Oregon
Policy Landscape
In 2020, Oregon voters passed Measure 110, which made simple possession of an illegal drug punishable by a maximum $100 fine. It also attempted to redirect state priorities from incarceration to addiction treatment through community services. In response to popular outcry against drug use in public, the Oregon legislature partially rolled back Measure 110 as of September 1st, 2024, making drug possession again punishable with up to six months in jail.
Oregon has now become a (very) rare case study about a jurisdiction that implemented a significant policy reform but then reversed it only a few years later.
In 2020, Oregon also passed Measure 109, which created a regulated market of professional services with psilocybin. Under 109, consumers may only consume psilocybin under the supervision of certified professionals in a regulated facility. This form of facilitated access to psilocybin therapy remains in place and is separate from the decriminalization of personal possession previously enacted under Measure 110.
Crime
Oregon releases public statistics of crime incidences broken down by drug and incidence types. Since 2020, the total yearly number of hallucinogen-related "people" crimes, such as assault, as well as property-related crimes, has decreased.
Hallucinogen-Related Crime in Oregon
Source: Oregon State Police, smartsheet.com
As of this publication, there is still a significant reporting lag for the months following the re-criminalization of drugs in September 2024. The graph above shows crime from the month before anda fter the partial repeal of Measure 110, there were 8 and 12 total hallucinogen-related crimes, respectively (July and August 2024). During the first month of partial repeal, there were 11 crimes (September).
Hallucinogen-Related Crimes In Oregon, Before and After Drug Re-Criminalization
Source: Oregon State Police
The actual impact of drug decriminalization has been hotly contested. Two peer-reviewed studies have concluded that the increase in opioid abuse was not worse in Oregon compared to other states. As the focus of investigations into Oregon's experiment with decriminalization has largely centered on opioids, concerns with psychedelic substances have been less pronounced.
Health Statistics
Oregon does not publicly release hospitalization statistics related to drug incidences and so we are unable to provide those data.
Regulated Psilocybin Adverse Events
The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) collects data on key events related to professionally guided psilocybin sessions. This data is current as of Sept. 3, 2024 and was released in an email reviewed by Reason Foundation in response to a records request.
According to the OHA, there were only four emergency services calls related to a psilocybin session out of more than 12,000 doses administered. It's important to note that "Doses" do not necessarily represent the number of clients served, as clients may use multiple doses on different occasions. For instance, a consumer may take more psilocybin during a session or pay for additional sessions.