2022 midterm election: Democrats, Republicans fight for control of Senate, House of Representatives

Pennsylvania Democratic Senate candidate John Fetterman applauded Oregon voters in 2020 after they approved a measure to decriminalize possession of small amounts of hard drugs like heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine and ecstasy.

Fetterman, running in one of the most closely watched Senate races this midterm season, says he does not support decriminalization of hard drugs in Pennsylvania. But in a “Social Justice Power Hour” conversation with the Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice in November 2020, Fetterman praised the Oregon measure.

“We have a mental health crisis in our country, and you have these pharmaceuticals that have all of these side effects and have all these other externalities,” Fetterman said at the time. “And here, you know, like I applaud Oregon for the step they took this last election, you know, decriminalizing small amounts of drugs, and realizing you can’t arrest your way out of addiction. … If you criminalize addiction, you have what we have, and that is one of the core tenants of mass incarceration.”

Measure 110, which was approved by voters in Oregon Nov. 3, 2020, took effect in February 2021 and decriminalized small amounts of hard drugs, including psilocybin and psilocin, LSD, methadone, oxycodone, heroin, ecstasy, cocaine and methamphetamine.

The measure reclassified possession of small amounts of hard drugs as a civil violation. Offenders face a $100 fine, which they can avoid with a “health assessment” — a 24/7 phone service that will help determine what services an individual might need. Small amounts are classified as less than 1 gram of heroin or MDMA, 2 grams of cocaine or methamphetamine, 12 grams of psilocybin mushrooms and 40 doses of LSD, oxycodone or methadone.

Read more from Fox News’ Kyle Morris here.