2 drug ballot measures in Oregon could be pioneering in US
Oregon #Oregon
SALEM, Ore. (AP) — Oregon, the first state to decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana, could be the first state to do the same with hard drugs like heroin and methamphetamine, as well as legalize therapeutic use of psilocybin.
A pair of ballot measures will be decided in Tuesday’s election that could make the state a leader once again in loosening restrictions on drugs.
Measure 110 would completely change how the justice system treats those who are found with personal-use amounts of the hard drugs. Instead of going to trial and facing possible jail time, a person would have the option of paying a $100 fine or attend new “addiction recovery centers.”
Among those in support of the Oregon measure are the Oregon Nurses Association and the Oregon chapter of the American College of Physicians.
Two dozen district attorneys urged a no vote, saying it “recklessly decriminalizes possession of the most dangerous types of drugs (and) will lead to an increase in acceptability of dangerous drugs.”
Three other district attorneys back the measure, including the one in Oregon’s most populous county, which includes Portland.
Meanwhile, war veterans with PTSD, terminally ill patients and others suffering from anxiety are backing Ballot Measure 109 that would legalize controlled, therapeutic use in Oregon of psilocybin mushrooms.
It would require the Oregon Health Authority to allow licensed, regulated production and possession of psilocybin, exclusively for administration by licensed facilitators to clients. There would be a two-year development period.
Mara McGraw, a Portland woman who has terminal cancer, spoke out in favor of the measure.
“After chemo failed, I went to a pretty dark place,” McGraw told reporters. “I was feeling hopeless about treatment and about the future.”
Then she tried the psychedelic mushroom, more commonly known as “magic mushrooms,” with a trained facilitator standing by.
“It was a very safe and nurturing experience for me. I immediately felt a release from the fear,” McGraw said.
The Oregon Psychiatric Physicians Association and the American Psychiatric Association argued against the proposal.
“We believe that science does not yet indicate that psilocybin is a safe medical treatment for mental health conditions,” the groups said.
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