The Drug Overdose Crisis in Oregon is Affecting Communities Statewide
Oregon’s drug overdose crisis is affecting every community statewide, and its sensitive and traumatic nature is causing harm and loss of well-being of all whose lives it touches, says Liz McCarthy, overdose epidemiologist at the Oregon Health Authority’s (OHA) Injury and Violence Prevention Program (IVPP).
Database Shows that Drug Overdoses Claimed 1,833 Lives Last Year
A state database shows that drug overdoses claimed the lives of 1,833 last year, compared to 1,383 deaths in 2022.
As the incidence of death by overdose continues to rise, the OHA says 53% of the victims had both opioids and stimulants in their systems.
The OHA has updated its Oregon Overdose Prevention Dashboard, a database highlighting emerging trends. ‘The dashboard is an interactive tool for tracking state, county, and demographic trends related to fatal and non-fatal overdoses,’ says the OHA.
Cases of fatal overdosing are more prevalent in non-Hispanic, Black, and American Indian/Alaska Native communities.
OHA is Working Aggressively to Reduce Overdose Fatalities
The Health Authority says that Oregon ‘is working aggressively to reduce drug overdose fatalities and to provide treatment to people more efficiently. These steps include:
- Expanding the distribution of naloxone to meet community needs and including the Save Lives Oregon project.
- Increasing access to medical treatments for substance use.
- Increasing peer support and intervention programs across the state.
- Stabilizing and supporting workers involved with treating substance use.
- Continuing prevention and education programs.
Governor is Proposing that Millions of Dollars be Ploughed into the State’s Drug Rehabilitation Programs
Oregon Governor Tina Kotek’s 2025-27 budget proposes that $90 million be set aside for adult mental health services, substance use disorder residential treatment, and withdrawal management.
Kotek proposes that another $40 million be used to give individuals struggling with addiction the opportunity to avoid legal action and to seek treatment.
She also suggests that a further $25 million be channeled into residential and community-based behavioral health and substance use disorders, the expansion of mental health services, prevention services for school-based health centers, and funding for youth suicide prevention work.
The updated dashboard gives public health officials, local agencies, and community organizations better access to critical data.
Authorities are still gathering information about the death by overdose rate for 2024.
McCarthy said the updated dashboard will allow users to explore the latest trends in overdose deaths, hospital visits, and the substances involved, and to download data for in-depth analysis.
The dashboard includes a range of drug categories such as fentanyl, heroin, opioids, and stimulants.
A new page focuses on Oregon’s State Unintentional Drug Overdose Reporting System (SUDORS) that offers additional information on unintentional overdose deaths in the state.
One highlight of the new page is a section called the “Drug of Interest” that gives an insight into substances emerging onto the market, like xylazine.
Sources & References
- Press release from The Oregon Health Authority – December 12, 2024
- https://oregoninjurydata.shinyapps.io/…