Dear Oregon Legislators,
I am writing to urge you to consider the full legalization of drugs in Oregon—not merely decriminalization, but a comprehensive shift away from criminal enforcement and toward a public health approach. The current strategy of criminalizing drug use continues to waste valuable police resources, fails to address the root causes of addiction, and diverts funding from effective solutions.
Despite years of debate and reform, Oregon continues to allocate significant law enforcement resources to the policing of drug possession and use[1]. Even after the partial decriminalization under Measure 110, recent legislative changes have returned us to a system where police are once again tasked with arresting individuals for minor drug offenses[3]. This approach has proven ineffective at reducing drug use or overdoses, and it diverts officers from addressing violent crime and other public safety priorities.
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