Portland City Council in Oregon votes to ban open drug use, but with one catch

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The City of Portland, Oregon, on Wednesday voted to ban the use of hard drugs like fentanyl, heroin and methamphetamine on public property.

The emergency ordinance, approved 5-0 by the City Council, adds criminal penalties to using drugs in public. 

Tents and a wheelchair cover a sidewalk in downtown Portland, Ore., Feb. 17, 2023. (Hannah Ray Lambert/Fox News Digital/File)

The ordinance does not go into effect immediately, however, as it includes a "trigger" amendment. This means that the penalties can’t be enforced until state lawmakers pass a new bill giving municipalities that ability. 

The resolution directs the Office of Government Relations to pursue partnerships with other local governments in Oregon and the state Legislature to collaborate on solutions to address the substantial impact of consuming hard drugs on public property. 

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The vote comes days after an Emerson poll of 1,000 registered Oregon voters that found more than half support a complete repeal of Measure 110, a 2020 ballot initiative that decriminalized possession of small amounts of hard drugs such as heroin, meth and fentanyl. 

Oregon lawmakers passed a bill criminalizing possession of a gram or more of fentanyl last month. (Gary Coronado/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images/File)

The measure, which made possession punishable by a maximum $100 fine, passed in 2020 with 58% of voters backing it. Wednesday’s ordinance is not expected to alter Ballot Measure 110. 

Those invited to speak before the vote were largely supportive of the measure though at least one person expressed concern that it would result in fewer opportunities for intervention. 

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Fox News Digital has reached out to members of Portland’s City Council for additional comment.