Clackamas County Warns Of Fentanyl Poisoning As Overdose Deaths Rise

OREGON CITY, OR — Clackamas County wants the message to be clear: opioid and fentanyl overdoses are on the rise. With that, so are deaths.

As a result, the county announced a new education initiative to alert parents about the growing use of the drugs and the resulting overdoses and deaths.

"Teens and youth are specifically being targeted online, as social media platforms are increasingly used to buy and sell drugs," county officials said in a statement, adding that many of the drugs bought online or through an app are counterfeit.

Hospitalizations in Clackamas County resulting from opioid overdoses jumped 18 percent in 2021 from the year before, according to the county.

Meanwhile, officials say that Clackamas is far from alone.

County officials made a point of stating that Oregon is now the number one state when it comes to the abuse of prescription opioids. At the same time, the state ranks dead last in making sure that people who need treatment receive treatment.

"There is not a certain type of person who is impacted by overdose from fake pills," according to Clackamas County Public Health Director Philip Mason-Joyner. "Parents and trusted adults should talk to teens about th dangers of fake pills and how to stay safe while online.

"Remind youth that drugs or medications that are not taken as prescribed from a doctor or pharmacist could contain fentanyl and be very dangerous."

The Clackamas County Medical Examiner's Office reported that there were at least 58 confirmed drug-related deaths in 2021 (15 cases are still awaiting toxicology reports). Of the 58, 34 were confirmed to have involved fentanyl. that's an 89 percent increase over 2020.

The Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area – a program created by the federal government in 2015; for 17 years it was just Oregon – said that in 2021, more than 1.3 million counterfeit pills in Oregon.

That's an 85 percent increase over 2020 and an 1199 percent jump over 2019.

As part of the education efforts, the county sent several links to documents and to places that provide support services.

LINKS

• Clackamas County Public Healthy Advisory: The Dangers of Fake Pills and Fentanyl Poisoning
• One-pager: Clackamas County’s Response to the Fentanyl Crisis

GET SUPPORT
Alcohol and Drug Support Lines

• Oregon Youth Line (text or call): 1-877-968-8491
• Lines for Life Drug and Alcohol Helpline: 800-923-4357
• Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK

Northwest Family Services, Transitions Program Alcohol and Drug Treatment

• Email for appointment: transitions@nwfs.org
• Call for appointment: 503-734-0893