Oregon One of the Top States to See Largest Increases in Fentanyl Deaths
By Joe Hathaway on Friday, September 29th, 2023 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News
OREGON — Overdose deaths and deaths from fentanyl poisoning reached all-time highs in 2023, according to newly released CDC data.
According to CDC estimates of fatalities through April 2023, 31 states and the District of Columbia saw more fentanyl and synthetic opioid deaths in 2023 than the year prior. 29 states saw more overdose deaths in 2023 than in the prior year, with Oregon and Washington in the lead among those states.
Oregon and Washington state had the highest rate of increase in fatalities due to fentanyl poisoning (13x the national average) and drug overdose compared to the prior year.
Oregon had the highest rate of increase in fentanyl deaths in the nation with a one-year increase of more than 67 percent, compared to a national average of 5 percent. Oregon also ranked second highest in the nation for increases in overdose deaths overall, with an increase of 23 percent.
Oregon Governor Tina Kotek recently announced that she has directed state police to instigate new strategies to disrupt the fentanyl supply chain and hold sellers accountable.
“I want all Oregonians to know that the state is moving forward with several new fentanyl strategic enforcement and disruption strategies,” Kotek said in the statement.
Kotek said so far this year, Oregon State Police have seized nearly 233,000 fentanyl pills and 62 pounds of powder.
The crackdown includes Eastern Oregon.
“Our interdiction teams and narcotic team engagement is statewide. We currently work with several teams in eastern Oregon to disrupt and prevent the distribution of controlled substances- including fentanyl.” said Capt. Kyle Kennedy of OSP.
The states with the largest number of fentanyl and other synthetic opioid deaths in the year ending in April 2023 were California, Florida, Ohio, and North Carolina.
The states that experienced the highest overall drug overdose deaths in the same 12-month period were California, Florida, Texas, and Pennsylvania.
A nonprofit fighting against the opioid crisis, Families Against Fentanyl organized the data and determined that fentanyl has scourged the entire United States becoming the leading cause of death for Americans between the ages of 18 and 45.
FAF also added that many of those dying from fentanyl were relatively younger, claiming over 25% of deaths were people between 25 and 34.
