When the amount of opioids prescribed to patients grows, the number of overdoses and deaths from prescription opioids increases. Past misuse of prescription opioids is the strongest risk factor for starting heroin use, especially among people who became dependent upon or abused prescription opioids. – CDC
Prescription opioids (like hydrocodone, oxycodone, and morphine) can be prescribed by doctors to treat moderate to severe pain, but have serious risks, side effects, and cause death. From 1999 to 2017, more than 200,000 people died from overdoses related to prescription opioids, with more than 17,000 prescription opioid overdose deaths occurring in 2017. The most common drugs involved in prescription opioid overdose deaths include: Oxycodone (such as OxyContin®)Hydrocodone (such as Vicodin®)Methadone Overdose is not the only risk related to prescription opioids. Misuse, abuse, and opioid use disorder (addiction) are also potential dangers. Anyone who takes prescription opioids can become addicted…
DOJ may not use any funds to prevent implementation of medical marijuana laws by various States – Statement by President Donald Trump
Division C, section 537, provides that the Department of Justice may not use any funds to prevent implementation of medical marijuana laws by various States and territories. I will treat this provision consistent with the President’s constitutional responsibility to faithfully execute the laws of the United States. Washington, DC: White House reports – Today, I have signed into law Res. 31, the “Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019” (the “Act”), which authorizes appropriations to fund the operation of a number of agencies in the Federal Government through September 30, 2019. Certain provisions of the Act (such as Division F, under the heading “Contribution for International Peacekeeping…
Tips to Help Avoid “Vape” Battery Explosions.
FDA Tobacco reports - You may have heard that e-cigarettes, or "vapes," can explode and seriously injure people. Although they appear rare, these explosions are dangerous. The exact causes of such incidents are not yet clear, but some evidence suggests that battery-related issues may lead to vape explosions. The safety tips below may help you avoid a vape battery explosion.
North Dakota College Wins Campus PSA Contest
WATCH VIDEO - (January 31, 2019) Congratulations to North Dakota State College of Science student Jolisa ‘Jo’ Ross! Her catchy, rapping PSA won the top prize in the 3rd Annual Red Ribbon Week Campus Video PSA Contest. DEA and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration sponsored the contest as part of Red Ribbon Week activities last fall. Colleges and universities that entered produced a 30- to 60-second antidrug video PSA focusing on the dangers of alcohol and drug abuse among college students. Share More: ;utm_source=govdelivery#2018WinningPSA
Mass Healey Prioritizes Opioid Epidemic
BOSTON, MA: — Attorney General Maura Healey was sworn in for her second term today and administered the oath of office to hundreds of Assistant Attorneys General. In her inaugural address, AG Healey focused on a few specific priorities for the years ahead, including a continued focus on the opioid epidemic, leadership on clean energy and addressing climate change, gun violence prevention efforts, and support for new funding for education to help all students in Massachusetts succeed.
Industrial Opioid Disaster – With 3000+ NJ Deaths, Governor Murphy Announces New Initiatives to Combat the Opioid Epidemic
CAMDEN, NJ: – Governor Phil Murphy and the Murphy Administration today unveiled several new initiatives to strengthen New Jersey’s fight against the opioid epidemic. In 2018, more than 3,000 individuals in New Jersey died due to overdoses. “The opioid epidemic continues to devastate families and communities across our state,” said Governor Murphy. “As we combat this crisis, it is critical that we use data-driven, evidence-based strategies to support individuals suffering from addiction and help them get on the path to recovery.” At Cooper University Medical Center in Camden, the Governor outlined his Administration’s key strategies for combatting the epidemic: 1. Increasing access to…
INDUSTRIAL OPIOID DISASTER – A blizzard of prescriptions’: Documents reveal new details about Purdue’s marketing of OxyContin
Stat News by Andrew Joseph reports – When Purdue Pharma started selling its prescription opioid painkiller OxyContin in 1996, Dr. Richard Sackler asked people gathered for the launch party to envision natural disasters like an earthquake, a hurricane, or a blizzard. The debut of OxyContin, said Sackler — a member of the family that started and controls the company and then a company executive — “will be followed by a blizzard of prescriptions that will bury the competition.” Five years later, as questions were raised about the risk of addiction and overdoses that came with taking OxyContin and opioid medications, Sackler…
Coast Guard Cutter Campbell returns to homeport following counter narcotics patrol
BOSTON, MA: The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Campbell returned to Kittery, Maine on Tuesday following a three-month counter narcotics patrol in the eastern Pacific Ocean. During the patrol, the crew of the Campbell seized approximately 5,300 kilograms of cocaine with an estimated value of $159 million and detained six suspected smugglers. Crew from Coast Guard Cutter Campbell stop a suspected drug smuggling boat in the eastern Pacific Ocean during a patrol in October, 2018. During the 90-day patrol, Campbell seized approximately 5,300 kilograms of cocaine, with an estimated value of $159 million. ( Coast Guard photo) (Photo edited for security)…
Pharmacist and pharmacy technician sentenced to prison for diverting hundreds of thousands of opioids
PHOENIX, AZ: by ICE Office of Public Affairs – Pharmacist Vilawoe Aku Boadu, 39, of Peoria, Ariz., was sentenced Thursday by District Judge Steven P. Logan to 120 months in prison. Zinka Sisic, 30, of Phoenix, who worked as a Pharmacy Technician for Boadu, was previously sentenced to 48 months in prison. Boadu and Sisic were both convicted of conspiring to distribute controlled substances and conspiring to launder money involved in a drug trafficking offense. The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), DEA, and the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, with assistance from the Phoenix Police Department, the Glendale Police…
420 Day State of NJ Capital and Opioid Use Disorder
Trenton, NJ: by - Activists hold a 420 Day march and rally at the New Jersey Statehouse. WAtCh exclusive video.
Federal Resources for Rural Communities to Help Address Substance Use Disorder and Opioid Misuse
WASHINGTON, Oct. 30, 2018 – White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) Deputy Director Jim Carroll and Department of Agriculture Assistant to the Secretary for Rural Development Anne Hazlett today unveiled a listing of Federal programs that can be used to build resilient communities and address opioid misuse in rural communities. The Rural Resource Guide to Help Communities Address Substance Use Disorder and Opioid Misuse (PDF, MB) is a first-of-its-kind, one-stop-shop for rural leaders looking for Federal funding and partnership opportunities. “Many rural communities in America have been especially hard hit by the opioid crisis,” said Deputy Director Carroll. “ONDCP…