Portland authorities have declared a 90-day state of emergency in an attempt to curb the use and impact of fentanyl in this US city, the largest in the state of Oregon.
The widespread use of fentanyl, a synthetic painkiller 50 times more powerful than heroin, It is considered the culprit of the increase in deaths caused by drugs in the North American country.
In Oregon, the increase coincided with the decision to decriminalize the use of most drugs, including fentanyl.
This Tuesday, top state and city officials said that tolerated drug use is harming Portland, a city that has seen homelessness and drug addiction spread on its streets in recent years.
The phenomenon has caused several important companies and quite a few residents to decide to move to other places.
According to Multnomah County, where Portland is located, The number of fentanyl-related overdose deaths increased by 533% between 2018 and 2022.
Governor Tina Kotek announced a state of emergency and acknowledged that the city was suffering “economic and reputational harm” due to the fentanyl problem.
“Our country and our state have never seen a drug so deadly addictive, and we are all struggling to find an answer,” he said in a statement.
The use of fentanyl has spread in the United States in recent years, becoming a major political and health problem.
Its use and impact have grown exponentially. In 2016, fentanyl was behind 62% of overdose deaths in Washington. In 2022, it was the cause of 96% of deaths related to drug abuse.
President Joe Biden has described the situation as a “tragedy” and his government announced a federal plan in November based on facilitating access to treatment for addicts and strengthening international cooperation. Some of the chemicals used in the manufacture of fentanyl are exported en masse from China and are processed in Mexico by criminal groups.
Joined by Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler and Multnomah County President Jessica Vega Pederson, Governor Kotek on Tuesday announced new “tri-governmental” action to address the fentanyl crisis.
The order establishes a temporary “command center” where “state, county and city employees will come together to coordinate response strategies and efforts,” Kotek, Wheeler and Vega Pederson said in a joint statement.
The plan also calls for the state Department of Health to launch a campaign on billboards, public transportation and on the Internet to promote drug addiction prevention and treatment.
It also calls for more peer outreach and resources for addicts, and for police to crack down on open drug trafficking.
Governor Kotek said county, city and state leaders will act with “urgency and unity” to begin making progress against fentanyl.
Attempts to tighten Oregon laws
“The next 90 days will lead to unprecedented collaboration and resources focused on fentanyl, and will provide a roadmap for next steps,” he added.
Everyone in Portland knows the challenge won't be easy.
In 2020, the Oregonians passed Measure 110, which decriminalized most drug use and established that when the Police find fentanyl users they must refer them to treatment centers. However, many of them do not show up.
According to state data, opioid deaths in Oregon increased from 738 in 2021, the first year the law went into effect, to 956 in 2022
The governor has previously asked state lawmakers to pass a law criminalizing public drug use, similar to those affecting alcohol in many places in the United States.
But attempts to tighten states' drug policies could face opposition from addiction treatment groups, who say recriminalization will lead many to use fentanyl privately, which they say would increase the risks and risks. number of overdoses.
Click here to read more stories from BBC News World
Remember that you can receive notifications from BBC Mundo. Download the new version of our app and activate them so you don't miss our best content.
BBC-NEWS-SRC: https://www.bbc.com/mundo/articles/czq4djy7l86o, IMPORTING DATE: 2024-01-31 18:37:04
#Fentanyl #city #declared #state #emergency #due #increase #deaths
