As a concerned citizen who frequently visits cities all over Washington State, the ubiquity of drug prevalence has been distressing and concerning. There isn’t a city where this is not apparent; Seattle, Tacoma, Bremerton, you name it. People, homeless or not, left and right, are succumbing to the clutches of drug abuse. It is heartbreaking to see our communities gradually being torn apart by this alarming drug pandemic. More regrettable is the apparent apathy and inaction from state officials who seem to watch idly as people destroy their lives.

The decriminalization of drug use and possession in Washington State, instead of getting these people treatment, has resulted in an abrupt increase in drug usage and related consequences. Drug overdose deaths in Washington increased by nearly 229.5% from 2019 to 2023, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Washington State Department of Health (DOH) and the Alcohol & Drug Abuse Institute (University of Washington) , a heartbreaking statistic that continues the upward trend of overdose deaths in our state. 

Each tragic statistic represents a person with a life, a family, and dreams robbed by substances that do not discriminate. It's evident that the current approach in Washington State isn't working to effectively address this deep-seated issue. Hence, we are urgently calling for the state to reconsider and reinstate the criminalization of drug use and possession. This will serve as a deterrent to drug use and will push for stricter regulations and enforcement, which should be complemented by increased funding for rehabilitation and treatment services to provide support for those affected.

It's time to prioritize the health and well-being of our citizens and our communities over the harmful laissez-faire policies that have allowed this crisis to worsen. Let's take a stand and urge our leaders to act. Please sign this petition to urge Washington State officials to reinstate the criminalization of drug use and possession.