By Rep. Jeff Helfrich
The Mountain Times
For many of us with kids, September feels like the start of the new year. Classes begin after a long but often enjoyable summer, and we settle back into the rhythm of our day-to-day lives. This September should feel like the start of a new chapter for all Oregonians. Effective September 1st, 2024, our law enforcement officials will once again be able to cite individuals for the possession of hard drugs. With the recent passage of House Bill 4002, we did re-criminalize drugs, but it is important to recognize that it didn’t take us entirely back to the way things were before Measure 110. The voters clearly expressed their will to have more treatment options for individuals struggling with drug addiction. In this piece I will highlight what you can and can’t expect to happen starting September 1st.
It’s important to first address what re-criminalization will look like. Most notably our law enforcement officers will once again be able to cite individuals for possession of hard drugs. This new citation (a drug enforcement misdemeanor) will have ways of avoiding any criminal penalties, by remanding people to local deflection programs focused on providing treatment to those suffering from substance use disorders (SUD-s). This “carrot and stick” approach will hopefully encourage more individuals to seek treatment and break the cycle of addiction.
What will be missing from the changes, however, is notable as well. My caucus and I advocated strongly during the session (we had our own bill that incorporated these changes) to include increased penalties for dealers when their product resulted in the death of an individual, or if they had a prior conviction. That was left out of the final bill. We also advocated for escalating punishments for repeat offenders, looking to curb the hemorrhaging of taxpayer dollars to individuals who are not honestly seeking help. That was not in the final bill. Most importantly, Republicans advocated for parents and guardians to be able to mandate treatment for their minor child. That was also left out of the final bill. It is unreasonable that the only way a guardian can fulfill their obligation to provide care for a child with a SUD is by calling the cops on them.
While there will be changes coming this month, it is important to keep in mind the obvious things that were left out of the final product. My fellow Republicans and I are committed to bringing these common sense changes to the forefront of our conversations regarding drug possession and use. Yes, we must treat drug addiction as the mental health crisis it is, but we also must be able to prosecute those who are poisoning our citizens. We must also give parents the ability to help their children with their addiction. Only then can we really hope to have cleaner streets and a healthier and drug free Oregon.
As always, you can reach me at Rep.JeffHelfrich@oregonlegislature.gov or 503-986-1452. My office and I would love to hear from you.