Oregon, showing the world what not to do

Pundits all over the country are recognizing Oregon as the poster child for what not to do about mental illness and drug addiction.

From the Wall Street Journal, we learn that Oregon is the third-worst state in the nation when it comes to inadequacy of facilities to deal with what used to be called the criminally insane. The Weed warms it over here.

Other states have tried different fixes. Some are building more state psychiatric beds, others are allowing patients to be restored to competency inside jails.

So far, Oregon policymakers have rejected both options.

The situation is infuriating prosecutors and judges, who say they’re left with no good options in cases where people with mental illness are accused of violent crimes.

Meanwhile, the Atlantic magazine has a new piece up about how decriminalizing hard street drugs is about the worst thing you can do to solve the raging addiction crisis. That essay's behind a paywall, but you get the piicture just from the headline and lead.

AMERICA’S APPROACH TO ADDICTION HAS GONE OFF THE RAILS

In a time of fentanyl and meth, we need to use law enforcement differently—and more often.

Oh, no. Not in the Beaver State. We're too deep into the lie known as "harm reduction." Clean needles and tents for all. And how about a nice new apartment to kill yourself in? It's our number 1 priority. An emergency!

I'm embarrassed, are you? But the politicians and bureaucrats here are immune to all that. On they roll, arrogant and ignorant as ever.