Elected leaders in Oregon have declared a state of emergency for downtown Portland over the public health and public safety crisis fueled by fentanyl. Oregon Gov.

Several elected leaders in Oregon declared a state of emergency on Tuesday for downtown Portland over the public health and public safety crisis fueled by fentanyl.

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler and Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson made the declaration for a 90-day period during which collaboration and response will come from a command center downtown. The three governments are directing their agencies to work with first responders in connecting people addicted to the synthetic opioid with resources including drug treatment programs and to crack down on drug sales.

“Our country and our state have never seen a drug this deadly addictive, and all are grappling with how to respond,” Kotek said in a statement.

  • Aabbcc@lemm.eeEnglish
    51·
    11 months ago

    Legalizing and regulating is not promoting the drug. But it means those who are addicted will be sure its clean (free of tranq) and won’t need to be purchased from drug dealers. Additionally, if you’re not going to be arrested for using it you will feel safer to use safe injection sites and other harm reduction resources

    Any meaningful path to lowering addiction rates and getting people clean won’t involve sending people to jail for possession or use

      • Aa!@lemmy.worldEnglish
        2·
        11 months ago

        We did that in Oregon. So far it’s being regarded as a failure.

        Definitely needs to be thought through better for it to work