opiods

Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy Dr. Rahul Gupta, shown at an event in August 2022, says the new opioid overdose tracking system could save "tens of thousands of additional lives."

National

The White House unveils a new system to track and better prevent opioid overdoses

10:58am December 08, 2022

by Brian Mann

The Biden administration will use data from EMS first responders to track overdoses. The focus will be on improving response to a public health crisis that kills more than 100,000 Americans annually.

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Family members exchange photographs of their lost loved ones in the lobby of the Akin Gump law firm offices on Thursday in Manhattan, NY. The family members and victims gave statements to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court with the Sackler family, who own Purdue P

For the first time, victims of the opioid crisis formally confront the Sackler family

5:38pm March 10, 2022

by Brian Mann

The Sacklers, who own Purdue Pharma, maker of Oxycontin, have maintained they did nothing wrong. People who lost loved ones and years of their lives to opioid addiction believe otherwise.

Federal agencies report a troubling rise in overdoses from a variety of drugs that have been laced with the potent synthetic opioid fentanyl.

Overdose Deaths Surged In Pandemic, As More Drugs Were Laced With Fentanyl

4:35pm April 22, 2021

by Brian Mann

Researchers say cocaine, meth and other street drugs are increasingly contaminated with deadly synthetic opioids, contributing to a major spike in deaths.

Jennifer Austin, a recovery coach who has struggled with addiction, usually hosts Narcotics Anonymous classes at this Salvation Army center in Ogdensburg, N.Y. They've been canceled because of the pandemic, leaving more people vulnerable to relapse and ov

National

U.S. Sees Deadly Drug Overdose Spike During Pandemic

4:16pm August 13, 2020

by Brian Mann

"During the pandemic, basically everything is pointed in the wrong direction," says one federal health official, who calls the convergence of COVID-19 and America's addiction crisis "a nightmare."

Purdue Pharma headquarters in Stamford, Conn, shown last week. The company, which makes OxyContin and other drugs, filed court papers in New York on Sunday seeking Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

Purdue Pharma, Accused Of Fueling Opioid Crisis, Files For Chapter 11

4:22pm September 16, 2019

by Bobby Allyn

The bankruptcy follows the Sackler family, which owns Purdue, agreeing to surrender control of the company and offering $3 billion in cash to opioid-hit communities.

Purdue Pharma, owned by members of the Sackler family, has tentatively struck a deal that would settle thousands of lawsuit brought by municipal and state governments alleging that the drug maker helped fuel the country's deadly opioid crisis.

Purdue Pharma Reaches Tentative Deal To Settle Thousands Of Opioid Lawsuits

8:40pm September 11, 2019

The pending settlement likely means Purdue will avoid going to trial in the sprawling and complicated case involving some 2,300 local governments across 23 states.

Purdue Pharma, the maker of OxyContin, is facing thousands of lawsuits seeking to hold it accountable for the opioid crisis.

Purdue Pharma: Sackler Family's 'Personal Wealth' Offered In Opioid Deal

8:09pm September 09, 2019

by Brian Mann

A group of state attorneys general negotiating with members of the Sackler family says they expect Purdue Pharma to file for bankruptcy "imminently," according to an email obtained by NPR.

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Thirty-year-old Madelyn Linsenmeir, pictured on one of her routine walks with son Ayden. "Her addiction didn't define her, but it did define the way she lived," Linsenmeir's sister, Kate O'Neill, wrote in an obituary that moved readers nationwide this wee

The Viral Obituary Of An Opioid Addict: 'She's Just One Face' Of The Epidemic

10:47pm October 20, 2018

by Emma Bowman

An obit for a young mother who died after struggling with addiction gained national attention this week. Her sister wants to remind readers: "So many people with addiction don't resemble the photo."

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A police officer speaks to a man walking on New Haven Green, Wednesday, Aug. 15, in New Haven, Conn. More than a 100 people fell ill from suspected drug overdoses linked to a batch of synthetic marijuana laced with fubinaca.

National

Police Arrest Third Suspect In New Haven Synthetic Marijuana Overdose Case

10:28pm August 17, 2018

by Vanessa Romo

Over three days, more than 100 people fell ill after smoking a batch of K2 officials say was laced with AB-Fubinaca. Police Chief Anthony Campbell said chemical was "knocking people down."

A screenshot from a public service announcement by White House and Truth Initiative to warn youth about opioid abuse.

With Real-Life Stories, White House Ad Campaign Aims To Prevent Youth Opioid Abuse

7:10pm June 07, 2018

by Sarah McCammon

Four new national ads will focus on warning young people about how easy it is to fall into opioid addiction.