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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Georgia warns of fentanyl overdoses from counterfeit pills

Georgia officials are warning that some people may be overdosing on fentanyl pills that were falsely sold to them as Xanax or Percocet.

Opioid dependency was 'driving force' in deadly Buffalo clinic shooting, search warrant application states

A Wright County Sheriff's deputy investigating Gregory Ulrich, the man charged in the deadly Allina Health clinic shooting, believes Ulrich's dependency on pain medication was the "driving force" in the incident, according to search warrant applications filed in the case.

DOJ sues Walmart over role in America’s opioid crisis

The Justice Department is suing Walmart, alleging the company unlawfully dispensed controlled substances through its pharmacies, helping to fuel the opioid crisis in America, according to a person familiar with the matter.

Fentanyl drives opioid deaths during first pandemic months, according to CDC

New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates fatal drug overdoses steadily increased before the pandemic and skyrocketed in the first months of it.