Rep. Helfrich: Update on key drug recriminalization change

HOUSE REPUBLICAN LEADER HELFRICH ISSUES STATEMENT ON DRUG RECRIMINALIZATION TAKING EFFECT
By Oregon House Republican Leader and State Representative Jeff Helfrich,

SALEM, Ore. – Hard drugs will be illegal again in Oregon after HB 4002, the law reforming the disastrous Measure 110, goes into effect on Sunday. The bipartisan policy gives law enforcement officers the ability to detain people for using drugs and gives offenders the option to face jail time or be deflected into treatment in participating counties.

House Republicans’ top priority in the 2024 short session was recriminalizing drugs after the majority party and progressive activists implemented decriminalization in 2021, an action that led to nation-leading overdose deaths, rampant homelessness, and unsafe streets. While the majority party rejected many Republican proposals to further address the problems caused by their bad policy, bipartisan passage of HB 4002 marks a significant step toward healing.

“Those with a loose grasp of history claim Oregon has always had a drug problem, but the number of opioid overdose deaths in our state skyrocketed after Measure 110. Those who are patting themselves on the back today after voting to flood our communities with drugs should visit the cemetery to remind themselves of what they did to Oregon – including the progressive activists still undermining drug reform. While Republicans celebrate recriminalizing drugs, we recognize more must be done to seize control of recovery dollars from boards full of radical activists so that extreme progressive politics do not continue to prevent those who need help from receiving it,” said House Republican Leader Jeff Helfrich (R-Hood River), who retired as a sergeant with the Portland police.