Opponents of drug decriminalization say it has been ‘disastrous’ for Oregon. Data suggests otherwise.

According to a 2022 report from the Maine Drug Policy Lab, ACLU Maine and the Maine Center for Economic Policy, recent increases to spending on criminalization have “well-outpaced” increases to spending on treatment.

“A year in state prison costs more than twice as much as it would cost to provide housing, weekly counseling and medication-assisted treatment for a year at current MaineCare reimbursement rates,” the report states.

Click here to read the full story, first published January 28, 2024 in The Maine Monitor.