OREGON TEEN DRUG-RELATED DEATHS ARE INCREASING FASTER THAN ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE NATION
Thursday, April 20, 2023
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden and Representatives Suzanne Bonamici, Lori Chavez-Deremer, Earl Blumenauer, Andrea Salinas, and Val Hoyle are raising concerns with the U.S. Department of Education (ED) that Oregon teens are dying of drug-related causes faster than any other state, and the lawmakers are pushing for action. The Oregon delegation members are urging the Department to work with school districts to combat the opioid crisis and substance misuse in schools.
The rate of Oregon teenagers dying due to drug-related causes is growing faster than in any other state. Adolescent drug overdose deaths have more than doubled nationwide since 2019 and more than tripled in Oregon in the same time period. This is largely due to the proliferation of illicitly manufactured fentanyl, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).