Portland Police Concerned About Alarming Rise in Juvenile Overdoses

The Portland Police Bureau (PPB) has sounded the alarm regarding a troubling surge in juvenile overdoses over the past few months. The PPB’s Narcotics and Organized Crime (NOC) Unit has initiated investigations into all these cases, which have sent shockwaves through the community.

Since mid-June of this year, the city has witnessed a staggering ten juvenile overdose cases, most of which are suspected to be linked to the deadly drug, Fentanyl, with only one exception. The young victims, aged between one and 17 years, have faced devastating consequences, with five tragically losing their lives.

Here is a chronological overview of the incidents:

June 15, 2023: A one-year-old child survived a Fentanyl overdose.
June 19, 2023: A two-year-old child succumbed to a Fentanyl overdose.
June 25, 2023: A four-year-old child survived a Fentanyl overdose.
July 19, 2023: A one-year-old child survived a THC overdose.
August 10, 2023: A 15-year-old teenager lost their life to a Fentanyl overdose.
August 24, 2023: A one-year-old child died due to a Fentanyl overdose.
August 26, 2023: A 17-year-old teenager survived a Fentanyl overdose.
September 14, 2023: A five-year-old child died as a result of a Fentanyl overdose.
September 20, 2023: A 15-year-old teenager passed away from a Fentanyl overdose.
September 22, 2023: A 15-month-old child survived a Fentanyl overdose.

For context, in the last three years combined, PPB investigated a total of nine juvenile overdose cases.

The drug epidemic in Portland is not limited to juveniles alone. Since the beginning of 2023, PPB’s NOC Unit has been inundated with reports of over 240 overdose cases, a stark contrast to the 158 cases reported for the entirety of 2022.

It is important to emphasize that the numbers mentioned above represent cases reported to PPB and remain ‘suspected’ overdoses until confirmed by the Medical Examiner’s Office.