HEAL Oregon News

Legal Scholar: Jim Crow Still Exists In America
On NPR's "Fresh Air," Michelle Alexander, author of "The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness," details how President Reagan's war on drugs led to a mass incarceration of black males and the difficulties these felons face after serving their prison sentences.
Obama Commutes 22-Year Sentence for Crack Cocaine Conviction
President Obama has granted a pardon to one woman who was sentenced to over two decades in prison for a crack cocaine conviction. In August, he signed the Fair Sentencing Act, which reduced the disparities in sentencing for crack and powder cocaine offenses (Color Lines News For Action).
Police Officers Find That Dissent on Drug Laws May Come With a Price
More and more members of the law enforcement community are speaking out against failed drug policies, but face dismissal and retaliation (The New York Times).
How the Plummeting Price of Cocaine Fueled the Nationwide Drop in Violent Crime
In the mid-1990s, crime rates dropped in major American cities. Plenty of theories have been offered to account for the decrease in violence, but more attention should be paid to one likely culprit: the collapse of the U.S. cocaine market (The Atlantic Cities).
Breakthrough in U.S. Drug Sentencing Reform: A New Publication from The Sentencing Project
In 2010, Congress passed historic legislation to reduce the sentencing disparity for crack cocaine offenses. A new paper from The Sentencing Project evaluates this success and highlights the need for a reduction in incarceration and racial disparity while providing a more humane system of justice.
A New Life for Oregon's Recovering Addicts
State's study of publicly funded addiction services surprises administrator, who discovers that more people are staying clean and having fewer mental-health issues. (Statesman Journal)
Feds accept Supreme Court's safe-injection site ruling
Canadian Supreme Court upholds right of innovative harm reduction clinic to exist. (CTV News)
Oregon's 2011 Legislative Session Wrap-Up
In early 2011 we participated in the Legislation Sessions. We had VICTORY'S : HB 2707, ODSVS, HEAL Oregon help maintain funding for Addiction Treatment, and HB 2650: Addiction & Mental Health Workers w/Conviction histories return to work
Rethinking Addiction’s Roots, and Its Treatment
The medical establishment is increasingly emphasizing the physical nature of addiction;10 medical institutions have just introduced the first accredited residency programs in addiction medicine. (NY Times).
At Least 40 Dead After Mexican Drug Gangs Battle
At least 40 people are dead due to a 24-hour killing spree by Mexican drug gangs, yet another sign that the War on Drugs has failed to stem the illegal drug trade. Officials call for the US to take responsibility as the main consumer and also the main supplier of guns in and out of Mexico. (Slate)