Move to decriminalize fentanyl drug testing strips gains no traction in Missouri legislature
Even as the spread of synthetic opioids such as fentanyl has brought a stunning rise in drug overdose deaths, a…
Tag: opioids
Calls to overhaul methadone distribution intensify, but clinics resist
Days typically start early for patients undergoing opioid addiction treatment at Denver Recovery Group’s six methadone clinics in Colorado. They…
Missouri finalizes $458M deal in opioid epidemic lawsuit
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Missouri will get $458 million to help victims of the opioid epidemic as part of a…
Missouri lawmaker admits illegally selling prescription drugs, says it was unintentional
A Missouri lawmaker facing a 23-count federal indictment for allegedly selling fake stem-cell treatments and fraudulently using federal pandemic relief funds has…
As overdose deaths surge, advocates push for over-the-counter naloxone
GREENSBORO, N.C. — Louise Vincent figures her group, the North Carolina Survivors Union, saves at least 1,690 lives a year.…
Opinion: Pandemic helped spread fentanyl, drive opioid overdose deaths to new high
For the past 20 years, I have been engaged in efforts to end the opioid epidemic, as a public health official,…
Nation’s overdose deaths top 100,000 in one year
NEW YORK (AP) — An estimated 100,000 Americans died of drug overdoses in one year, a never-before-seen milestone that health…
Purdue opioid settlement could help expose roots of drug crisis
There’s a long history of U.S. courts’ being called upon to fix large-scale public health crises. Lawyers and judges, for…
Judge conditionally approves Purdue Pharma opioid settlement
A federal bankruptcy judge gave conditional approval Wednesday to a sweeping settlement that will remove the Sackler family from ownership…
Opioid lawsuit payout plans overlook need for research on smarter use of pain drugs
The opioid crisis has resulted in more than 500,000 overdose deaths over the past two decades. The federal government, states and other…
As Missouri joins nation in monitoring opioid prescriptions, experts worry
Kathi Arbini said she felt elated when Missouri finally caught up to the 49 other states and approved a statewide prescription…
In pandemic, drug overdose deaths soar among Black Americans
ST. LOUIS (AP) — She screamed and cried, banged on the dashboard, begging her husband to drive faster, faster, faster…
Prescription drug monitoring law finally erases Missouri label as lone holdout state
With the swipe of a pen Monday, Missouri is shedding its dubious status as the only state in the nation…
Opinion: A most unusual legislative session
The 2021 Missouri legislative session was one of the most unusual and unpredictable of the legislative gatherings I’ve covered in…
Prescription drug monitoring program bill heads to governor
JEFFERSON CITY – In a historic vote, the Missouri House signed off Tuesday on legislation to establish a prescription drug monitoring…
OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma pleads guilty in criminal case
Purdue Pharma pleaded guilty Tuesday to three criminal charges, formally taking responsibility for its part in an opioid epidemic that…