By SCOTT LEVESQUE
A nationwide push to temper drug laws saw big victories in several states this week.
Oregon voted to decriminalize small amounts of hard drugs, such as cocaine, heroin, LSD, and methamphetamines, becoming the first state to pass such legislation. Possession of these street drugs in small quantities is no longer necessarily punishable by jail time in Oregon.
Instead, the measure provides a loophole for drug users to avoid a trial and jail time by paying a $100 fine and agreeing to attend an addiction recovery program.
According to the American Addiction Centers, 70%-80% of people who enter addiction treatment programs drop out by 3-6 months. Less than 30% of patients complete an entire program.
Oregon also legalized psilocybin, a powerful psychedelic known as the magic mushroom, for anyone age 21 and older.
Those in favor of legalization of psychedelic mushrooms believe them to be an effective treatment for depression and anxiety.
The measure uses funds from the marijuana sales tax to finance drug addiction treatments—an irony not lost on those who voted against the measure.
Costs associated with drug treatment is substantial and a burden on taxpayers. In 2008, the federal and state governments spent over $15 billion on substance abuse services. That’s not including an additional $5 billion from private insurance.
Yet there is a growing movement to relax drug laws underway.
In Washington D.C., voters on Tuesday approved a measure to decriminalize hallucinogenic mushrooms. The initiative directs the local police to shift enforcement against the use, distribution, and cultivation of these drugs to its lowest priorities.
In New Jersey, Montana, South Dakota, and Arizona, voters approved measures to legalize marijuana for adults age 21 and older, bringing the total to 15 states that have legalized the plant.
Voters in Mississippi and South Dakota legalized medical marijuana during the General Election, bringing the total to 36 states that permit some form of legal distribution of weed.
In 2014, Alaska passed Measure 2, which legalized recreational marijuana use for adults age 21 and over. Touted as a significant revenue generator for the state, the initiative passed with 53.2% of the vote.
The state has collected $5 million in cannabis tax revenue in the current fiscal year, which started in July.
Public support for the legalization of marijuana is at an all-time high, according to Pew Research done in 2019. Some 67% of Americans favor legalization, in contrast to 1989, when only 16% favored legalization.
With Oregon and Washington D.C. charting new territory by legalizing psychedelics, tax revenue benefits many appeal to voters in states with severe budget problems.
If so, Alaska, which has chronic problems with government overspending, could see the legalization of psychedelics as an opportunity to generate revenue and close the deficit gap.
As Oregon and other states generate money from the taxation on the cultivation and distribution of psychedelics, will Alaskans see dollar signs, or will they see warning signs?
Let all of the wacko Democrats, Lefties, BLM, Antifa, Marxist, etc….move to Portland. Then Trump can push the button on one of those sleek, new hydrogen bombs being built. Get the new decade off to a good start.
That would actually be a cool way to exit the White House. Then he can pardon himself.
Nothing like a new source of recreation to spend their welfare checks on. Must make the libbys feel good taxing other people’s misery.
Everything is upside down now! All these things were highly illegal or unheard of when I was growing up. It’s as if “somebody” wants to keep people stupid to control us. You think?
Dumb, drugged, and dependent. Then make sure they vote. Preferably by mail in ballot. ?
The biggest reason for legalization is to sedate the populace. High people don’t really care what the government does as long as they have their escape.
Nice. Go for it. Then put a ban on narcan. Stop being a drain on society.
Back in the ‘90’s, Californian’s used to joke, “up in Oregon, it’s illegal to pump your own gas, yet child pornography isn’t exactly illegal.”
Eric, it’s 2020, and still illegal to pump your own gas in Oregon. Biden and Harris will make it illegal even to buy gas.
Starting in the 1970’s and continuing until today, in the case of former Governor Neil Goldschmidt (D), it is possible to commit repeated rape of a juvenile and not be held accountable in the State of Oregon.
Her name was Elizabeth Lynn Dunham. She will not be forgotten.
Oregon has become a trash state. People in the outskirts of Portland are leaving in droves.
Well, I guess the drugs will help them self destruct a little sooner…….
One of the main reasons people get into drug treatment is they get arrested when their addiction (which they like) starts effecting everybody else.
People will do bizarre, criminal or violent acts (sometimes to those they love-sometimes strangers) to get heroin, cocaine or meth. Meth in particular changes people’s reality with frequent use and not in a good way.
If you legalize all this stuff you loose that handle to try and address the problem when it’s needed most. Many people will not seek treatment voluntarily. It’s the nature of the beast.
Yet we will still have people complaining about the “lack of good paying jobs” when they can’t get past the pre-employment drug screening thinking they’ll be fine due to legalization.
From a purely objective standpoint, please tell me how these drugs are any different from ethanol, which is legal and glamorized, yet addictive and dangerous.
Go back to your booze, Dog. Brain cells are shrinking every minute.
At least the city’s assembly will not be breaking any state laws during the pre meeting chill session
How sad. Loved Oregon, wont go there again. Can you imagine the crime problems, the murders, rapes and assaults as the druggies try to get money for their addition and can you imagine how many more will move to Oregon to live so that they can stay in their drugged haze. You cant send a aspirin with your child for a headache but school can take a 14 year old girl for an abortion. You can’t buy booze, pick up a prescription, without id, but you can vote. We had FBI, DOJ, CIA assisting DNC and Hillary with treason and no one but a poor underlining has gone to prison. We stepped off the common sense bus into the nano nano world of the upside world, right is wrong and wrong is right. That is going to be a common thread with Commie/dems –
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