US voters decriminalize hard drugs and marijuana but restrict abortion in state elections

Voters in several US states made local changes easing access to hard drugs and marijuana, but possibly restricting abortion, in state elections held on 3 November, many as part of ballots during the presidential election.

The west coast state of Oregon decriminalized the possession of heroin, methamphetamine, LSD, oxycodone, and other hard drugs. Oregon was the first state to decriminalize possession of marijuana in 1973 and passed a “dignity in dying” act in 1997, which allows Oregon residents with a terminal illness to use a dose of prescribed lethal medication.

Although possession of hard drugs was …