丹佛- SB23-109, a so-called “drug-induced homicide” bill that would have punished accidental overdose deaths with up to 32 years in prison, failed to advance in the House Judiciary Committee on a 5-8 vote. The bill was vigorously opposed by a multi-issue coalition of public health professionals, mental health and substance use providers, 减少伤害专家, criminal legal reform advocates, and Coloradans directly impacted by the overdose crisis.
“The united opposition to this ill-conceived law shows a broad consensus that criminalization and punishment have not and will not work to solve a health crisis,” Vincent Atchity, President and CEO of Mental Health Colorado. ”而不是, the negative consequences of these laws have impacted every corner of our state, taking a generational toll on communities of color, 加剧贫富差距, and aggravating rather than reducing harms from substance use. The diverse coalition opposing this bill sent an unequivocal message: it is far past time for a new approach rooted in public health not criminalization — care, 不是袖口!”
In rejecting the law, Colorado joined states like 犹他州和怀俄明州, where Republican-led legislatures recently rejected similar laws. Despite the stated intent of the law to pursue “drug kingpins,” they have often been used against friends and family of the deceased.
“The Legislature should be applauded for rejecting this law that would have punished people with substance use disorder, 他们的朋友和家人. This would have been a step backward in our goal to combat the overdose crisis,” Sydney Melson, Association Manager of Colorado Providers Association.
“The overdose crisis is one of the most pressing public health challenges of our time. Research has shown that drug-induced homicide laws lead to increased overdoses by driving drug use further underground. With deaths reaching an all-time high in recent years, we can — and must — turn the tide on this public health emergency,” Jake Williams, Executive Director of 健康的科罗拉多州. “We can only do so with approaches rooted in evidence, not punitive measures like SB23-109.”
Drug-induced homicide laws are currently in effect in 25个州. Data shows that these laws do not help law enforcement disrupt supply or demand, squanders limited prosecutorial resources, and disproportionately impact people of color.
“Extreme laws like SB23-109 ignore years of research showing that policies punishing drug users exacerbate racial disparities,” Deborah Richardson, Executive Director of ACLU of Colorado. “While people across the state use drugs at a similar rate, Black people are 两倍的可能性 as white people to be arrested for a drug offense. By the same token, Black people are 12次 more likely to be wrongfully convicted and serve 长句子 than white people for similar drug offenses.”
A roadmap to effectively combat the overdose crisis must include: immediately reducing overdose deaths; permanently reducing demand; and focusing law enforcement resources on disrupting supply from major transnational criminal organizations. Any evidence-based policy that furthers these goals is worthy of consideration in Colorado’s approach to the overdose crisis. Any policy that does not will be an ineffective response that will divert critical resources — and at worst, it may make the crisis even worse.
Organizations opposing SB23-109 include: ACLU of Colorado, Advocates for Recovery Colorado, Bring Our Neighbors Home, Colorado Association of Addiction Professionals, Colorado Center on Law and Policy, Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, Colorado Consumer Health Initiative, Colorado Criminal Justice Reform Coalition, Colorado Drug Policy Coalition, 科罗拉多自由基金, Colorado Mental Wellness Network, Colorado Providers Association, Colorado Psychiatric Society, Colorado Public Health Association, Colorado Society of Addiction Medicine, 狐狸 & 罗伯逊, Harm Reduction 行动 Center, 健康的科罗拉多州, 不可分割的CO1, 不可分割的CO7, Indivisible Front Range Resistance, JeffcoCan, National Alliance on Mental Illness Colorado, 新时代科罗拉多, 清醒的房子, 沿街供应, 部落康复之家, Vivient健康, West Metro Resistance and Young Invincibles.
资源:
ACLU of Colorado 3-Point 行动 Plan for the Overdose Crisis: http://www.saundersintokyo.com/en/3-point-action-plan-overdose-crisis
ACLU of Colorado SB23-109 Factsheet: http://live-aclu-colorado.pantheonsite.io/sites/default/files/justsayno...
