While overdoses from fentanyl went down in 2023, overdoses from cocaine and methamphetamine went up. Increased availability of Narcan, harm-reduction practices, and drug seizures likely decreased deaths. The best way to save lives and end the opioid epidemic is to prevent addiction in the first place. With this tragic news...

A Closer Look at 107,543 Lives Lost to Drug Overdoses

Anyone reading health care news today must be aware that American medicine – particularly pain medicine – is in crisis. Doctors are experiencing high levels of burnout due to administrative burdens, prior authorization demands, and a health care system that often prioritizes efficiency over patient care. This burnout is leading to mental health issues and, in some cases, physician suicides.

The truth behind opioid use disorder

Opioid receptors located in the dorsal peduncular nucleus uniquely contribute to the rewarding effects of opioids. Opioids, such as the widely prescribed painkiller oxycodone, are notorious for their high addiction potential. In 2022, opioid overdoses claimed the lives of nearly 85,000 people in the U.S., as reported by the Centers for Disease Control. Despite this, opioids continue to be prescribed at concerning rates, especially in Southern states, largely due to the scarcity of effective alternatives.

Scientists Uncover Hidden Mechanism Behind Opioid Addiction – Discovery Could Revolutionize Addiction Treatment

In the 1970s, people addicted to opioids were demonized, considered hopeless. Some still believe this. Setting high standards and following addicted patients for five years helps doctors know what treatments work. Prevention is key to success in substance abuse, and it’s important to encourage non-use among teens. Source: Dr....

A Front-Row Change Agent of the Drug Epidemic

Denver, CO

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David Heitz

The Denver City Council will vote Monday whether pump about $580,000 into its jail-based RISE, or Recovery in a Secure Environment program. The council will consider contracts for $389,434 and $193,475 through Sept. 30, 2025, with the Mile High Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse and The Empowerment Program. Inmates enrolled in the RISE program spend much of their time out of their cells during the day engaging in therapeutic activities. There are group sessions and one on one treatment.

Jail-based drug, mental health recovery program costs Denver $580,000 for a year

Methamphetamine, often called meth, is a powerful and highly addictive stimulant. Understanding meth drug testing can be crucial for various reasons, whether you’re a concerned parent, an employer, or someone curious about the process. Meth drug tests can detect the presence of meth in the body through several methods, including urine, blood, saliva, and hair tests. Each method has its own detection window and level of accuracy. Urine tests are the most common, typically detecting meth use within the past 1-4 days. Blood tests offer a shorter detection window but are more precise. Saliva tests can detect recent use, while hair tests can reveal meth use over a longer period, up to 90 days. Knowing these facts can help you make informed decisions and understand the implications of meth use and testing.

45 Facts About Meth Drug Testing

A new scientific review of 148 studies enrolling over 4.3 million adult chronic pain patients treated with prescription opioid painkillers has found that nearly one in ten patients experiences opioid dependence or opioid use disorder and nearly one in three shows symptoms of dependence and opioid use disorder. This review provides a more accurate -- and more concerning -- rate of opioid misuse than has previously been calculated. It was conducted by researchers at the University of Bristol, funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), and appears in the scientific journal Addiction.

Prescription Painkiller Misuse in Chronic Pain Patients

Colorado State

A bill quietly introduced this spring in the Colorado legislature to decriminalize the possession of drug paraphernalia obtained by harm reductionists has become law. As low-key as the legislation was introduced, the bill was signed into law without fanfare June 6. It garnered little to no media attention.

Colorado legalizes needles, pipes for meth and crack if obtained by harm reduction group

Georgia State

Atlanta, GA

Daily Coffee Press

A 40-year-old man has been sentenced to over 28 years in prison for distributing significant amounts of fentanyl and other controlled substances to dealers in the Middle Georgia region. Authorities revealed that investigators uncovered evidence linking the drugs provided by the defendant, 40-year-old Lagary Williams, also known as "Frog," from Atlanta, to a fatal overdose.

Atlanta Man Sentenced to 28 Years for Supplying Deadly Fentanyl Linked to Fatal Overdose

Less than 40% of the studied veteran cohort were adherent to their inhaled COPD medications. Adherence was found via self-report and pharmacy refill data. COPD inhaler beliefs impacted self-reported adherence. Factors linked to better inhaled COPD medication adherence in veterans included older age, a higher number of maintenance inhalers used...

