CDC proposes change to opioid prescription guidelines
The nation’s top public health agency is proposing changing — and in some instances, softening — guidelines for doctors prescribing opioid painkillers.
Teen charged with murder after 12-year-old San Jose girl dies of fentanyl overdose
The 16-year-old sold the drugs to the girl in 2020. Dalilah Julianna Mederos Guerrero died shortly after consuming three-quarters of a single pill, prosecutors said. The girl became the youngest person to fatally overdose in the county that year, according to the DA.
Georgia opioid task force resumes in-person meetings, faces grim data
The COVID-19 pandemic, health experts believe, has only intensified the country's opioid crisis with decreased funding for recovery programs and virtual-only support.
Jury finds CVS, Walgreens, Walmart responsible for role in opioid crisis
The counties blamed pharmacies operated by CVS, Walgreens and Walmart for not stopping the flood of pills that caused hundreds of overdose deaths and cost each of the two counties about $1 billion, their attorney said.
US reaches grim milestone for deadly drug overdoses
The US has reached a never before seen level of deadly drug overdoses. Data from the Centers for Disease Control estimates more than 100,000 people died from drug overdoses from April 2020-April 2021.
US overdose deaths topped 100,000 in a year for 1st time, CDC says
An estimated 100,000 Americans died of drug overdoses in one year, topping deaths from car crashes, guns and even flu and pneumonia, CDC data shows.
San Francisco could get a safe drug consumption site as early as next spring
The City of San Francisco is pursuing a policy to allow safe consumption sites to address the problem of drug overdoses and open use on city streets.
Fentanyl-induced overdoses increasing, more drugs being laced with it
Drug dealers may be motivated to lace their product with fentanyl because its potency can create stronger addicts, and therefore, loyal customers. It is also cheaper to cut drugs with it.
Lethal counterfeit pills being sold online as prescription drugs, DEA warns
More than 9.5 million counterfeit pills have been seized in 2021
Purdue Pharma opioid settlement: Judge conditionally OKs $4.5B agreement
A judge on Wednesday gave conditional approval to a sweeping, potentially $10 billion plan submitted by OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma to settle a mountain of lawsuits over its role in the opioid crisis.
California considers paying drug addicts to stay sober
Frustrated by out-of-control increases in drug overdose deaths, California’s leaders are trying something radical: They want the state to be the first to pay people to stay sober.
Butts County seeing increase in opioid drug overdoses
The Butts County Sheriff's Office says opiate overdoses continue to rise.
4 companies on verge of settling $26B deal in lawsuits over toll of opioid prescriptions
The three biggest U.S. drug distribution companies and the drugmaker Johnson & Johnson are on the verge of a $26 billion deal to settle lawsuits brought by state and local governments across the country over the toll of prescription opioids.
93,000 Americans died of overdoses last year, a new record
U.S. overdose deaths climbed to a record 93,000 last year amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The previous record was 72,000.
J&J to pay $230M to settle claims it helped fuel opioid crisis
As part of the deal, the drugmaker also agreed to end the manufacturing and distribution of opioids across New York and the rest of the nation.
CVS sued for ‘role’ in opioid epidemic by Kentucky’s attorney general
Kentucky’s attorney general is coming after CVS, alleging the company played a role in the state’s opioid addiction woes.
Atlanta bar to give out free Narcan kits to combat overdoses, laced drugs
There has been a flurry of online posts in the past few weeks claiming fentanyl-laced cocaine has been going around metro Atlanta. One bar is trying to help fight overdoses and laced drugs.
Parents of 17-year-old teen killed by fentanyl overdose: ‘She took a pill and it cost her her life’
Authorities are seeing an increase in deadly fentanyl overdose among teens leading them to call it a public health crisis.
Georgia officials watching spike in Ffentanyl-laced counterfeit pills in Rome, Floyd County
State and local officials are monitoring a possible cluster of overdoses related to fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills.
3 charged after police say dead man was in their car for 13 hours
Three people are charged with concealing a death. Floyd County police said a man had overdosed, but the people he was with never tried to get him medical attention. Investigators said it was 13 hours before they were alerted to the death.