Headlines in other parts of the country keep saying Oregon has "decriminalized" some drug offenses.
That is not quite the case, but it is true that the legislature recently voted to turn some drug possession felonies into misdemeanors.
Two reasons: 1) reduce pressure on prisons; 2) offer drug treatment instead of time behind bars.
The Oregon Association of Chiefs of Police supports the change (up to a point), along with other law enforcement groups. Kris Allison is chief of police in Central Point and vice president of the chiefs association.
Phil Bettin is the programs officer at the Addictions Recovery Center in Medford.They visit the studio with details of how the law will be implemented.