Assessing the costs of punitive drug policy paradigms and sharing lessons from decriminalization in the United States

Background:

The United States has made progress toward drug policy reform with Oregon decriminalizing all drugs through a ballot measure that went into effect in 2021; other states are also considering this approach. This session will explore the toll of punitive regimes and the early results of decriminalization.

Methods:

We will discuss research we supported in Maine, Maryland and New Jersey that looked at the social and economic costs of the status quo in terms of wasteful spending, overcrowded prisons, rising overdoses, and families torn apart, with marginalized groups bearing the brunt of the burden. We will also discuss how Oregon has been successful in its new approach, with decreases in incarceration and no increases in overdose and crime. We will interrogate the challenges in Oregon, where we are currently seeing a coordinated backlash and proposals to revert to a punitive paradigm. 

Results:

We will share concrete lessons learned from Oregon about the importance of 1) sequencing decriminalization with adequate funding for alternatives; 2) supporting solutions that are based in real evidence of effectiveness rather than dogma; and 3) ensuring adequate funding for housing-first programs and, where possible, drug consumption rooms, to address concerns about public drug use. Finally, we’ll share results from research into public messaging that counters false – but popular – narratives raising the specter of cities with progressive policies being sites of increasing crime, homelessness and overdose.  

Conclusions:

While lessons are frequently – and helpfully – shared from Portugal’s experience with decriminalization, it is important to also share lessons from other contexts, especially ones with the challenge of fentanyl in the drug supply.