Page 3 - aruba-today-20201031

A3
U.S. NEWS Saturday 31 OctOber 2020
Oregon could become 1st U.S. state to decriminalize hard drugs

By ANDREW SELSKY makes life extremely diffi-
Associated Press cult for them.
SALEM, Ore. (AP) — In what "Every time that this hap-
would be a first in the U.S., pens, not only does that in-
possession of small amounts dividual enter the criminal
of heroin, cocaine, LSD and justice system but it makes
other hard drugs could be it very difficult for us, on the
decriminalized in Oregon back end, to house any of
under a ballot measure these folks because a lot
that voters are deciding on of landlords won't touch
in Tuesday's election. people with recent criminal
Measure 110 is one of the history," Jones said. "They
most watched initiatives in won't touch people with
Oregon because it would possession charges."
drastically change how The measure would de-
the state's justice system criminalize possession of
treats people caught with less than one gram of her-
amounts for their personal oin or methamphetamine;
use. two grams of cocaine; 12
Instead of being arrested, grams of psilocybin mush-
going to trial and facing rooms; 40 doses of LSD,
possible jail time, the us- oxycodone or methadone;
ers would have the option and one gram or five pills of
of paying $100 fines or at- MDMA.
tending new, free addic- In this Aug. 9, 2019, file photo, a drug syringe found behind a vacant property in northeast The new addiction recov-
tion recovery centers. Albuquerque, N.M., is placed into a container, as crews attempt to clear the lot of needles and ery centers that would
The centers would be fund- other heroin paraphernalia. be launched in the state
ed by tax revenue from re- Associated Press would be funded by tax
tail marijuana sales in the The U.N. Chief Executives backed by the Oregon neys back the measure, revenues from Oregon's
state that was the country's Board for Coordination, Nurses Association, the Or- including the top prosecu- legal, regulated marijuana
first to decriminalize mari- chaired by Secretary-Gen- egon chapter of the Ameri- tor in Oregon's most popu- industry.
juana possession. eral Antonio Guterres, is can College of Physicians lous county, which includes Marijuana tax revenues
It may sound like a radical also advocating a different and the Oregon Academy Portland, the state's largest collected by the state in
concept even in one of the approach. of Family Physicians. city. excess of $45 million annu-
most progressive U.S. states In a 2019 report, the board "Punishing people for drug "Misguided drug laws have ally would fund the centers.
— but countries including announced its commit- use and addiction is costly created deep disparities Doing so would reduce the
Portugal, the Netherlands ment to "promote alter- and hasn't worked. More in the justice system," said amount given to schools,
and Switzerland have al- natives to conviction and drug treatment, not pun- Multnomah County District the state police, mental
ready decriminalized pos- punishment in appropriate ishment, is a better ap- Attorney Mike Schmidt. "Ar- health programs and local
session of small amounts cases, including the de- proach," the groups said in resting people with addic- governments, according
of hard drugs, according criminalization of drug pos- a statement. tions is a cruel punishment to the ballot measure's fi-
to the United Nations.Por- session for personal use." Opponents include two because it slaps them with nancial impact statement
tugal's 2000 decriminaliza- Doing so would also "ad- dozen district attorneys a lifelong criminal record published by the Oregon
tion brought no surge in dress prison overcrowding who urged a no vote, say- that can ruin lives." secretary of state.
drug use. Drug deaths fell and overincarceration by ing the measure "recklessly Jimmy Jones, executive The Oregon revenue de-
while the number of peo- people accused of drug decriminalizes possession of director of Mid-Willamette partment said it received
ple treated for drug addic- crimes," said the board, the most dangerous types Valley Community Action, about $133 million in mari-
tion in the country rose 20% which is made up of the of drugs (and) will lead to a group that helps home- juana taxes during the most
from 2001 to 2008 and then leaders of all U.N. agencies, an increase in acceptabil- less people, said arresting recent fiscal year that start-
stabilized, Portuguese offi- funds and other bodies. ity of dangerous drugs." people who are using but ed in July 2019 and ended
cials have said. Oregon's measure is Three other district attor- not dealing hard drugs last June. q

Time for a change to America, on our

clocks and watches

WASHINGTON (AP) — It's evening. the status quo.
time for a change for most And there's no debate Daylight saving time
of the United States. about the immediate returns at 2 a.m. local time
The clock is running out benefit of the time shift: an on Sunday, March 14.
once more for daylight extra hour of sleep when According to a poll last
saving time. Standard time you hit the hay Saturday year by The Associated
begins at 2 a.m. local time (or after midnight). Press-NORC Center for
Sunday. Hawaii, American Samoa, Public Affairs Research, 7
Until almost next spring, in Guam, Puerto Rico, the in 10 Americans preferred
states red and blue and U.S. Virgin Islands and most not to switch back and
in between, it'll be lighter of Arizona don't observe forth, but there was no Dan LaMoore works on a Seth Thomas Post Clock at Electric
earlier in the morning daylight saving time. It's agreement on which time Time Company, Friday, Oct. 23, 2020, in Medfield, Mass.
Associated Press
and darker earlier in the incumbent to stick with clocks ought to follow.q