enactment of the Drug Addiction Treatment and Recovery Act of 2020 when person were previously cited for Class E violation for possession of controlled substance.

This bill would take a tiered approach to drug possession and return some accountability to our drug law after Measure 110 passed. It will focus on treatment and keep those from exploiting our system. The tiers work like this:

1. The first encounter would maintain the current M110 Class E Violations.
2. The second would be a felony possession, with eligibility for a conditional discharge. If they meet the conditions on their own, the charges would be dismissed.
3. The third would be a felony charge, with eligibility for drug court. If they complete drug court, the charges will be dismissed.

Overall, Measure 110 did more harm than good. It needs accountability from the state and enforcement to reduce criminal behavior.


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2023-03-06 16:19:28

Last Update: 2023-03-05 16:26:18