In 2017, the US Department of Health and Human Services declared that the United States was in an opioid crisis. This came with the following statistic of over 70,000 fatal drug overdoses, and an average of 192 deaths per day.
Since then, states all across America have been attempting to deal with the crisis in different ways. For Oregon in particular, it was the implementation of Measure 110. Approved by voters in 2020, Measure 110 was designed to reclassify non-commercial drug offenses. Possession of drugs such as heroin, cocaine, and fentanyl was reclassified from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class E violation. The idea was that the police would hand out $100 fines, along with a phone number for a treatment hotline. While at a surface glance, the ideas presented by Measure 110 could work in theory.
However, the Measure has had mixed results, eventually causing Oregon lawmakers to introduce a repeal. The question of what changes the measure will go through is still up in the air, but if we are to look for a solution to a drug problem, it’s good to know how other states have chosen to deal with the crisis.
Not too far from Oregon is California, a state with almost 10 times Oregon’s population. In 2022, for the first time in California history, Drug overdoses had become deadlier than car accidents and homicides combined. According to the California Department of Public Health, there were over 7,000 opioid-related deaths, with fentanyl poisoning contributing to over 88% of those deaths. According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration more than half of the counterfeit drugs being trafficked into communities potentially contain fentanyl. In response to this, the California legislature proposed a new bill, standardizing the use of an overdose reversal spray called Narcan. Narcan or naloxone hydrochloride is a spray used to reverse the effects of an overdose. It works by blocking the effects opioids have on the brain and restores breathing. Narcan can be administered either from an injection or a nasal spray. The bill will require all first aid kits in a workplace to include Narcan. This would mean more access to Narcan and chances to save those from an overdose.
What could this mean for Oregon? Well, many are looking for ways to repeal Measure 110 by changing its already implemented laws. Taking a look at what California is doing might be a good move as well. With the addition of Narcan to first aid kits, it would become common practice and could save countless lives from overdoses. As for our school, health occupation classes already teach how to properly use a first aid kit. So if Narcan were to be added, students would learn of Narcans existence and be able to use it. Giving new generations of students who would know how to save someone from overdosing. The value of Narcan in preventing deaths is something that should not be overlooked. With a rise in overdose-releated deaths, making Narcan more accessible could make a change for the better.
