Raising the Bars

Oregon is working on a bill to defelonize the possession of small amounts of heroin and cocaine. When this was first brought up, it caused much controversy because law abiding citizens felt it was crazy that someone would not be arrested if they had cocaine or heroin. Their concern may be warranted but defelonizing these small amounts of drugs does not mean people will not be arrested for having them in their possession. This law is more aimed at keeping people out of prisons and getting them into treatment.

You see, the bill does not aim to decriminalize heroin and cocaine, like many states have done with marijuana. Defelonizing would merely make the possession of these drugs a misdemeanor as opposed to a felony. The idea is by doing this, the door opens for people to get drug addiction treatment rather than get time in prison. Prison time can negatively affect someone’s future, makes it harder to find jobs and introduces people to an atmosphere not conducive to recovering from addiction. This practice of focusing more on drug treatment and less on incarceration, benefits more than just the individual.

With the cost of keeping someone incarcerated so high, the state can benefit financially from doing this. The money they save can then be put into treatment facilities for those in need. With about a million people being arrested each year for drug use, one could see how diverting the focus from prison to rehabilitation can make a tremendous difference. If the bill passes, Oregon joins Maryland, California, Alaska, Maine and Oklahoma as states that have decriminalized or defelonized drug possession. This growing trend can potentially make a huge impact on our communities.

Effective inpatient drug treatment is ultimately the answer to the problem our country finds itself in today. Don’t wait for the worst to happen. If your loved one is struggling with drug addiction, get educated and become a part of the solution. Together we can make a difference.