Oregon became the first state in the country to decriminalise the possession of small amounts of all drugs. The state's Ballot Measure 110 went into effect, which proponents believe will help people who are experiencing difficulties with addiction. People carrying small amounts of drugs – like heroin, LSD, methamphetamine and oxycodone – will now only face a $100 fine or, following a health assessment, addiction counselling. If a health assessment is accepted, the fine will be dropped. This is a dramatic shift from being charged with a felony and given a potential prison sentence, as was the policy in the past. Under the new initiative, possessing larger amounts of illegal drugs could result in a misdemeanor charge. "For me, I was part of that cycle of incarceration; jail, jail, jail and then prison," Janie Gullickson, the executive director of the Mental Health & Addiction Association of Oregon, told NBC affiliate KGW8. "It wasn't jail or prison that changed my life or got me into recovery," she continued. "It was the treatment that was provided for me, which wasn't offered to me until I was in prison. If that was out in the community and that was the standard response, I think we would see a lot more people accessing that treatment, not having to go the criminal justice pathway." There have been those who have criticised the measure, suggesting Ballot Measure 110 could lead to hard drug use being accepted, the outlet said.