PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — There’s an effort underway to make changes to Measure 110, the voter-approved measure that decriminalized possession of small amounts of illegal drugs.

A growing group of business and civic leaders feel that Measure 110, approved nearly three years ago, is not working. They say it’s not getting more people into treatment, but rather encouraging more open drug use in public.

The Coalition to Fix and Improve Measure 110 is writing ballot measures that would make minor drug possession a misdemeanor crime again, which was first reported by The Oregonian/OregonLive. Some measures would recriminalize fentanyl, meth and heroin and replace voluntary drug treatment with required treatment as an alternative to jail.

The measures would also make it illegal statewide to use drugs in public. They are letting lawmakers know that if they don’t make changes to Measure 110 during the next legislative session in February, a ballot measure will head to voters in Nov. 2024.

“The purpose here is not to criminalize addiction. That’s not what we are looking to do. What we are looking to do is to give the community public safety tools they need that simultaneously create a pathway and a roadmap for people who are dealing with addiction, to have the motivation to actually seek treatment and recovery,” said former state lawmaker Max Williams.

The group does want to keep in place part of Measure 110 that directs millions in cannabis tax money into drug diversion and treatment programs.