New York Times readers shared their personal experiences with opioid addiction and recovery. The opioid epidemic can be covered with statistics and numbers: the 72,000 Americans who died of drug overdoses in 2017 or the five-fold increase in babies born dependent on drugs. However, that only captures some of the picture. To really grasp the effects… Continue reading "Times" Readers Share Stories Of Addiction & Recovery
Tag: opioid epidemic
Fentanyl Test Strips: Important Tool Or False Security?
A recent study suggests that the testing strips should be widely distributed though some experts say the strips are not an adequate prevention measure. Last year, fentanyl became the most deadly drug in the country, responsible for more overdose deaths than any other substance. In addition to being found in — or even replacing —… Continue reading Fentanyl Test Strips: Important Tool Or False Security?
Arizona Campaign Aims To Scare Kids Away From Opioids
“It kind of has a horror movie feel to it,” said one government official about the new opioid public service announcements. Officials in Arizona are taking inspiration from scary movies in an attempt to keep kids and teens from experimenting with opioids, despite controversy and conflicting reports over whether scare tactics actually work to deter… Continue reading Arizona Campaign Aims To Scare Kids Away From Opioids
Will A Border Wall Help Curb The Opioid Epidemic?
Experts discuss the impact, if any, a new border wall would have on stemming the flow of drugs entering the US through Mexico. As the government shutdown continues, President Trump is digging in his heels, insisting that an expensive border wall is essential to national security, in part because it would hamper the flow of… Continue reading Will A Border Wall Help Curb The Opioid Epidemic?
Lawsuits Aim To Benefit Kids Born Dependent On Opioids
One West Virginia law firm is reviewing up to 200 cases of children born with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). Last year, dozens of lawsuits were filed against pharmaceutical manufacturers and distributors for the role they play in the opioid crisis. Many were filed by states and cities in an attempt to recoup the costs they’ve… Continue reading Lawsuits Aim To Benefit Kids Born Dependent On Opioids
Firefighters Open Treatment Center For Their Own
The center provides beds for 60 firefighters to get treatment for substance use disorder, mental illness or other behavioral health conditions. The opioid epidemic has touched people from all walks of life, including first responders, who often find it hard to reach out for help in a work culture that involves putting others first and… Continue reading Firefighters Open Treatment Center For Their Own
The State Of Harm Reduction Around The Globe
A new report breaks down the status of harm reduction programs around the world. Even as opioid use continues wreaking havoc on some parts of the globe, the availability of harm reduction measures worldwide are relatively stagnant, as documented in a massive new report released this month. The number of countries with needle exchange or… Continue reading The State Of Harm Reduction Around The Globe
Feds Will Prosecute Fentanyl Dealers More Harshly in Baltimore
The feds are set to crackdown on fentanyl sellers in Baltimore, where there is expected to be twice as many overdose deaths as homicides in 2018. As part of the Trump Administration’s tough-on-crime stance, federal prosecutors will begin trying more fentanyl cases in federal court. They will be utilizing stronger resources and mandatory minimum sentences… Continue reading Feds Will Prosecute Fentanyl Dealers More Harshly in Baltimore
DEA, Drug Distributors Failed To Protect West Virginia, Report Says
A new report highlighted the way millions of opioids flooded small towns in West Virginia over a 10-year-period with ineffective government oversight. Despite the fact that “inordinate volumes of opioids” were flowing into West Virginia between 2006 and 2015, drug distributors continued to fill outrageous orders, and the Drug Enforcement Administration took ineffective measures to… Continue reading DEA, Drug Distributors Failed To Protect West Virginia, Report Says
Meth, Opioid Abuse Intertwine In Pennsylvania
“They go hand-in-hand. Many are literally just making meth, just to sell it, and support their heroin habit,” said a Pennsylvania police chief. As the nation focuses on the dangers of the synthetic opioid fentanyl, use of methamphetamine has continued to rise around the country. However, in rural Pennsylvania, law enforcement said that there is… Continue reading Meth, Opioid Abuse Intertwine In Pennsylvania