Mr. Mackey said it best, “Drugs are bad. You shouldn’t do them, mkay.” but some people still don’t seem to understand that concept. Over fifty percent of voters in the state of Oregon don’t seem to understand as evidenced by the fact that they voted to pass legislation to decriminalize the use of hard drugs like heroin within their state in the November 2020 elections. 

This ballot issue reduces the penalty for drug offenses from crimes punishable by jail time to citations that carry financial penalties, similar to traffic tickets. Those who pushed for the bill cited racial discrimination and a need for progress as justification for decriminalization. 

While there is little argument against the notion that progress and social justice reform are valid issues that need to be addressed in this country, making it easier to access hard drugs isn’t the solution. Drug addiction is a genuine and dangerous issue that citizens across the state face. 

Addiction is debilitating for the drug abuser, both mentally and physically. Prevention is truly the key to reducing long-term drug addiction in any region but understanding how addiction develops an essential role in helping to solve it. 

Over time, drug use that typically starts with small, manageable doses becomes an inescapable addiction as the physical dependency of the user grows. Attempts to stop using are met with withdrawal issues that leave the addict crawling back for more. The cycle continues making it harder and harder for people to recover. 

Legal consequences have historically been a major demotivating factor in controlling drug abuse. People who know they are likely to face severe consequences for trying something the first time are less likely to do it. Those who are jailed for their offenses are given treatment within the system that helps them get clean during incarceration. Keeping drug abusers off the streets helps to lower crime rates and get them the help they need. 

With fewer drug addicts in public, police and other law enforcement officials can focus their efforts on getting the drugs themselves off the streets. In an environment where drug use carries no punishment, but drugs can still be found at every corner, drug rates are not likely to go down, and the risk of new users is likely to go up.

In an environment where individuals are free to do as they please and drugs are readily available at every turn, policies like the one adopted in Oregon only serve to keep black and brown communities under the influence: addicted and struggling. 

Decriminalization doesn’t fix the problem. It only ensures that the state goes down in flames while everyone in it gets blazed.