Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek (D) declared a state of emergency in Portland due to a disastrous rise in fentanyl overdoses just a few years after the state decriminalized the drug.
Progressive states decriminalized drug use for the first time when Congress passed Measures 110 In 2020, we aim to focus on recovery rather than incarceration for addicts.
At the time, nearly 60 percent of voters approved the measure. new vote They found themselves regretting their actions only three years later.
Additionally, no other state has followed Oregon in eliminating penalties for most drug crimes.
“Oregon has turned into an international spectacle. I think we looked at each other and realized we made a big mistake,” said Kristin Olson, a Portland-based attorney. Said Fox News.
“This law has been in place for three years and has not delivered on the promises voters expected,” said Washington County District Attorney Kevin Barton. Said Go to CBS News.
Oregon’s governor has declared a state of emergency for the city of Portland due to the growing fentanyl crisis. The state became the first in the nation to largely decriminalize drug use in 2020. pic.twitter.com/xf9ln34Hfw
— CBS Evening News (@CBSEEveningNews) February 2, 2024
The number of overdose deaths in the state has continued to rise since the bill was passed in 2020. By 2022, that level has soared to nearly 1,000 drug overdose deaths.
The 90-day state of emergency order issued by Governor Kotek, Multnomah County Chairwoman Jessica Vega Pederson, and Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler will “commit available resources to a unified response.”
A command center will be established in Portland where state, county and city officials will meet to coordinate strategy and response efforts. statement To read.
“Our nation and our state have never seen a drug this deadly and addictive, and we are all struggling to figure out how to respond,” Kotek said, adding that the administration is “taking unprecedented action.” “No,” he said, adding that he would take action.
Mr. Speaker, the Mayor and I recognize that we need urgent and united action across our public health and community safety systems to overcome this crisis. We are all in this together. The next 90 days will generate unprecedented collaboration and focused resources targeting fentanyl, providing a roadmap for next steps.
Wheeler’s statement emphasized the need to create “direct impact and lasting change.”
I am pleased to have Governor Kotek and Speaker Vega Pederson join us in the City of Portland’s continued efforts to address the deadly fentanyl crisis impacting our community. Today, under the authority of the state of emergency, we move forward with urgency to address these challenges together. This is exactly the type of coordinated action needed to make a direct impact and create lasting change.
The joint statement also said it would use a combination of services such as “peer outreach” and “behavioral and public health” to provide treatment and “other stabilization services” to people addicted to fentanyl.
Kotek’s office also said the Portland Police Bureau will work with Oregon State Police to “hold accountable those who sold the drugs.”
