EUGENE, Ore. — For the first time since 2016, Oregon is seeing a decline in fatal drug overdoses – a 22% drop from 2023 to 2024.
State and local health officials say the turnaround may be thanks to a mix of treatment expansion, public awareness, and harm-reduction strategies.
One major factor is increased access to naloxone – or Narcan – a life-saving medication that reverses opioid overdoses…