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The INDEPENDENT, June 2, 2011
ME reports drug deaths down in 2010
On May 13, Oregon State
Medical Examiner Dr. Karen
Gunson released 2010 drug-re-
lated death statistics reflecting
a six percent drop from last
year and the lowest number
since 2005. The newly re-
leased statistics show a drop in
three of the four categories
tracked by the State Medical
Examiner’s office. The lone in-
crease – 22 percent – was for
methamphetamine-related
deaths, matching the highest
number of these deaths to date
in this category.
“Any encouragement seen
with the drop in drug-related
death statistics was definitely
brought back to reality with the
22 percent jump in metham-
phetamine deaths. This unex-
pected jump comes on the
heels of last year’s twenty per-
cent drop while the State of
Oregon has been a national
leader in taking steps to pre-
vent meth production,” said
Gunson.
Drug-related death statistics
released for 2010 show 200
people died in Oregon from
heroin, cocaine, methampheta-
mine, or a combination of those
drugs. A review of last year’s
200 illicit drug-related deaths
and their frequency of use in
the deaths reflected:
• In 2010 there were 106
methamphetamine-related
deaths, including one in Colum-
bia County. This was a 22 per-
cent increase, matching 2008
for the highest number of
deaths in this category and
more than doubled the 50
deaths in 2001.
• Heroin use was the second
leading cause, with 90 deaths;
the third lowest number in this
category since the year 2000.
This was a 29 percent drop
from 2009, when there were
127 deaths recorded.
• Cocaine-related deaths
dropped to their lowest level,
more than three times lower
than in the year 2000, when
there were 69 recorded deaths.
In 2010 there were 20 recorded
deaths in this category, a 38
percent drop from last year.
• Combination of drug use
deaths were also at their lowest
level after dropping 48 percent
from the previous year’s num-
ber. Eighteen (18) deaths were
recorded in this category in
2010.
Columbia County had only
one drug- related death from
methamphetamine, while Lane
County showed the largest de-
crease in total drug deaths
dropping in half from 33 (2009)
to 16 (2010).
Counties reflecting increas-
es included Douglas, Linn and
Yamhill counties, with each
seeing an increase of 3 deaths.
Methadone overdose again
topped the list of statewide
deaths from major prescription
drugs, with 101 confirmed
deaths in 2010, a 23 percent
drop from 2008, when 131
deaths were reported.
Fifty-nine (59) deaths from
Oxycodone overdose were
recorded in 2010, up from 39
deaths in 2008 – a 66 percent
increase. The third highest ma-
jor prescription drug category,
Hydrocodone, noted 30 over-
dose deaths in 2010 (no 2008
comparable numbers were
available for this release).
“With Methadone’s wider
use, it has a higher abuse po-
tential,” said Gunson.
The State Medical Examin-
er’s 2010 statistical review is
also available on the agency
website at http://www.oregon.
gov/OSP/SME/index.shtml.
Note that prescription drug
overdose deaths statistics are
statewide and are not included
with the information provided
on the State Medical Examin-
er’s website.
OAASIS gets grant to stop child abuse
OAASIS, Oregon Abuse Ad-
vocates and Survivors in Ser-
vice, announced May 10 that it
has been awarded a $20,000
grant from the Ms. Foundation
for Women as part of a ground-
breaking effort to end child sex-
ual abuse across the United
States.
OAASIS is one of 15
al Marijuan
c
i
d
a
Me
ivery Service
l
e
D
grantees selected by the Ms.
Foundation from among 250
submissions. Together, this
new cohort of grantees was
awarded a total of $600,000 – a
significant contribution to the
field of child sexual abuse pre-
vention. The awardees – local,
state and national groups
based in 14 states across the
country – include faith-based,
arts, domestic violence and
survivor-led groups, as well as
sexual assault coalitions and
child abuse prevention organi-
zations.
OAASIS is a grassroots or-
ganization composed of sur-
vivors and family members of
survivors who are committed to
protecting children from sexual
abuse and empowering sur-
vivors of child sexual abuse
through public awareness, ed-
ucation, and advocacy. With
the grant and support of the
Ms. Foundation, OAASIS will
expand their Survivors’ Speak-
ers Bureau; organize a
statewide conference to bring
together child sexual abuse ex-
perts and survivors; conduct a
survey on survivors and serv-
ice providers to inform our poli-
cy goals, and continue to edu-
cate and engage the communi-
ty in advocating for public poli-
cy that protects children.
Monique Hoeflinger, senior
program officer at the Ms.
Foundation for Women ex-
plains, “In awarding these
funds, we are proud to support
an emerging movement to end
child sexual abuse that is tak-
ing root nationwide…these or-
ganizations are pursuing inno-
vative strategies to engage
families, communities and poli-
cymakers to end child sexual
abuse once and for all.”
To learn more, visit OAASIS'
website at www.oaasisoregon
.org or call 503-274-1179.
Columbia County
Mental Health
800-294-5211
-----------------
Suicide Hotline
1-800-
784-2433
or
1-800-273-
TALK(8255)
Domestic Abuse
Hotline
503-397-6161
or
866-397-6161
-----------------
Military Helpline
888-HLP-4-VET
(888-457-4838)
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Providing Insurance and Financial Services
Home Office, Bloomington, Illinois 61710
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