A4
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2021
Baker City, Oregon
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EDITORIAL
Treatment
part of
drug policy
falls behind
Oregon’s Measure 110 was an ambitious
concept. Voters said they wanted a more
health-based approach to drug addiction.
Many laws for possession of controlled
substances went from felonies to viola-
tions. And offenders were supposed to get
access to treatment.
It’s only nine months into this new sys-
tem. It’s too early to say what the overall
outcome will be. But The Oregonian took
a look and it found: “Nine months into the
nation’s fi rst-of-its-kind experiment to de-
criminalize hard drugs, the new approach
has done little so far to connect people with
treatment even as statistics show the state
is on track to reach a record for opiate-re-
lated overdose deaths. Since Measure 110
went into effect in February, arrests for
drug possession have plummeted across
Oregon from a monthly average of about
1,200 to 200.”
Deschutes County District Attorney John
Hummel reinforced what the article said.
“It’s too early to tell if the treatment
component of Measure 110 is working
as well as we want it to work, but it’s not
too early to tell if other components of
the measure are working,” he told us in
an email. “We know that fewer people
are charged with crimes because of their
substance use disorder, and fewer people
are serving time in jail because of their
substance disorder.”
Those changes can be made swiftly.
Ramping up increased access to treatment
will come more slowly, because it has long
been inadequate in Oregon. Marijuana
revenue was redirected away from schools
and other purposes toward drug treat-
ment under Measure 110. But most of that
money has not been distributed, yet.
For now, Oregon has removed the
serious repercussions for drug possession
without having the safety net in place to
help people end their addiction.
Unsigned editorials are the opinion of
the Baker City Herald. Columns, letters
and cartoons on this page express the
opinions of the authors and not necessarily
that of the Baker City Herald.
CONTACT YOUR PUBLIC OFFICIALS
President Joe Biden: The White House, 1600
Pennsylvania Ave., Washington, D.C. 20500; 202-456-
1111; to send comments, go to www.whitehouse.gov.
U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley: D.C. offi ce: 313 Hart
Senate Offi ce Building, U.S. Senate, Washington, D.C.,
20510; 202-224-3753; fax 202-228-3997. Portland offi ce:
One World Trade Center, 121 S.W. Salmon St. Suite
1250, Portland, OR 97204; 503-326-3386; fax 503-326-
2900. Baker City offi ce, 1705 Main St., Suite 504, 541-
278-1129; merkley.senate.gov.
U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden: D.C. offi ce: 221 Dirksen
Senate Offi ce Building, Washington, D.C., 20510; 202-
224-5244; fax 202-228-2717. La Grande offi ce: 105 Fir
St., No. 210, La Grande, OR 97850; 541-962-7691; fax,
541-963-0885; wyden.senate.gov.
U.S. Rep. Cliff Bentz (2nd District): D.C.
offi ce: 2182 Rayburn Offi ce Building, Washington, D.C.,
20515, 202-225-6730; fax 202-225-5774. La Grande
offi ce: 1211 Washington Ave., La Grande, OR 97850;
541-624-2400, fax, 541-624-2402; walden.house.gov.
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown: 254 State Capitol,
Salem, OR 97310; 503-378-3111; www.governor.
oregon.gov.
Oregon State Treasurer Tobias Read: oregon.
treasurer@ost.state.or.us; 350 Winter St. NE, Suite
100, Salem OR 97301-3896; 503-378-4000.
Oregon Attorney General Ellen F.
Rosenblum: Justice Building, Salem, OR 97301-4096;
503-378-4400.
Oregon Legislature: Legislative documents and
information are available online at www.leg.state.
or.us.
How I became a COVID-19 statistic
By DICK HUGHES
A not-so-funny thing happened on
my way to writing my guest column four
weeks ago. I became a statistic.
I went from sitting at my laptop to
being whisked by ambulance to Salem
Hospital with a serious case of COVID-19
pneumonia, despite being fully vaccinated.
After a week of excellent hospital care, I’m
recovering at home.
Thank goodness that our daughter
had insisted I buy a pulse oximeter after
testing positive for COVID-19. I’d assumed
mine would be a brief, mild case in line
with what was being reported about the
so-called breakthrough transmissions. I
felt no symptoms other than an annoying
cough and extreme fatigue, not realizing it
was shortness of breath.
A pulse oximeter measures oxygen
levels in the blood. At least 90% is desir-
able. The ambulance crew found mine
had dropped to 40%. I apparently was in
“happy hypoxia,” far sicker than my out-
ward symptoms indicated.
There are two ways of interpreting
my case. One is to infer that COVID-19
vaccinations are imperfect because I fell
outside the commonly quoted statistical
predictions. That is true.
I prefer a second interpretation. As a
nurse bluntly told me: “If you hadn’t been
vaccinated, you’d probably be dead. Or
upstairs in the ICU on a ventilator.” These
days, most of those patients are ones who
are unvaccinated. Too many, depending on
one’s individual circumstances, won’t make
it out alive.
Medicine is imperfect, constantly
changing and adjusting as we learn
more. Just last week, a federal task force
reversed its 2016 recommendation that
certain individuals take a baby aspirin
each day to prevent an initial heart attack
or stroke.
Almost every medication or interven-
tion carries risk. So does failure to act.
