Six Oregon metro areas have some of the highest rates of alcohol-induced death in the nation for people 65 and older, according to a recent industry study.
Roseburg (second), Eugene-Springfield (fourth) and Medford (fifth) are among the top five nationally. Salem (ninth), Bend (11th) and the Portland metro area (15th) fill out the ranks with other cities such as Anchorage, Alaska; Reno, Nev.; and Spokane, Wash.
The report, based on data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Census Bureau, draws attention to a chronic Oregon public health problem:
Oregonians die from alcohol at a rate 83% higher than the national average, according to CDC data. It’s a problem that has gone unchecked for decades…