Oregon re-criminalizes small amounts of hard drugs after 2020 voter initiative is overturned

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek signed a bill Monday restoring criminal penalties for possessing small amounts of hard drugs, reversing a first-in-the-nation law that advocates had hoped would help quell a deepening addiction and overdose crisis.

Under the new law, the possession of small amounts of drugs such as heroin or methamphetamine will be classified as a misdemeanor and punishable by up to six months in jail.

Drug treatment will be offered as an alternative to criminal penalties.

Ensuring full coordination between the state and participating agencies, such as the criminal justice system and health providers, is vital to the law's success, Kotek said in a letter to state legislative leaders.