Portland, Oregon is under state of emergency over fentanyl

portland oregon
CNN
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Police officer Donnie Mathews was riding his bicycle in one of the West Coast's largest cities when he noticed something out of the corner of his eye.

It was a glow from a piece of aluminum foil held in someone's hand on the sidewalk.

Matthew knew the man was using it for cooking. And he knows that the substance in that small makeshift pot has torn apart American communities in Portland, Oregon and countless others in recent years, leaving behind an astonishing trail of debilitating poisoning and death. I knew that it was the same powerful and highly addictive synthetic opioid.

Fentanyl.

“He was still actively smoking when we arrived,” Matthew said.

The officer slammed on the brakes and turned, keeping his foot on the pedal. He quickly got off his bike, approached the man and handed him a $100 certificate.

But that wasn't all. Matthew also said the new fines and the kind of illegal drug abuse that is escalating on these streets in the midst of a nationwide opioid epidemic, something civic leaders here hope will do in the long run. , he also handed out a card with a phone number printed on it that would help erase both of them.

“They can call this hotline and get their citation paid,” the officer explained, which means that trained substance abuse counselors will be calling and providing critical access to addiction treatment. This is limited to those who agree to a medical examination that can serve as an entry point. .

The strategy follows the mayor, county chair, and governor (all Democrats) declaring a 90-day state of emergency in late January to address the public health and safety crisis caused by fentanyl in Portland's Central City. This has been implemented in response to the above.

Meanwhile, the state Legislature this week overwhelmingly approved a bill repealing a 2020 bill that decriminalized possession of hard substances, including fentanyl, and now awaits the governor's approval.

“Our nation and state have never seen a drug this deadly and addictive, and we must all respond,” Gov. Tina Kotek said in a news release in late January announcing the city of Portland's fentanyl emergency declaration. “We are struggling to find a way to do so,” he said, pledging “unprecedented cooperation and cooperation.” Provides “focused resources” ahead of a “roadmap for next steps.”

Mike Myers, the city's community safety director, said suddenly drug dealer arrests are on the rise, the fire department has launched an overdose rapid response team, and outreach personnel are working hard to connect people to treatment, recovery and housing services. He said it was starting to “saturate” the spot. he said at a press conference Thursday.

Under the state of emergency, public health campaigns and authorities will “leverage data to identify and respond to critical needs and service gaps” and find ways to quickly fill them. Further efforts are expected. The monthly emergency period ends.

This formidable effort reflects the unique challenges of combating fentanyl, which is up to 100 times more potent than morphine and much cheaper to manufacture and mix with other illegal substances.

“This addictive behavior is not something to be taken lightly, and it's not like, 'Just get a job,' or 'Just get help,'” said Portland Police Chief Bob Day. “There are demons there that I will never understand.”

In fact, this urgent mission is nothing short of a competition with the killer, said the head of support and treatment group Central City Concern. Dr. Andy Mendenhall told CNN that fentanyl is “very cheap but very dangerous” and “ubiquitous.”

As public health workers, outreach teams and law enforcement unite in this mission, we are moving forward with Measure 110, a 2020 law enacted by a statewide vote. The law declares that “health-based approaches to addiction and overdose are more effective, humane, and cost-effective than other methods.” impose criminal penalties. ”

“Essentially what happened is that in Oregon, drugs are the same as a traffic ticket,” Portland Police Officer David Baer told CNN.

Meanwhile, the number of opioid overdose deaths in Oregon has increased from 280 in 2019 to 956 in 2022, with 628 recorded so far, according to last year's data. “We are in very high danger,” Multnomah County Health Director Rachel Banks told CNN.

The number of fentanyl-related drug overdose deaths nationwide nearly quadrupled in the five years ending in 2021, according to a report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And while an earlier study published in JAMA Psychiatry suggested there was no link between 911 measures and an increase in fatal overdoses in Oregon, critics say the increase in deaths is He blames the law.

“Look at what happened: open packages of fentanyl, open packages of drugs on the streets,” Republican state Rep. Jeff Helfrich said, slamming Measure 110 as an “unmitigated disaster.” .

The governor won't “quarterback Monday morning” the cause of downtown Portland's drug crisis, and Mayor Ted Wheeler said city officials are “working on it,” but public health and outreach teams are , said efforts to combat the scourge of fentanyl continue to be challenged. Its extremely addictive.

“You may love your family, you may love your friends, you may want to be a good member of society, but all you're really thinking about is the next thing, the next high,” Central・City Concern stated. Program supervisor Dave Crosby said he was once homeless and addicted to drugs.

Fentanyl's potency “makes this a completely different fight,” Mendenhall said. The organization serves more than 14,000 people annually. This includes medical withdrawal management support for more than 3,000 people each year, about half of whom use the drug, he said.

As for the common metaphor that fentanyl users should simply take personal responsibility and break out of a downward spiral, Mendenhall said the solution isn't that simple, citing multigenerational poverty, work, etc. , pointed to a myriad of personal factors that can lead patients to drug use. Loss, mental illness, depression, anxiety.

“The first thing these people need is shelter or housing so that they can become stable enough to benefit from treatment resources,” Mendenhall said. But currently, “there just aren't enough resources for people seeking treatment and recovery.”

And while declaring a public health and safety emergency is an important step, it's not like flipping a switch and unleashing the flow of resources and funding, officials said. Rather, it begins by gathering important information about the nature of the crisis.

The declaration of a state of emergency in Portland's Central City “allowed many government agencies to start communicating and sharing data that they didn't necessarily do before,” Multnomah County Health Officer Dr. Richard Bruno said. . Officials say state, county and city officials, now working under unified command, are identifying what gaps exist in resources, what more can be done and where to go. It is said that they are making an appropriate judgment as to whether this is the case.

Officials say they are working to increase public awareness of the addictive nature of fentanyl, create broader access to overdose reversals like naloxone, and raise awareness among nonprofits that provide housing and addiction services. He said steps would be taken to expand access to treatment and recovery, including strengthening collaboration. .

On the same day, a Portland police officer attempted to direct a man with a shiny fentanyl pan to treatment services, only to be stopped on his bicycle by another man who was openly using the drug.

They handed him a medical certificate and treatment card while his friend Sheran stood nearby.

She spent more than two years in prison for delivering methamphetamine and heroin, and had so far tried unsuccessfully to curb her fentanyl use through treatment, Shelan told CNN. After she shared details of her personal struggle with drugs, she ensured her privacy.

Asked to describe what it's like to try to stop using fentanyl, Sheran was speechless. “There aren't many words to describe how difficult it is,” she said.

But she says locking up people struggling to stop substance abuse is not the answer. “Going to prison doesn't do anyone any good,” she says. “It's like criminals getting together and talking about how to get better at crime. Even if you weren't traumatized before going to prison, you'll be traumatized once you're in prison.”

But even asking for help can be difficult. “People don't know where to go, who to call, how to access resources,” Sheran said. “We do have treatment facilities, but they are all currently shut down.”

While Portland's state of emergency is focused on providing concrete aid, it's important not to lose sight of humanity, said Central City Concern's Crosby.

“It's somebody's daughter, somebody's son, somebody's parent,” he said. “And unless we look at it from a human-centered approach, these are humans, these are humans, and we need to help each other. Systemic change will not grow.”

CNN’s Andy Babineau and Anna Maja Rappard contributed to this report.