March 6, 2023 3:00 a.m.

On Monday the Oregon House responded to the fentanyl crisis by passing the Opioid Harm Reduction Package.

A release from the House Majority Office said the legislation, introduced and championed by Representative Maxine Dexter of Portland, breaks down barriers to harm reduction tools in response to the opioid and fentanyl crisis gripping Oregon’s communities. In 2021, over 745 Oregonians died from opioid overdoses. Currently nearly 3 Oregonians a day die from this epidemic.

The release said House Bill 2395 makes lifesaving emergency treatments like naloxone kits, more available in public buildings such as restaurants, grocery stores, police departments and schools. When administered, naloxone can restore breathing and reverse an overdose by blocking the effects of opioids.

Representative Dexter, a board-certified pulmonary and critical care physician said, “Our responsibility as elected leaders is to ensure the health and safety of Oregonians. With this bill we are building the infrastructure to respond to this crisis and giving Oregonians struggling with addiction a chance to receive treatment”.

HB 2395 also allows the Oregon Health Authority to issue standing prescriptions for short acting opioid antagonists for individual and public entities. More information about the proposal is linked: https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2023R1/Measures/Overview/HB2395

A number of medical, behavioral health, educational and other organizations are supporting the legislation. It passed with bipartisan support by a margin of 48-9 and now moves to Senate for consideration.