The war on drugs, once a weapon in the nation’s fight against substance abuse and related crimes, is making a comeback on the West Coast.
Fueled by increasingly visible signs of homelessness and drug use in Oregon and San Francisco, officials are restoring punitive measures for drug-related offenses amid a worsening fentanyl crisis. The laws are meant to rein in dangerous street drugs and curb their use on public sidewalks and parks, but advocates say they will only fill jails with people who need treatment.
The change comes after California and Oregon initiated criminal justice reforms aimed at reducing prison populations in recent years. Critics say the new laws will overwhelm the criminal justice system and lead to more overdose deaths and poverty.
Full story: Progressive California and Oregon are reviving the war on drugs amid a fentanyl crisis.
Which statistic shows more insight on the increasing issue of drugs, specifically fentanyl on the streets of Portland and San Francisco? Is it the fact that crime rates are down including violent crime, or is it the major increase of 533% in overdose deaths in the span of four years? In my opinion, the overdose deaths are a much more prominent statistic pertaining to drug use, and are proving that actions must be taken. The connotations that come with the “War on Drugs” are certainly not great, but the entire nation is facing a battle against the importation and use of fentanyl. It poses a major health risk to not only drug users, but it has also taken the lives of many individuals who unknowingly were exposed to fentanyl. It is important to crack down hard on these cases, in an attempt to at least slow the rate of manufacturing and distributing the lethal substance.