Oregon governor signs bill recriminalizing hard drugs, completing liberal experiment's U-turn

Oregon has legislatively completed its U-turn on a short-lived liberal policy that decriminalized the possession of small amounts of certain drugs.

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek, a Democrat, on Monday signed into law a bill that reverses Measure 110, a 2020 law that voters approved to decriminalize most illegal possession of controlled substance offenses and redirect much of the state's marijuana tax revenue to fund grants for addiction services.

Around 58% of Oregon residents approved the initial measure but since then, addiction and overdose deaths have skyrocketed in Oregon and nationwide as fentanyl swept across the country. In August, 56% of Oregonians said they disapproved of the pioneering drug law and both Republicans and Democrats introduced legislation to roll back the controversial measure.