Continuing the trend, much of the illicit drugs killing Oregonians are produced, manufactured and smuggled into the state by drug cartels operating out of Mexico.
On April 24, the Oregon Medical Examiner (OME) reported 222 drug related deaths in 2013 were caused by the illicit drugs....
When it came to illicit drug related deaths in the state last year, according to the OME, Multnomah County had the dubious distinction of leading all 36 Oregon counties ...
Putting these numbers into perspective, Multnomah County residents are just over 19 percent of Oregon's population of 3.9 million, yet the county experienced nearly 46 percent of the state's illicit drug deaths...
...the majority of illicit drugs entering the state that originated in Mexico are driven up Interstate-5 hidden in the bowels of cars, SUVs and trucks.
The cartels' drug mules and dealers operating motor vehicles bringing drugs into the state or distributing drugs across the state need some form of identification like an Oregon driver's license or driver card to move around the state....
Senate Bill 833, driver card legislation passed during the 2013 legislative session, could literally give the cartel members operating motor vehicles in this state a get-out-of-jail-free card ...
...make it more difficult for Mexican drug cartel operatives to access licenses.
...put the brakes on Mexican drug cartels' ability to distribute drugs in this state by voting "No" on referendum 301...
David Olen Cross lives in Salem. He can be reached at docfnc@yahoo.com.