Oregon Law Enforcement Calls for Reduced Drug Possession Penalties

October 7, 2016

The Oregon State Sheriffs’ Association and Oregon Association Chiefs of Police have come together to recommend that the state penalty for possession of small amounts of drugs be reduced to a misdemeanor.

The two law enforcement groups released a statement last week calling for a “more thoughtful approach to drug possession when it is the only crime committed” and expressing support for decreased penalties for nonviolent offenders with user amounts of scheduled substances, according to the AP. The organizations also support policy change that would establish mandated treatment for drug offenders.

With the policy change, money that would be used for criminal prosecutions, jail time and other components of the criminal justice system could be allocated to fund drug treatment programs and give drug users a realistic chance at recovery.

State sheriffs and police chiefs hope that reduced penalties would minimize the damage felony drug possession convictions cause Oregonians, especially in minority communities.

The statement comes amidst a heroin and opioid abuse epidemic that is plaguing the nation. Approximately 78 Americans die every day from an opioid overdose.

The announcement has drawn praise from multiple civil rights groups, the ACLU of Oregon, the Oregon Justice Resource Center and the Oregon Department of Justice.

Attorney General Praises Effort, Other Officials Concerned

Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum praised law enforcement efforts.

“I want to thank Oregon’s sheriffs and chiefs of police for their bold and important sponsorship of this drug policy reform proposal,” Rosenblum told Oregon’s NewsChannel 21.

Rosenblum echoed the sentiment that current drug possession policies disproportionately affect minority communities and that something needs to be done to address that issue.

“In Oregon, as across the nation, drug sentencing laws, which often impose felony sentences for the possession of even a small amount of drugs, have fallen hardest on our diverse communities,” said Rosenblum.

Rosenblum also said current drug policies negatively impact individuals struggling with substance use disorders and diminishes their ability to find housing, jobs and rehab treatment.

However, some public officials are concerned that policy reducing drug penalties would send the wrong message and produce damaging social repercussions.

“It is worth considering whether or not such a policy would make Oregon a haven for users of these drugs who would come from other parts of the country,” said the Clackamas County District Attorney’s Office in response to the statement.

America’s Shift: Rehabilitation, Not Incarceration

As the United States’ drug addiction epidemic surges on, more American policymakers are gravitating toward rehabilitation for drug offenders rather than jail time.

President Obama has been a major proponent for drug policy reform and has gone on record multiple times criticizing the United States’ war on drugs, calling it unproductive.

“I am a very strong believer that the path we have taken in the United States in the so-called war on drugs has been so heavy in emphasizing incarceration that it has been counterproductive,” said Obama during a press conference in 2015.

During his administration, Obama has commuted more than 670 prison sentences, most of which were for non-violent drug offenses.

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View Sources

• Associated Press. (2016, September 27). Oregon sheriffs’ association calls for new approach to drug policy.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2016, June 21). Understanding the Epidemic. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/epidemic/
• Green, A. (2016, September 29). Just say no to drug possession as a felony, Oregon police chiefs and sheriffs say.
• Lerten, B. (2016, September 26). Oregon, sheriffs, police chiefs back new stance on drug possession.
• Wolfgang, B. (2015, April 9). Obama blasts war on drugs: ‘It’s been very unproductive’.
• Woodworth, W.M. (2016, September 30). Police, local prosecutors seek fewer felonies for drugs.

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