The House Judiciary Committee is scheduled to consider a bill Monday that would make small-scale drug possession a misdemeanor, rather than a felony, in Oregon.
Substance abuse counselor Cody Roberts said he started taking drugs in high school after his father fell ill. He used substances like marijuana and opioids from the medicine cabinet.
Eventually, police arrested Roberts and he was convicted of felony possession.
Now, he’s 28 years old and said he struggles to even find an apartment.
“That one felony, a mistake I made when I was a kid," he said, "I can’t get a job that I want, even though I have the education. It’s like they still bring that felony up to me.”
A recent poll by the ACLU of Oregon found 73 percent of people favor making small-scale drug possession a misdemeanor instead of a felony.
The same poll found 64 percent of people knew someone who struggled with addiction.
But a sizable population who took the poll still said tough penalties are the best way to drive home the consequences of illegal behavior.