Colorado lawmakers are again weighing how to use criminal penalties and protections to staunch the addiction crisis, this time with a trio of bills that some argue have competing aims.
“For someone who’s navigating a substance misuse disorder and active addiction, going to be scary and confusing,” Gonzales said. “You can’t get to recovery by criminalizing people.”
Enabling is how he said he, and many in his caucus, view proposals like safe-use sites. Proponents of such sites argue they prevent overdose deaths, while also giving people with active addictions access to treatment. Unlike others in his caucus, Roberts doesn’t see the bills extending overdose reporting protections and penalizing drug distributors whose product kills people as at odds. Last year’s fentanyl package included a similar provision to charge illegal fentanyl distributors with level-one drug felonies if the user died.
“There are competing values here, and it’s understandable that certain legislators would prioritize some of those values over others,” said Lakewood Democrat Rep. Chris deGruy Kennedy. “For me, the highest value is saving lives. For others, the higher value is creating a sense of justice for victims who have lost a loved one. Both are understandable, but I think Senate Bill 109 will hurt more people than it helps, all in the name of making victims feel like justice has been served.
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