> But if it will just be an unstructured free-for-all I doubt it will result in any improvements.

For a functioning addict, drugs not being illegal is itself an improvement, even if overdose rates stay completely unchanged.

When you have an addiction problem, getting the legal system involved typically results in you getting two problems around your neck, instead of just one.

I’m not closely familiar with the Oregon legislation, but usually decriminalizing drugs is paired with those kinds of approaches, so I would be very surprised if that wasn’t the case with Oregon’s legislation.

Decriminalization is usually just a necessary prerequisite to make the medical approach practically workable. I’d expect most legislatures would avoid touching the decriminalization issue if they could.