Oregon Voters Approve Drug Decriminalization

Oregon has become the first state to decriminalize possession of small amounts of drugs such as heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine, CBS News reports.

Voters in Oregon passed an initiative that will permit people arrested with small amounts of substances such as heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine to pay a $100 fine and attend an addiction recovery program. Revenues from legalized marijuana will be used to fund the addiction treatment centers. Oregon approved legalized marijuana several years ago.

The Oregon Democratic Party, as well as some nurses and physician associations, supported the measure. The Oregon Republican Party opposed it, calling it radical.

Oregon also became the first state to legalize the therapeutic use of psychedelic mushrooms.