Polis “Defelonizes” Drug Possession for Heroin, Fentanyl, Cocaine

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signed a law "defelonizing" single use drug possession for substances like heroin, fentanyl and cocaine.

Under the new law HB19-1263, if a resident is caught with a small amount of illegal drugs, they'll no longer be charged with a felony. However, anyone caught distributing or "dealing" drugs will still face a felony charge.

Supporters of the new law believe it takes a step in the right direction by not harming people who would benefit more from help with these substances instead of punishment.

A report from the Joint Budget Committee found that the new law will save the state anywhere from 8.6 million to 13.7 million over the next 5 years. The Denver Channel is reporting that the money saved would go to fund new treatment centers.

Source: The Denver Channel