The region's 90-day fentanyl emergency is coming to an end. It is a crisis that Oregon and the rest of the nation continues to grapple with.
Data from Multnomah County between January and April shows the number of fentanyl and drug related deaths.
OVERALL DRUG DEATHS:
- 2023 = 229 (confirmed)
- 2024 = 283 (confirmed or suspected)
FENTANYL DEATHS:
- 2023 = 178 (confirmed)
- 2024 = 98 (confirmed or suspected)
NON-FENTANYL RELATED DEATHS:
- 2023 = 51 (confirmed)
- 2024 = 185 (confirmed or suspected)
Multnomah County Commissioner Sharon Meieran has been critical of the those behind the declaration. She claims what is in the data reflects what she has seen on the streets.
"I do think there are a couple of square blocks downtown that look a little better and I've noticed that some of the surrounding areas look a bit worse,” Meieran told KATU on Sunday.
A political analyst warns the political climate could make it hard to achieve better results.
"It's election year. So, people want to take credit. They want to attack it. And so the politics of this makes it harder to do for a long period of time,” said Jim Moore, Pacific University Political Analyst.
Meieran believes leaders will bank on the emergency declaration.
"We're going to see a report with some isolated recommendations and a mission accomplished sign when our mission seems like it has only just begun," Meieran added.
For now, what Moore sees reminds him of when the city recovered from problems of the 1980s.
"I fully expect this to be something that the city of Portland and the county grows out of as well, but it's tough while it's happening,” Moore added.