A Stranger Danger: Addressing Surging Fentanyl Overdoses Among Oregon Adolescents Through Evidence-Based Policy Analysis

Abstract

This study presents a comprehensive overview of an escalating public health crisis characterized by surging rates of fentanyl overdoses among adolescents across the nation, a disturbing trend in the broader context of the opioid epidemic. Illicitly manufactured fentanyl, a synthetic opioid 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine, has radically transformed the nature of the street drug industry in recent years and is now claiming young lives by the thousands. The state of Oregon has been hit particularly hard by the current wave of the opioid epidemic, witnessing a horrifying 666% increase in overdose deaths among adolescents between 2019 and 2021 alone. This project examines Oregon’s policy interventions over the past decade through an evidence-based policy analysis framework, applying criteria such as content specificity, implementation, collaboration, sensitivity to injustice, and sustainability. Overall, it seeks to contribute to the public health policy discourse, offering insights that may inform strategies both in and out of Oregon moving forward.