Kotek has not publicly said whether she supports the measure, though in late January the governor joined local officials in declaring a fentanyl state of emergency in downtown Portland. The state Senate approved the bill Friday in a 21-8 vote after it had cleared the state House the night before, 51-7. In 2020, Oregon voters moved to decriminalize various hard drugs – including the potent synthetic opioid fentanyl, as well as heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine – when Measure 110 passed with 58.5% of the vote. Under the voter-approved measure, possession of small amounts of the drugs was no longer punishable by jail time and carried penalties more akin to a traffic ticket. “Passing this bill will put Oregon on a path to recovery and signifies and end to the nationwide decriminalization movement,” he added.

Source: CNN March 02, 2024 02:55 UTC