Impacts of the Oregon's Opioid Epidemic

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Oregon, like the rest of US, is experiencing a crisis, involving misuse, abuse, overdose and death. This crisis involves both prescription pain medications, as well as heroin and non-pharmaceutical fentanyl. Oregon has one of the highest rates of prescription opioids in the nation. 

Multnomah County, Portland can be a good model as it is affected by the abuse of opioids. According to an annual report on homeless deaths from Multnomah County and Street Roots, 126 people died homeless in Multnomah County in 2020, the most deaths counted since the county started tracking it in 2011. 

The "Domicile Unknown" report tracks the number of deaths in the county, as well as causes and characteristics of how people died. 

One of the leading causes of deaths among homeless people were alcohol and drug use, specifically opioids and methamphetamine. According to the report, drug use was noted in nearly 90% of people who died while experiencing homelessness, and drug or alcohol toxicity contributed to more than half of all deaths. Of the 71 deaths ruled accidental, 75% were related to drugs or alcohol. There were 37 deaths determined to be from natural causes; 32% of those involved complications from drug or alcohol abuse. 

Opioids contributed to 41% of deaths — an increase from 2019, but lower than previous years. Multnomah County said previous, “Domicile Unknown”, reports drove leaders to address opioid use by enacting safer prescribing practices and distributing more naloxone, which reverses the effects of an opioid overdose. 

Measure 110, a ballot initiative funded by the Drug Policy Alliance, a nonprofit advocacy group backed in part by Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg, passed with more than 58% of the vote. Possessing heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine and other drugs for personal use is no longer a criminal offense in Oregon.

For years Oregon has ranked near the top of states with the highest rates of drug and alcohol addiction and near the very bottom nationally in access to recovery services. And while critics everywhere have long called the drug war a racist, inhumane fiasco. that fails to deliver justice or health, Oregon was the first to take a leap toward radically changing those systems but has this move been effective? Currently there has only been a slight decrease of death from alcohol but a huge rise in opioid overdose deaths. With the pandemic there has been an increase in mental issues and this has contributed to the increase in Drugs abuse and homelessness. Homelessness in Portland is at an all time high and with the implementation of measure 110 and lack of health services for addicts it is going to be tough to deal with the rise in opioids abuse and see the impact of Measure 110. At the moment people in Oregon’s have to live with this choice and hope that measure 110 bares fruit in the near future because with the current problems it is quite hard to predict the future.


Written by,

Ian Shihemi


Sources:

Multnomah County Saw Record Number of Homeless Deaths

https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/homeless/multnomah-county-homeless-deaths-report-2020/283-2e236d1c-c0ef-4cff-a82a-f7c181ae58b1


Oregon Poison Center issues public warning about fentanyl counterfeit opioid pills

https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/oregon-poison-center-public-warning-fentanyl-pills/283-00fd6806-dd0d-468c-b44b-33887f025e28


As Meth and Fentanyl Tighten Their Grips on Oregon, the State scrambles to Implement Treatment Services

https://www.wweek.com/news/2022/01/26/as-meth-and-fentanyl-tighten-their-grips-on-oregon-the-state-scrambles-to-implement-treatment-services/


Oregon Just Decriminalized All Drugs - Here's why voters Passed this groundbreaking Reform

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/articles/2020-12-10/oregon-just-decriminalized-all-drugs-

heres-why-voters-passed-this-groundbreaking-reform

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