By MIA MALDANADO/Oregon Capital Chronicle
Overdose deaths in Oregon went down 22% in 2024, the Oregon Health Authority announced Friday.
The decrease in overdose deaths follows a nationwide trend of declining overdose deaths. In 2024, there were about 80,400 drug overdose deaths in the country — 26.9% fewer than the 110,000 overdose deaths in 2023, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
While strengthened substance use treatment infrastructure, naloxone distribution and education, prevention programs and changes in fentanyl supply are contributing to the decrease in overdose deaths, Oregon’s overdose deaths rates are still too high, Oregon Public Health state epidemiologist Dr. Dean Sidelinger said in a news release.
Substance use and overdose deaths remain a public health crisis in Oregon. The 1,480 overdose deaths in Oregon in 2024 were still more than overdose deaths rates during the pre-pandemic years.
“We must continue to work together to keep people safe and build treatment and recovery support for people struggling with substance use disorder,” Sidelinger said.
The state of Oregon aims to decrease overdose death rates by investing in:
- Save Lives Oregon Harm Reduction Clearinghouse: This program is working to respond to the fentanyl crisis. It provides more than 360 agencies and organizations in Oregon with no-cost naloxone, infection prevention and wound care kits.
- Opioid treatment programs: There are 27 opioid treatment programs in Oregon, two medication units and four mobile units. Oregon also expanded telehealth for medications for opioid use disorder.
- Increasing residential treatment capacity: The state of Oregon is developing 260 beds dedicated to substance use disorder services and 41 beds dedicated to withdrawal management.
- Peer support systems: Under these programs, individuals in Oregon struggling with substance use receive support, guidance and encouragement from individuals who have experience with recovery.
- Behavioral Health Regional Networks: Funded through cannabis tax revenue and the Drug Treatment and Recovery Services Funds which accounted for $414 million between 2022-2025, these networks provide screening and assessment, harm reduction, housing, substance use disorder treatment and employment services.
