The Radical Left has no care for human life. And it has become even more apparent while they have been in control.
And a Liberal state’s new Radical policies have directly led to the deaths of thousands.
The radical left’s agenda has once again proven to be a catastrophic failure, this time at the expense of countless American lives. The state of Oregon’s disastrous attempt to decriminalize hard drugs—heralded by progressives as a bold new approach to addiction—has officially ended, leaving behind a trail of devastation and loss.
As the failed policy draws to a close, it is essential to reflect on the harm it has caused and recognize the dangers inherent in the radical left’s reckless policies.
In November 2020, Oregon voters, influenced by progressive rhetoric and radical left-wing ideology, approved Ballot Measure 110, making Oregon the first state in the nation to decriminalize possession of hard drugs.
The measure, which took effect on February 1, 2021, turned the possession of drugs such as heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, and LSD into a mere Class E misdemeanor, punishable by a citation of up to $100—essentially reducing drug possession to the equivalent of a traffic ticket.
The measure was touted as a revolutionary approach to addiction, one that would supposedly reduce incarceration rates and provide addicts with the support they needed to overcome their addictions. Instead, it turned out to be a catastrophic failure.
Data from the Oregon Judicial Department reveals that only 85 of the 7,227 people cited under Measure 110 sought addiction assessment through the state’s helpline. Meanwhile, thousands died from overdoses, and drug abuse became a rampant, open-air crisis in cities like Portland.
The consequences of Measure 110 were swift and severe. Instead of receiving the help they needed, addicts were left to fend for themselves in an environment that encouraged drug use rather than discouraging it. The result was a surge in overdose deaths and a dramatic increase in open-air drug use across the state. Between 2021 and 2023, a staggering 3,086 people died from opioid overdoses in Oregon—a grim testament to the failure of decriminalization.
The data is clear: Measure 110 was not just ineffective; it was deadly. The Oregon Health Authority reported that the number of opioid overdose visits to emergency departments and urgent care centers in 2024 remained consistent with the alarming levels seen in 2023. This suggests that the state’s drug crisis shows no signs of abating, even as the failed policy comes to an end.
The Oregon Judicial Department’s data further underscores the ineffectiveness of the measure. Of the nearly $900,000 in fines issued under Measure 110, the state collected only $78,143—an abysmal return that highlights the measure’s inability to enforce even the minimal penalties it imposed. Worse still, 89 percent of those cited were convicted simply because they failed to appear in court, not because they were deterred from drug use.
The radical left has repeatedly shown a willingness to prioritize their ideological agenda over the well-being of American citizens. Measure 110 is just one example of how their policies have done far more harm than good.
By decriminalizing hard drugs, the left-wing lawmakers in Oregon effectively sanctioned the use of substances that destroy lives, families, and communities.
The progressive proponents of Measure 110 argued that decriminalization would reduce the stigma associated with drug use and encourage addicts to seek help. In reality, it did the opposite.
By removing the legal consequences of drug possession, the state created an environment where drug use was normalized, and the urgency to seek treatment diminished. The radical left’s policies, rooted in a misguided belief that society is to blame for individual choices, have proven to be a deadly experiment in Oregon.
#BREAKING: A man overdosed right in front of me as I was walking the streets of downtown Portland.
He was administered narcan and going in and out of consciousness. I waited until police arrived. pic.twitter.com/tegYXDTk9r
— Katie Daviscourt 📸 (@KatieDaviscourt) August 7, 2023
The human cost of the radical left’s policies is impossible to ignore. Families have been torn apart by addiction, communities have been ravaged by drug-related crime, and thousands of lives have been lost to overdose. The proponents of Measure 110 may have claimed that their intentions were noble, but the results speak for themselves: decriminalization has been a disaster.
In Portland, the epicenter of Oregon’s drug crisis, the effects of Measure 110 have been particularly devastating. The city has seen a dramatic increase in open-air drug use, with addicts openly using heroin, methamphetamine, and other hard drugs on the streets. Law enforcement has been left powerless to address the situation, as the measure effectively stripped them of the tools needed to combat drug abuse.
The data is damning. In Multnomah County, which includes Portland, police issued 1,917 citations under Measure 110, but only 16 people called the helpline to complete the substance abuse screening needed to have their citations dropped. The conviction rate in the county was 93 percent, but this was not because the measure was effective—rather, it was because nearly all of those cited failed to appear in court.
As Oregon lawmakers vote to recriminalize drug possession, it is clear that the state is finally acknowledging the failure of Measure 110. However, this reversal does not absolve the radical left of the responsibility for the lives lost and the damage done. The progressive lawmakers who championed this policy must be held accountable for the harm they have caused.
The radical left’s willingness to experiment with the lives of American citizens is not limited to Oregon. Across the country, we see the same dangerous ideology at work—whether it’s in the push to defund the police, the attempt to open borders to unchecked immigration, or the effort to impose critical race theory in our schools. In every case, the result is the same: policies that weaken our communities, undermine our values, and endanger American lives.
Oregon’s experiment with drug decriminalization should serve as a cautionary tale for the rest of the country. The radical left’s policies may be cloaked in the language of compassion and progress, but the reality is that they are rooted in an ideology that is fundamentally at odds with the safety and well-being of the American people.
The end of Measure 110 is a victory for common sense, but it comes too late for the thousands of Oregonians who lost their lives to overdose. As we move forward, it is crucial that we remain vigilant against the radical left’s dangerous agenda and continue to advocate for policies that protect American lives and uphold the values that have made our country great.
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