Oregon sees staggering 41% increase in fentanyl deaths, highest in the nation

According to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the state had the largest year-to-year increase of fentanyl deaths in 2023 – with the state of Washington following close behind.

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – As the national number of fentanyl deaths continues to grow, data show that Oregon has seen a particularly staggering increase.

According to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the state had the largest year-to-year increase of fentanyl deaths in 2023 – with the state of Washington following close behind.

Oregon experienced a 41% increase in drug overdose deaths between September 2022 and September 2023. The data, first reported by The Oregonian, tracked that 500 more state residents died from a fentanyl overdose during that time.

Nearly 12,000 more people have been killed by fentanyl – an increase of 1,526% – since the CDC started its project in 2019. Four years ago, 13% of overdose deaths were from fentanyl. In 2023, those numbers jumped to 72%

It comes as the state, City of Portland and Multnomah County declared a 90-day state of emergency in late January. However, Multnomah County commissioners Sharon Meieran and Julia Brim-Edwards have criticized the tri-state emergency with claims that they haven’t seen any action nearly 20 days later.

KOIN 6 News pointed out to Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson that it seems like the emergency is choosing to address gaps in communication between the city, state and county rather than addressing the fentanyl emergency itself.

“I think what the whole point of this is, fentanyl as a crisis is beyond any one government entity to be able to respond to. So all of us are bringing the resources, the expertise together so that we are able to address this huge crisis,” Vega Pederson said in response.

When asked by KOIN 6 News whether she was satisfied with what she heard Thursday, Brim Edwards said, “Not at all.” She elaborated she thinks “collaboration can’t be the primary outcome.”

The data also come as state lawmakers address changes to Measure 110, the voter-approved law that decriminalized possession of small amounts of drugs.

“We need to recriminalize it with compassionate off ramps, give family members and loved ones as well as law enforcement give the tools they need to hopefully, you know, reduce the number of fentanyl overdoses and drug overdoses,” Rep. Cyrus Javadi (R-Astoria) said.

“Inaction is not an option. This is another sobering reminder of why we have to act this session to keep our communities safe and save lives," added Sen. Kate Liber (D-Beaverton) and Rep. Jason Kropf (D-Bend) in a co-statement.

However, the Health Justice Recovery Alliance, an organization backing Measure 110, said legislators should instead focus on providing access to treatment for those already addicted to the life-threatening drug.

“This increase should be a call to action for state leaders to finally expand access to the treatment and addiction recovery services Oregonians have literally been dying for, instead of wasting taxpayer dollars on expanding criminal penalties that the Oregon chief justice says can't be implemented with current staffing,” the organization said in a statement.

The HJRA says the Pacific Northwest was one of the last regions to be hit with fentanyl, adding that it happened just as the pandemic began in the following statement:

"The Pacific Northwest was the last region in the country to get fentanyl, and the supply chain disruptions of COVID-19 led to a swift transition from a total-heroin market to a total-fentanyl market — meaning that Oregon’s drug supply became even more toxic and deadly overnight. State leaders were aware of the data trends as fentanyl traveled from east to west, yet did nothing to prepare for the incoming crisis. We must look to this massive increase in fentanyl overdose deaths in Oregon as a reason to uphold and expand Measure 110 services. Failing to do so will only serve to punish the same individuals our state has been failing for decades."