A state of emergency has been declared in Oregon by executive order signed by Gov. Tina Kotek (D). A surge in fentanyl overdoses at Portland City Center prompted the action. She ordered agencies to come up with a solution within the next 90 days and emphasized the importance of a coordinated effort utilizing all available resources. Jessica Vega Pederson, chair of Multnomah County, and Ted Wheeler, mayor of Portland, both issued statements endorsing the measure.
By formally recognizing the emergency on three fronts, their agencies will be able to work together more effectively. Along with Kotek’s order, the State of Oregon newsroom released a press release on January 30th outlining the decision. Following a recommendation from the Portland Central City Task Force at the 2023 Oregon Business Leadership Summit, the state and municipal officials made the decision.
The Oregon State Police, the Oregon Health Authority, the Oregon Department of Emergency Management, the Office of Resilience and Emergency Management, and the Oregon Department of Human Services are among the organizations collaborating to provide assistance. Together with other organizations, including the Health Department and the Joint Office of Homeless Services, they aim to combat the stigma associated with treatment, enhance recovery results, and promote fentanyl prevention.
Outreach and support for addicts will also be a top priority, with an emphasis on behavioral measures that promote recovery. They are also trying to make sure that those responsible for distributing these lethal medications are punished for the destruction they wreak.
Over 150 individuals die each day in the United States from fentanyl and related synthetic opioid overdoses, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Over 388.8 million fatal doses of fentanyl were confiscated in 2023, according to the US Drug Enforcement Administration. Seven out of ten pills that its agents confiscated had lethal levels of the powerful drug, according to laboratory testing.
