The cost of the fentanyl crisis to Oregon hospitals has been quantified at billions of dollars, according to a recent report by the Common Sense Institute (CSI). The independent Oregon-based research group compiled data from the CDC, Oregon Health Authority (OHA), and law enforcement to analyze the impact of fentanyl within the state. The report revealed that the cost of hospitalizations for fentanyl overdose deaths alone has skyrocketed from $6 billion in 2017 to $31 billion today.
The report also compared fentanyl-related overdose deaths in Oregon to those in other western states, showing a significant increase in Oregon since the beginning of the pandemic. Mark McMullen, vice president of policy and research at CSI, attributes this rise in deaths to Oregon’s voter-approved drug decriminalization through Measure 110. However, groups supporting Measure 110 have disputed this claim, attributing the spike in overdose deaths to a shortage of treatment beds in Oregon.
CSI’s report also highlighted law enforcement drug seizure data, showing that fentanyl numbers in Oregon are surpassing those in neighboring states. McMullen noted that the amount of fentanyl being seized in Oregon is enough to kill every Oregonian 20 times over. The report suggests that Oregon’s fentanyl crisis is unique compared to other western states, with the decriminalization efforts potentially contributing to the alarming increase in overdose deaths.
Overall, the data presented in the CSI report sheds light on the devastating economic and human costs of the fentanyl crisis in Oregon and raises concerns about the impact of drug decriminalization on overdose rates in the state.
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