DICK
HUGHES
I chose to get vaccinated because the
odds of serious complications or death from
contracting COVID-19 are far higher than
the risks from the Pfi zer vaccine. But I
recognize those odds are only societal aver-
ages. Statistics don’t determine what will
happen with any one of us.
Regardless of whatever decision one
makes about being vaccinated or not, for
some individuals that decision will turn
out badly, leading to severe complications,
even death. That is reality. None of us
can know beforehand, so we must make
our own calculations based on good but
imperfect data.
Health offi cials have declared the vac-
cines safe. I wish they would more honestly
describe vaccines as “relatively safe —
safer than most drugs being promoted on
TV for other conditions.”
And no, the coronavirus vaccine does
not cause COVID-19.
I was vaccinated in March by Oregon
National Guard members and Salem fi re-
fi ghters at the Oregon State Fairgrounds.
Research suggests the Pfi zer vaccine’s
effectiveness in preventing infection drops
sharply after six months but remains 90%
effective at preventing hospitalization and
death. I guess I’m one of those outliers in
the 10%, although slowly improving.
Nearly 2.5 million Oregonians have
been vaccinated. Infections in vaccinated
individuals continue to be uncommon.
Being both vaccinated and having had
COVID-19, my odds of future infection
are low. But I’m still going to get a vaccine
booster. And return to wearing masks.
Throughout the pandemic, my wife
and I faithfully followed the public health
protocols. We adapted to wearing masks
everywhere. We took a road trip to Klam-
ath and Lake counties in May. Trying to fi t
in, we abided by the local practices, which
varied by establishment. But as infections
intensifi ed this summer, I skipped my 50-
year high school reunion.
Perhaps I became overconfi dent about
my and others’ vaccinations, assuming any
infection would be minor. Meanwhile, the
Salem area remains a statewide leader in
new infections.
There is no way to tell how I got
infected. It might have been my forgoing
masks when gathering with vaccinated
friends. Yes, masks are only partially ef-
fective but they provide one more barrier
against transmission. It’s all about moving
the odds in one’s favor.
A friend tested positive Sept. 21 after
having what he thought was a mild cold.
He informed us immediately. The corona-
virus has so overwhelmed county health
departments that it’s pretty much up to
individuals in the Salem area to do their
own contact tracing.
Feeling puny, I arranged to get a
COVID-19 test the next day, although the
doctor considered a coronavirus infection
unlikely. My wife also tested positive, with
a mild but fatiguing case. I was constantly
coughing and needing a 10-minute rest
before making even the short walk from
bathroom to bed.
As I sat down at my laptop to write that
Thursday morning, I also contacted Kaiser
Permanente for advice, providing my latest
oxygen levels. The response: Call 911 im-
mediately. Get taken to whichever hospital
has room for you.
The fi rst responders were skilled, ef-
fi cient and gracious. Having covered health
care for decades and being comfortable
around hospitals, I felt at ease. Besides,
for a journalist, every experience becomes
fodder for a column.
Dick Hughes has been covering the
Oregon political scene since 1976.
Your views
Celebrate everyone who seeks a
better Baker City
The frequency of letters to the
editor stating “anyone who doesn’t like
Baker City should leave” is disturbing.
Throughout Baker City’s history new-
comers have kept the town from dying.
Sure, it can be hard for old-timers to see
many unfamiliar faces and to experience
changes, but the alternative is failing
businesses, young people leaving, and a
general loss of vibrancy, prosperity, and
resiliency.
The strength of any community can be
measured in involvement of citizens and
concern for others. Someone who sees
something that can be improved and sets
to work to tackle it should be applauded,
whether they have just moved here, or
have been here their whole life. Every
town needs people like that.
If someone in Baker City seeks to
create a change it doesn’t mean that they
don’t like Baker City. On the contrary, it
means that they love this town and are
willing to dedicate their time and energy
to making it even better. We should
thank them.
It is a fallacy to suggest that only newer
people are initiating change. Blanket
generalizations like that do a disservice to
people who have been working for the bet-
terment of Baker City for many years. The
efforts, input, and perspective of longtime
residents is valuable and necessary.
The best change that Baker City could
experience would be for residents, old and
new, to listen to each other and work coop-
eratively to support the town and all of the
people who live here.
Mike Blank
Baker City
City Council needs to honor its
obligation to community
Editor’s note: This is a letter the author
sent to members of the Baker City Council.
It is obvious you are unable to accept
the offer of service from a longtime busi-
ness owner, a person who has been on
city council and established his depth of
knowledge and concern for the community.
Instead you embrace someone who decides
to run home and ask his wife if he should
accept the seat you voted him to.
Do you see a problem here? His reac-
tion should exclude him from any position
requiring decisiveness. This city needs a
council that understands its obligation to
the community and strives to honor such
obligation. We had high hopes for this
council but it seems we were wrong. Why
is that?
I think I know. You, the council, elected
a mayor who managed to get her 15
minutes of fame and decided she is now
ready for the Governor’s Mansion. Sorry,
not even close. The council’s priority should
be fi scal stability and maintenance of our
infrastructure rather than chasing grants
for unneeded changes. Perhaps we, the
citizenry, should be the ones to decide the
issue of who is best suited for the mayor’s
offi ce.
I have always felt that anyone too eager
for offi ce should automatically be excluded
as unreliable. The job description is “public
servant.” For much too long we have seen
an ugly transformation to “public master.”
Current events show the peril we face if
we are quiet in the face of obvious misuse
of position.
Rick Rienks
Baker City