La Grande Council follows in Ontario's footsteps with letter outlining effects of Measure 110

Dec. 5—LA GRANDE — Following in the footsteps of a city council in Malheur County, the La Grande City Council wants Gov.-elect Tina Kotek to know its dissatisfaction with a law that decriminalized certain illegal narcotics.

After the Ontario City Council sent a letter to Oregon state representatives and media outlets in October, La Grande Mayor Steve Clements asked if the council would like to draft a similar letter. Councilors agreed and wrote a letter expressing their "unanimous concern about the impact that Measure 110 has had on our community."

"I think it's going to take more communities reaching out," Clements said. "Ontario started it. If we do it and other communities do it, things might change."

Oregon voters passed Ballot Measure 110 with a statewide approval rate of 58.5% in November 2020. Measure 110 failed in Union County with 5,708 voters favoring the measure and 8,650 voting against it. The measure reduced the penalty for possession of controlled substances and reduced penalties for possession of larger amounts. The ballot measure aimed to approach substance abuse as a public health issue — encouraging addiction services instead of placing substance addicts behind bars for court-ordered treatment.

Under the measure, for example, an individual found with less than 1 gram of heroin would face a maximum fine of $100 instead of a misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail.

The council recognizes that the intent of the measure was to help people suffering with substance use disorders, but worries about the "unintended and undesirable consequences of its implementation." The letter included facts, figures and personal stories shared by both the La Grande fire and police departments.

Dustin Alam, the La Grande Fire Department's Firefighters Local 924 Union president, stepped forward to speak on the issue.

Alam said that since the passing of Measure 110 he has personally administered more doses of Narcan than during his previous eight years as an EMT combined. Narcan is an emergency medication packaged as a nasal spray that is used to rapidly reverse an opioid overdose and restore normal breathing. Alam also noted that the amount of Narcan needed by patients has increased.

Police Chief Gary Bell shared that overdose-related 911 calls during the first 10 months of 2022 increased 360% in comparison to 2020. The total number of overdose-related incidents is likely even higher than the police department's numbers because they do not include the overdoses that present in the emergency room or to public health or are self-treated.

Law enforcement consistently reports that the overwhelming majority of people who are cited for possession of illicit substances do not choose to seek recovery assistance through the hotline established under the ballot measure.

"The lack of criminal penalty for illicit drug use has emboldened some of our citizens to use these substances openly in our downtown spaces, creating significant safety concerns for residents and adversely impacting nearby businesses," the council said in the letter.

The letter also included the council's concerns for the danger the ballot measure poses for children — sharing two recent incidents where elementary school students wound up in possession of illicit substances from their homes.

"Our small community lacks the treatment services and law enforcement resources necessary to cope with the effects of Measure 110 and we are concerned that additional funding may be inadequate to solve the new problems that it has created," said the letter from the city council. "We plead with you for a better solution which will help those affected by substance use disorders while also providing appropriate consequences for harmful behavior to deter repeat offenders and first time users alike."

Isabella Crowley is a reporter for The Observer. Contact her at 541-624-6014 or icrowley@lagrandeobserver.com.