Oregon becomes first state in US to legalise possession of hard drugs

Oregon on Tuesday has become the first state in the US to decriminalise hard drugs. however, other states, including Arizona and Montana, appeared poised in early results to legalize recreational marijuana.

The possession of small amounts of heroin and cocaine and access to “magic mushrooms” for therapeutic use for people over the age of 21 has also been decriminalized in Oregon.

A ballot initiative in favour of decriminalizing a range of psychedelics was also approved in the nation’s capital, Washington DC, the fourth jurisdiction to enact the reform under Measure 110.

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Measure 110 says that possession of small amounts of illicit drugs in Oregon would be considered a civil violation and more money will be earmarked for addiction treatment and other services for people with addiction disorders.

Votes on those measures came as Americans cast their ballots in the US presidential election.

The decision was also backed by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan who contributed $500,000 through the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative.

In 1973, Oregon became the first state in the country to decriminalize marijuana.