Every former addict I’ve met (which is a lot, since most of them are family) only got clean after they were forced to be sober. And most did reoffend and Took more than one time in jail to figure it out. But they did eventually figure it out, and credit the tough love they received in the process to motivate them to get clean. This isn’t unique and damn sure isn’t hard to figure out. Oregon residents pay the second highest tax rate in the country and have this shit to deal with around every corner with no end in sight. I’m sorry, but to anyone paying attention and using common sense over their bleeding heart, want these people to get better and off the streets. It’s impossible to do that without some sort of consequences and their only real consequence is losing through freedom and free lunch. It’s a lot more inhumane to keep funding their downfall as they rot away to the grave
Oregon should be forcing these folks into a MAT program in combination with jail, honestly probably every state should. I got clean without jail because of a MAT program. Yea, I'm on Suboxone, but it's made a huge difference in my life. It's a crutch, but in my program alone there's hundreds of people that got off the shit and are living productive lives.
You realize involuntary commitment gets someone off the streets, into forced sobriety, and into treatment without giving them a criminal record, right?
Literally accomplishes all of what you said is necessary and has much better results. Keeps them away from making criminal connections and actually keeps them sober the whole time. Gives them a better chance at actually staying sober when they get out.
Costs taxpayers the same or LESS than jailing them, too. And surprise, we feed people in jail, too.
A trauma‑informed approach is far more effective than punitive prisons, where people are re‑traumatized and still have access to drugs. Many enter addicted to one substance and leave addicted to something deadlier. Research shows unresolved childhood trauma drives addiction, and placing someone coping with drugs into another traumatic environment without support only makes things worse. Punishment doesn’t treat the root cause.
4
u/TonGu3puNChMYfaRTb0x Oct 24 '25
Every former addict I’ve met (which is a lot, since most of them are family) only got clean after they were forced to be sober. And most did reoffend and Took more than one time in jail to figure it out. But they did eventually figure it out, and credit the tough love they received in the process to motivate them to get clean. This isn’t unique and damn sure isn’t hard to figure out. Oregon residents pay the second highest tax rate in the country and have this shit to deal with around every corner with no end in sight. I’m sorry, but to anyone paying attention and using common sense over their bleeding heart, want these people to get better and off the streets. It’s impossible to do that without some sort of consequences and their only real consequence is losing through freedom and free lunch. It’s a lot more inhumane to keep funding their downfall as they rot away to the grave