Legislators met last week to get updates and prepare for the 2023 legislative session. Measure 110 was on the agenda, of course.

It has had success and struggles.

Voters passed Measure 110 in November of 2020. The goal was to get more people addicted to drugs into treatment — and not send them to jail. It has a treatment side and an accountability side.

Oregon has been able to expand the availability of treatment and get more people into treatment.

That is a success.

Measure 110 also decriminalized user amounts of illegal drugs. People can be caught with heroin or methamphetamine and get a ticket for up to $100. They can ignore that ticket and not seek treatment and not face any repercussions.

That is not a success.

The Senate Interim Committee on Judiciary heard testimony last week on these two sides of Measure 110. If legislators don’t act to modify how Measure 110 works, or even if they do, voters may change the measure themselves.

The encouraging numbers are the increasing availability of treatment and the increasing numbers of people seeking treatment for drug addiction. There has been a steady increase quarter over quarter. Client counts for an array of services has at least doubled, according to the latest statistics from the Oregon Health Authority.

One special thing achieved by money from Measure 110 is to help fill gaps where there has not been funding before, such as housing assistance for people struggling with addiction.

An example is happening in Redmond. A program there — through BestCare Treatment Services and a state effort known as Project Nurture — provides housing and treatment to moms who have struggled with addiction. It can change the lives of babies and families for the better. A multiplex opened in August. The money came to pay for it thanks to Measure 110.

Just adding more money for treatment is not enough, though. Nate Sickler, the sheriff of Jackson County, told legislators law enforcement handing out tickets without consequences to drug users has not been effective.

“So far that has not proven to have the accountability necessary to drive individuals into treatment,” he said. “Currently less than 1% of those who are issued these citations actually follow through…” and seek treatment.

Measure 110 was a gigantic shift for Oregon. It’s not also a gigantic failure. But people struggling with drug addiction are not going to change behavior after being handed a ticket with no consequences.