Oregon botches the decriminalisation of drugs
It failed to prepare the ground
AMERICA’s WAR on drugs has been a disaster. More than a million Americans have died of overdoses since the government started counting in 1999. No wonder a growing number of states are interested in trying something different. Nine of them are contemplating decriminalising the possession of a small amount of drugs. This newspaper has long championed more liberal laws, but before rushing ahead, reform-minded states—in America and beyond—would do well to consider the experience of Oregon, the only American state so far to enact decriminalisation. It has had a rocky start.
This article appeared in the Leaders section of the print edition under the headline “Lessons from Oregon”
From the April 15th 2023 edition
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