Oregon’s controversial experiment with decriminalizing hard drugs officially ends on Sunday, marking the conclusion of what many now see as a failed policy. Data from the Oregon Judicial Department highlights just how ineffective Measure 110 has been, with only 85 people seeking addiction assessments out of thousands cited during the three-year decriminalization period, while overdose deaths soared.
In November 2020, Oregon made history as the first state to decriminalize the possession of hard drugs such as heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, and LSD when voters passed Ballot Measure 110. The law, which took effect on February 1, 2021, reduced possession of these drugs from a criminal offense to a Class E misdemeanor, punishable by a citation of up to $100—comparable to a traffic ticket.
Under Measure 110, those cited for drug possession had the option to either pay the $100 fine or call a substance abuse helpline to have the citation waived. Progressive lawmakers had intended to use revenue from cannabis taxes to fund the state’s addiction treatment programs, hoping to channel hundreds of millions of dollars into these efforts. However, the data shows that very few people paid the fines or contacted the helpline.
In March, state lawmakers voted to re-criminalize drug possession after the decriminalization effort led to widespread open-air drug use and a dramatic rise in overdose deaths. What was initially hailed as a forward-thinking approach to addiction has, in hindsight, been deemed a hard lesson for Oregon.
The Oregon Judicial Department released data from circuit courts covering the period from February 2021 to August 2024. According to a report published by The Oregonian, out of the $899,413 in fines issued under Measure 110, the state managed to collect just $78,143.
Statewide, 7,227 people were cited under Measure 110, with 89 percent of them being convicted—mostly due to their failure to appear in court. Of those cited, only 85 individuals completed the substance abuse screening through the helpline, a requirement for having the citation dismissed.
The data revealed that 54 percent of the citations were for methamphetamine, 31 percent for fentanyl and other Schedule II drugs, 7 percent for heroin, 3 percent for oxycodone, and 1 percent for cocaine.
In Multnomah County, home to Portland and one of the areas hardest hit by drug abuse, police issued 1,917 Measure 110 citations. The conviction rate in the county was 93 percent, again primarily due to missed court dates. Only 16 people in the county called the helpline to complete the substance abuse screening.
The most citations (2,036) were issued by the Medford Police Department, with 1,236 linked to methamphetamine. Other significant numbers came from the Oregon State Police (1,756 citations), the Grants Pass Police Department (1,642 citations), and the Portland Police Bureau (1,332 citations).
Between 2021, when Measure 110 took effect, and 2023, the state recorded 3,086 opioid overdose deaths. The Oregon Health Authority noted that the number of opioid overdose visits to emergency departments and urgent care centers in 2024 remains similar to the numbers seen in 2023.