The prevalence and potency of illicit fentanyl has changed the course of the opioid crisis for the worse. While prescription painkillers were previously attributed to the most deaths in the opioid epidemic, they no longer do. Instead, the leading cause of death in this context is now illegal fentanyl, according to a recent Bloomberg editorial. The… Continue reading How Fentanyl Changed The Opioid Crisis
Tag: opioids
Link Between Suicide And Opioid Use Examined
Researchers hope that the results of a new study will help them better identify those at risk for suicide. A three-year, $1.4 million study will examine the connection between opioid use and death by suicide, in hopes of more effectively identifying high-risk patients. “We know that opioid use, opioid overdose and suicide are related, but… Continue reading Link Between Suicide And Opioid Use Examined
CBD Oil Quickly Becoming Popular Opioid Alternative
One expert says CBD oil sales are growing nationally, particularly in states that allow medical marijuana but not recreational. When it comes to pain management, there may be a safer alternative to prescription pain medication: CBD oil, also known as cannabidiol. In Georgia, according to WSB-TV Atlanta, the hemp-derived CBD product is legal because it… Continue reading CBD Oil Quickly Becoming Popular Opioid Alternative
Former Purdue Pharma Exec May Profit From Opioid Addiction Drug
Richard Sackler’s involvement with a new formulation of buprenorphine has drawn a wave of criticism. A new formulation of buprenorphine, a medication used to treat opioid addiction, is due to hit the market—but some have taken issue with one of the inventors’ ties to Purdue Pharma, the maker of OxyContin. Richard Sackler is listed as… Continue reading Former Purdue Pharma Exec May Profit From Opioid Addiction Drug
Are Moms With Opioid Addiction At Heightened Risk For Overdose?
A new study examined pregnant women and new moms with opioid use disorder. After finding out she was pregnant with her second child while in a Massachusetts prison, Katie Raftery entered treatment for heroin use. She stayed seven months, until her son was born. It wasn’t until he was about six weeks old that she… Continue reading Are Moms With Opioid Addiction At Heightened Risk For Overdose?
All My Friends Are Junkies
Once we switched our attention away from getting high and learned how to stay sober, we quickly realized that if we put at least one percent of the same effort it took to get trashed into other areas of our lives, the results were astronomical. All of my friends—each and every last one of them—are… Continue reading All My Friends Are Junkies
Can Pre-Birth Opioid Exposure Lead To Learning Disorders?
A new study examined the potential link between pre-birth opioid exposure and developmental issues. Children born to mothers using opioids may grow up to demonstrate difficulty learning, a new study has found. The study examined the potential long-term issues for infants born to mothers who used opioids while pregnant, according to NBC News. The study,… Continue reading Can Pre-Birth Opioid Exposure Lead To Learning Disorders?
Senate Considers Opioid Crisis Bill, But Critics Say It Isn’t Enough
“A little drama for little substance,” said one addiction advocate familiar with the bill. The Senate is preparing to pass a bill to address the opioid epidemic, but critics say that the legislation skirts around the most important — and contentious — issues that could help change the way that opioid addiction is handled. “A… Continue reading Senate Considers Opioid Crisis Bill, But Critics Say It Isn’t Enough
Older Americans Sorely Under-Informed About Opioid Risks
A new poll uncovered a major lack of communication between doctors and their older patients who use opioids. A new poll from the University of Michigan involved a nationally representative sample of 2,000 Americans between ages 50 to 80. According to The Atlantic, the results of the poll were an indication of why elderly patients… Continue reading Older Americans Sorely Under-Informed About Opioid Risks
"Killing Pain" Docu-Series Spotlights Oklahoma's Opioid Crisis
Oklahoma’s Attorney General, who is interviewed for Killing Pain, lauded its coverage of the “many tragic aspects” of the state’s opioid crisis. A new seven-part documentary focuses on the impact of the opioid crisis on Oklahomans. Killing Pain, which is free to watch online, is a multi-faceted exploration of the opioid crisis, from the perspective of… Continue reading "Killing Pain" Docu-Series Spotlights Oklahoma's Opioid Crisis