オレゴン、全米初の「ハードドラッグ」非犯罪化

【ロサンゼルスＡＦＰ＝時事】米オレゴン州は、3日の大統領選に合わせて実施した住民投票で、「ハードドラッグ」と呼ばれる習慣性のある麻薬を同国で初めて非犯罪化することを決めた。ヘロインやコカインの少量の所持は犯罪とはみなされなくなる。同時に、幻覚性成分を含む「マジックマッシュルーム」の医療目的での使用も全米初の合法化が決まった。（写真は資料写真）
　州内での少量の違法薬物所持については今後、民事法違反とみなされる。また薬物依存者の治療や支援のための予算が拡充される。
　これを受けて麻薬合法化推進団体「ドラッグ・ポリシー・アライアンス」は、「ドラッグの使用や依存に対する処罰は、費用がかかる上、奏功していない。処罰ではなく治療を進める方が良いアプローチだ」と表明した。
　一方、依存症対策に取り組む地元団体などの反対派は、今回の措置により各地での取り組みが阻害される上、治療にむけた予算が確約されたわけではないと批判している。
　住民投票ではさらに、マジックマッシュルームの成分であるシロシビンについて、２１歳以上のうつや依存症、不安症などの治療用の使用も合法化された。合法化を推進してきた精神療法医のトム・エカート氏は、「オレゴンは、メンタルヘルス問題で危機的状況にある。複数の精神疾患で、罹患（りかん）率が国内で最も高いものもある。よって現状の施策は全く機能していない」と指摘した。
　オレゴンでは１９７３年、国内で初めてマリフアナ（乾燥大麻）が非犯罪化された。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2020/11/05-16:15）

Oregon on Tuesday became the first US state to decriminalize hard drugs, including the possession of small amounts of heroin and cocaine, and to legalize access to magic mushrooms for therapeutic use.
Some other states, including Arizona and Montana, meanwhile appeared poised in early results to legalize recreational marijuana in line with a trend sweeping the country in recent years.
A ballot initiative in favor of decriminalizing a range of psychedelics was also approved in the nation's capital, Washington DC, the fourth jurisdiction to enact the reform.
Votes on those measures came as Americans cast their ballots in the US presidential election.
Under Measure 110, possession of small amounts of illicit drugs in Oregon would be considered a civil violation and more money will be earmarked for addiction treatment and other services for people with addiction disorders.
This groundbreaking initiative imagines a better way forward ? instead of arresting and jailing people for drugs, it will offer help to those who need and want it, the Drug Policy Alliance said in a statement.
The aim of the measure -- backed by the Oregon Nurses Association, the Oregon chapter of the American College of Physicians and the Oregon Academy of Family Physicians -- is to keep drug-addicted people out of the criminal justice system and to provide them with treatment.
Punishing people for drug use and addiction is costly and hasn't worked. More drug treatment, not punishment, is a better approach, the groups said in a statement.
Also backing the measure was Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan who contributed $500,000 through the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative.
- Therapeutic options -
However, opponents, including several local groups working on addiction policy, said the measure undermines local efforts and does not guarantee a set budget for treatment.
The state's second groundbreaking initiative, Measure 109, legalizes the therapeutic use of psilocybin, or magic mushrooms, for people over the age of 21 suffering from a range of conditions including depression, addiction and anxiety.
The measure was spearheaded by Portland psychotherapists Tom and Sheri Eckert.
There's a lot of people suffering out there who need therapeutic options, Tom Eckert told the local CBS station.
We're actually in the midst of a mental health crisis in Oregon. We have some of the highest rates of mental illness in the country. So the status quo really isn't working.
A related measure approved in Washington DC -- Initiative 81 -- decriminalizes magic mushrooms and other psychedelic substances.
Under the measure, those who use and sell such drugs would be considered among the police department's lowest law enforcement priorities.
Also Tuesday, four US states -- New Jersey, Montana, South Dakota and Arizona -- voted to legalize recreational marijuana, which remains illegal at the federal level.
That brings to 15 the number of US states that have approved the drug for recreational purposes since 2012. Medical cannabis for its part is already legal in 33 US states.
In 1973, Oregon became the first state in the country to decriminalize marijuana.