I had an editorial letter published in the Philadelphia Inquirer 30 years ago. I wrote that the war on drugs was a waste of money, and that we needed an alternative approach, treating illegal drugs more like we treat legal ones (cigarettes and alcohol). I have discovered since then that there are lots of people like me who have no interest in using illegal drugs, but who still find the US drug policy a terrible waste of money and lives.

So I was thrilled to learn that as of today, the state of Oregon has decriminalized the possession of small amounts of ALL illegal drugs. There is a small fine instead, and that is waved if the person agrees to a health assessment. I hope other states follow this approach.