Oregon leaders declared a state of emergency Wednesday to address the fentanyl crisis.
Democratic Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek, Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Peterson and Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler each issued a 90-day declaration to address public health and safety.
“Our country and our state have never seen a drug this deadly and addictive, and all are grappling with how to respond,” Kotek said in a statement. “The Chair, the Mayor and I recognize the need to act with urgency and unity across our public health and community safety systems to make a dent in this crisis. We are all in this together. The next 90 days will yield unprecedented collaboration and focused resources targeting fentanyl and provide a roadmap for next steps.”
PORTLAND, OR – NOVEMBER 08: Oregon Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tina Kotek rallies with her supporters near the Broadway Bridge on November 8, 2022 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Mathieu Lewis-Rolland/Getty Images)
The state has seen a surge in overdoses between 2020 and 2022 and roughly 3% of Portland residents left the city in the same time period. More than 60% of Oregon voters now think that Measure 110, which decriminalized the possession of small amounts of drugs, “made drug addiction, homelessness, and crime worse,” according to DHM Research.
Tina Kotek speaks during Day 1 of the Democratic National Convention at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, July 25, 2016. (Photo by ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images)
The order requires the city, county and state to “commit available resources” to address the issue. A command center will be created as well to coordinate resources for different areas and provide data on the impacts of fentanyl. There will also be an effort by the Health Department to educate community members through billboards, transit and digital media about rehabilitation and recovery. (RELATED: Alleged Fentanyl Trafficker Arrested In Blue City For The Second Time In One Week)
Oregon House Republican Leader Jeff Helfrich told the Daily Caller News Foundation that the problem is “out of control.” Republicans have called for the state to decriminalize hard drugs as businesses also express concerns about the impact they think Measure 110 has had on them.
Nike permanently closed its store in Portland following safety concerns. Wheeler denied Nikes request to provide off-duty police officers to protect the store. Wheeler defended his decision, saying the department was facing a shortage of officers just three years after the city cut funding for police following George Floyd riots. Funding was boosted in 2021 amid rising crime and an exodus of officers.
Multnomah County Public Health Director Jessica Guernsey backed a program in 2023 that distributed tin foil, straws and snorting kits to drug addicts as part of its “Harm Reduction Program.” The drug paraphernalia was offered to fentanyl and other hard drug users.
Wheeler criticized the approach, calling it “misguided.”
PORTLAND, OR – AUGUST 30: Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler speaks to the media at City Hall on August 30, 2020 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Nathan Howard/Getty Images)
“This misguided approach also results in greater risk to public safety for those who simply want to enjoy our city without walking through a cloud of toxic smoke,” Wheeler said. “Our community would benefit more from the County using its funding to urgently increase treatment and sobering facilities rather than actively enabling this deadly epidemic.”