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Session Submission Summary

Policy Panel: Measure 110 Research Findings: Assessing the Impacts of Oregon’s Drug Decriminalization Law

Thu, Nov 14, 8:00 to 9:20am, Salon 6 - Lower B2 Level

Session Submission Type: Policy Panel

Abstract/Description

In February 2021, Oregon decriminalized all personal amounts of controlled substances via Measure 110 (M 110). Portland State University, Comagine Health, and RTI International will present results from separate M110 evaluations. We use secondary administrative and justice trend data, calls for service data (N=16.4M), quantitative primary collection from people who use drugs (PWUD; N=468), and qualitative interview data from PWUD (N=32) and with people who work within the criminal legal system (N=34) to show the impacts of M110. Early results show that decriminalization did not lead to worse outcomes than in neighboring states. Specifically, trend data (2008-2023) show that prior to M110, possession of controlled substances arrests and prosecutions were declining and that M110 had no impact on violent crimes. Moreover, Oregon had similar trends in property crime rates relative to other states. Calls for service trend data show that since M110’s enactment, 911 calls were similar in Oregon cities to cities in adjacent states. While law enforcement perceived negative consequences resulting from M110’s drug decriminalization, data from PWUD showed that only a minority even knew that drugs had been decriminalized and that the majority had substantial past year criminal legal involvement and continued to be heavily policed.

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