Why a drug decriminalization crisis looms for Washington state lawmakers

By ED KOMENDA
Associated Press

SEATTLE (AP) — Lawmakers in the state of Washington are going into special session hoping to avert a crisis over the decriminalization of drugs. They voted down a bill last month to keep drug possession illegal while boosting addiction services. Now they hope to reach a compromise before July 1. If they don’t, Washington could become the second U.S. state, after Oregon, to decriminalize drug possession just as the cheap, deadly fentanyl becomes more available, causing overdose deaths to soar amid rampant public drug use. Many liberal Democrats object to criminalizing drugs, while conservative Democrats and Republicans insist on a threat of jail to provide incentive for people to enter treatment.