Bob Murphy Show Ep. 456 What Went Wrong with Oregon’s Drug Decriminalization?
Oct 28, 2025
Zach Weissmueller, Senior Producer at Reason, dives into Oregon's complex drug decriminalization saga, sharing his experiences from producing documentaries and participating in debates. He discusses the nuances between decriminalization and legalization, highlighting the failure to meet harm-reduction goals and the challenges faced during implementation. Zach outlines how external factors like COVID and urban unrest contributed to visible disorder in Portland. The conversation underscores the need for coordinated public health resources to support effective decriminalization.
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Oregon's Decriminalization Then Reversal
- Oregon decriminalized all drugs in early 2021 via voter initiative and then the legislature later recriminalized them.
- Zach Weissmueller investigated why this high-profile experiment failed and produced documentaries explaining the causes.
Decriminalization Vs. Legalization Clarified
- Decriminalization removes criminal penalties for possession but keeps sales illegal and punishable.
- It does not create a legal market, so it cannot by itself dismantle cartels or black markets.
Treatment Provider's Warning Before Rollout
- A local treatment provider, Mike Marshall, warned Oregon lacked the public-health capacity to absorb diverted drug users.
- Weissmueller saw tents and weak services during COVID and left concerned this rollout would fail.