CNN —Oregon leaders joined forces to declare a 90-day state of emergency in downtown Portland, funneling resources into the city’s deadly fentanyl crisis.
Oregon voters passed Measure 110 in 2020, which decriminalized some use of hard-drugs, including fentanyl, a potent synthetic opioid.
The measure has received criticism, as opioid overdose deaths steadily climbed since.
Opioid overdose deaths in the state increased from 280 in 2019 to 956 in 2022, according to the state’s data.
Experts say reversing the trends in overdose deaths really depends on broader access to and use of treatments for opioid use disorder.
Persons:
Tina Kotek, Jessica Vega Pederson, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler, ” Kotek, ”, “, ” Pederson
Organizations:
CNN, Oregon, Oregon Gov, Portland Mayor, US Centers of Disease Control, CDC, Portland Central City Task Force, Portland Police Bureau, Oregon State Police
Locations:
Portland, Multnomah, Portland’s Central City, Oregon