A new law increasing penalties on public transit took effect on Jan. 1.Senate Bill 1553 classifies the use of illicit drugs onboard public transit vehicles as a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to 364 days in jail,

With a new law in place, anyone caught using drugs on TriMet buses and trains could be facing up to a year behind bars. Read online:

"The changes passed in the last legislative session made it clear public drug use cannot be tolerated on transit systems." TriMet General Manager Sam Desue said.