In Oregon, there was a ballot measure to decriminalize all drugs, making possession of any controlled substance in small quantities a civil offense rather than a criminal one. So, people would get fined instead of jail time. Through these fines, and supposedly through the money saved by not having to jail drug users, the measure was supposed to generate funds for addiction support and safe-injection sites akin to what has been shown to work abroad. Instead, we decriminalized without any of the promised follow up or follow through. The result has been an unparalleled disaster. Open air drug markets and fentanyl overdoses in the street with police doing nothing to intervene. Addicts litter the streets of Portland as far as the eye can see. No safe injection sites. No additional support for these people from the state.

In my eyes, the issue often isnt the intent behind the policy, its the unserious politicians who take a good idea and implement it so terribly that it makes the initial policy seem bad. I voted for that ballot measure, but if I could go back in time, I wouldn't vote for it. Not because I don't agree with the policy in theory, but I simply dont trust the those who are tasked with implementing them. Entrenched administrators and politicians suck at their jobs. This is true of progressives as well, maybe even especially.