Older age, more maintenance inhalers linked to high inhaled COPD medication adherence

Los Angeles County, CA

Community Voices represent independent, third-party users who have joined our contributor program but not yet verified their accounts. Community Voices are expected, like all users, to adhere to our Community Standards.

community_voice

Herbie J Pilato

[Note: Unless otherwise indicated, the commentary and quotes in this article are from the author's interview with those mentioned.]. Elizabeth Montgomery was one of the most popular actors from the 1950s to her unfortunate passing from cancer in 1995. Before, during, and after her benchmark Emmy-nominated role as twitch-witch Samantha Stephens on TV's Bewitched (ABC, 1964-1972), Montgomery made over 200 additional appearances in other weekly shows, TV-movies, and feature films.

'Bewitched' Star Elizabeth Montgomery Received Death Threats for Protesting the Vietnam War

Salem, OH

Northern Kentucky Tribune

Every day, 8-year-old Emma sits in a small garden outside her grandmother’s home in Salem, Ohio, writing letters to her mom and sometimes singing songs her mother used to sing to her.

Thousands of parents die of overdoses; advocates say their kids need more help

Los Angeles, CA

Adam Rich was born on October 12, 1968, lived a troubled life, and died on January 7, 2023, at only 54 years old. This is his story. He lived in the Granada Hills area of Los Angeles with his parents and younger brother. The Rich family resided for a time in Florida where Adam studied acting at the local gym.

A Look Back at the Tragic Life and Death of Former Child Star Adam Rich (TV's 'Eight is Enough')

Virginia State

Kentucky Vibes.net

Disclaimer: This article was written with the help of A.I. software. On July 28, 2024, a TikTok video posted by Erica W., known as @tasteofmelanin on the platform, garnered significant attention after she exposed disturbing racist decorations in an Airbnb rental. The incident occurred in a rental property that Erica had booked, although the exact location remains unspecified. The video has since gone viral, prompting widespread concern and leading to the removal of the listing from Airbnb's platform.

Airbnb Listing Taken Down After Black Woman Finds Hanging Monkeys and Cotton Used As Decor

Researchers sought to provide community-based evidence in the co-use of opioids and cannabis among people who inject drugs. A recently published qualitative study (1) found that cannabis can help with reducing opioid use with people who inject drugs (PWID). Opioid overdose deaths have increased significantly in the past decade, and access to cannabis has as well, yet there is limited clinical evidence on cannabis use in populations of people who use opioids and inject drugs. This study, which was funded by National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), aimed to contextualize the existing data on the factors related to cannabis co-use with opioids.

The Role of Cannabis in Reducing Opioid Use Among People Who Inject Drugs: A Qualitative Study

Florida State

Jacksonville, FL

Jacksonville Today

Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters said he will consider more DUI patrols if voters legalize recreational marijuana use in Florida. Voters will consider Amendment 3 in November. It would allow adults 21 or older to possess, purchase or use marijuana products and marijuana accessories for non-medical purposes.

More DUI patrols possible if marijuana issue passes

In addition to collecting more than 8,000 used needles in the past year from Denver drug users, the Harm Reduction Action Center passed out 10,000 meth pipes and “snort kits,” according to a newsletter sent to its supporters Thursday. They also connected about 1,700 people to medical, mental health and substance abuse treatment.

Denver group hands out 10K meth pipes, ‘snort kits,’ connects 1,700 to treatment annually

A historic marker could be erected to honor the victims of the racist mass shooting at the Dollar General store in Jacksonville’s New Town neighborhood nearly a year ago. If approved by the Jacksonville City Council, a marker would be installed at Kings Road and Canal Street on Aug. 25, a day before the first anniversary of the shooting, when a white gunman took the lives of three Black people.

Memorial considered to honor Dollar General victims

Scott County, VA

Fort Blackmore, VA

Watchful Eye

The child abuse and neglect charges against 24-year-old Michael Finley and 19-year-old Hannah Danielle Davidson have been upgraded to murder. As previously reported, the Fort Blackmore couple are accused in the death of Davidson’s 7-week-old baby who, according to Scott County Sheriff’s Office, was “critically injured.”

Scott Co. couple accused for death of infant now facing murder

South Carolina State

Explore Beaufort SC

The mantis shrimp is one tough customer. Beautiful and deadly are two words you don’t typically use to describe shrimp, but the mantis shrimp is definitely in a class of its own; earning a reputation as the ‘savage boxer of the sea’ and one of the most fearsome creatures in the ocean. And, they're right at home here in South Carolina.

Savage Boxer of the Sea: The Deadly Beauty of Mantis Shrimp

NewsBreak

National Health Institute Launches $260M Program for Native-Led Substance Abuse Research

A new program from the National Institute of Health will invest nearly $300 million for research that could turn the tide of the overdose crisis in...

National Health Institute Launches $260M Program for Native-Led Substance Abuse Research

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