(Portland) In the heart of Portland, Eli Arnold arrests a homeless man smoking meth. But instead of handcuffs, the policeman draws his notebook: in the American state of Oregon, using drugs is no longer punishable by imprisonment, but by a fine of 100 dollars.
Since decriminalization came into force three years ago, the agent has distributed tickets with telephone numbers to direct drug addicts to treatment.
“You will be asked if you want to undergo treatment,” he explains to the homeless person. If he refuses, “just call the number and the ticket disappears”.
The only state to have decriminalized the use of all drugs, Oregon is controversial in America.
Its very left-wing population approved by referendum “measure 110”, applied since 1er February 2021.
Cocaine, heroin, ecstasy, fentanyl… users with small quantities of the drug are fined. Sales and production remain subject to prosecution.
Inspired by Portugal, this law treats users as sick people rather than delinquents. But its implementation raises many doubts.
Undermined by the deficiencies of the American health system and the national epidemic of fentanyl – a deadly opioid 50 times more powerful than heroin – Oregon recorded 956 fatal overdoses in 2022, more than triple that in 2019.
“It’s terrible”
Fine in hand, James Loe testifies to this.
At 39, the homeless man lost several acquaintances to fentanyl and saved around fifty overdose victims by injecting them with naloxone, a nasal spray.
“It’s terrible,” this former university basketball player, addicted to opioids since being prescribed a powerful painkiller for a back injury that shattered his dreams of a professional career, told AFP.
His thirst for ever stronger substances led him to the streets.
“I just need to pull myself together and change,” he whispers, promising to call the helpline.
Facing the homeless man, Eli Arnold pouted. He recently arrested him for stealing from a supermarket.
PHOTO PATRICK T. FALLON, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
A Portland police officer gives a homeless man a ticket for drug use and a card showing a phone number to call for help. If the man agrees to call this number and take action, his fine will be withdrawn.
“The problem now is whether James is going to do anything,” sighs the policeman. “Statistically, there is little chance. »
The toll-free number receives only around ten calls per month on average, according to a recent audit which highlights the low number of fines issued by the police.
Angry, many Portland residents denounce a “failure”. Many are exasperated by the rows of tents on certain sidewalks and the acrid smoke of fentanyl that perfumes their parks.
From 9 a.m., paramedics were working around an overdose victim.
“I don’t think people realized that these groups would shamelessly start doing drugs, that they would start smoking fentanyl in front of a preschool,” Arnold said.
Backpedaling
PHOTO PATRICK T. FALLON, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
A person smoking fentanyl on a street in Portland, Oregon
The Democratic state plans to backpedal, with a bill that would reconsider the possession of “hard” drugs — excluding cannabis and hallucinogenic mushrooms — as a misdemeanor, punishable by a penalty of $1,250 or up to 30 days in prison. .
But for health professionals, measure 110 did not have the means to keep its promises.
“They put the cart before the horse,” laments Solara Salazar, director of the Cielo Treatment Center. She receives hundreds of requests for detoxification treatments, without having any beds to offer. “We decriminalized, but we did not build the services that people needed. »
Oregon is one of the worst states for addiction treatment. The law was supposed to strengthen its deficient healthcare system through taxes on cannabis sales, but the pandemic has paralyzed the administration and its funding.
More than $260 million has now been spent, but the lack of structures remains glaring.
Basically, Oregon is doing neither better nor worse than the rest of the country. The increase in fatal overdoses there is comparable to that of 13 other US states which had similar overdose rates before the pandemic, according to a study.
Culture change
Decriminalization spares a harmful criminal record to find work for drug addicts who escape, but real incentives to seek treatment remain rare.
Oregon hopes to rectify the situation: in Portland, the police patrol with social workers, and the reform wanted by Democrats requires that officers redirect victims to a professional.
A change in culture demanded by certain users, like Jae (first name changed).
Victim of a miscarriage, the 19-year-old teenager is aware of “anaesthetising” her “emotional trauma”, by alternating between methamphetamine and fentanyl.
But she never received a fine and during her last arrest, a police officer shouted at her.
“How will this make me want to ask for help?” […] It just makes me want to hide and consume,” she says. “A drug addict really needs support. »