By Molly Bohannon, Forbes Staff The director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy warned that—without implementation of President Joe Biden’s intervention initiatives—opioid deaths could dramatically increase to about 165,000 annually by 2025. KEY FACTS Biden-nominated drug czar Dr. Rahul Gupta warned of the potential increase in[Read More…]
Tag: overdose deaths
Fentanyl-related drugs permanently made criminal under bill passed by U.S. House
BY: ASHLEY MURRAY WASHINGTON — Lawmakers in the U.S. House passed bipartisan legislation Thursday in an effort to curb staggering overdose deaths from illegal fentanyl substances that are illicitly produced and up to 50 times stronger than heroin. The HALT Fentanyl Act, passed on a 289-133 vote with 74 Democratic votes and support from[Read More…]
Xylazine Crisis: 6 Things Treatment Providers Should Know
Recently, Rahul Gupta, MD, MPH, FACP, director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), declared xylazine—a powerful livestock tranquilizer that’s mixed into fentanyl for IV drug users—an “emerging threat,” forcing the government to develop a federal plan to address the crisis. While Congress considers a bill to classify the[Read More…]
New nasal spray to reverse fentanyl and other opioid overdoses gets FDA approval
This photo provided by Indivior in May 2023 shows their drug Opvee. On Monday, May 22, 2023, U.S. health regulators approved the medication to reverse overdoses caused by fentanyl and other powerful opioids, which are currently driving the nation’s drug crisis.(Indivior via AP) By The Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S.[Read More…]
Attorney General Cameron Urges Congress to Protect Kentuckians from Illicit Xylazine
By Kentucky Attorney General Cameron FRANKFORT, Ky. – KY Attorney General Daniel Cameron urged Congress to pass the Combating Illicit Xylazine Act. The bipartisan legislation would curb the widespread use and trafficking of xylazine and help prevent overdose deaths. Xylazine is a pharmaceutical drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug[Read More…]
Drug overdoses in the US slightly increased last year. But experts see hopeful signs
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Drug overdose deaths in the U.S. went up slightly last year after two big leaps during the pandemic. Officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say the numbers plateaued for most of last year. Experts aren’t sure whether that means the deadliest drug overdose epidemic in U.S.[Read More…]
STUDY: Indiana, Kentucky among states with biggest drug problems
by: Jana Garrett HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT) – The personal-finance website WalletHub has released its report on the states with the biggest drug problems, and Kentucky as well as Indiana make the list. WalletHub says, “Drug abuse has a long and storied history in the United States, and we’ve been ‘at war’ with[Read More…]
Biden’s drug czar declares fentanyl laced with animal tranquilizer an ’emerging threat’ facing U.S.
Fentanyl mixed with the veterinary sedative xylazine has been linked to a sharp increase of overdose deaths across the country. By Daniel Arkin President Joe Biden’s drug czar on Wednesday declared that fentanyl mixed with xylazine, an animal tranquilizer known as “tranq” that has been linked to a rising number of overdose[Read More…]
Naloxone can help save someone suffering overdose; what we all should know about this lifesaving drug
By Dr. Trish FreemanUniversity of Kentucky Chances are you or someone close to you has been directly impacted by the opioid epidemic, which continues to afflict Kentucky. In 2021, overdose deaths in Kentucky reached an all-time high of 2,250, with 90% involving an opioid. Because bystanders are present in more[Read More…]
Beshear outlaws tianeptine known as ‘gas station heroin’
By LANTERN STAFF Gov. Andy Beshear on Thursday issued an emergency regulation classifying tianeptine, known as “gas station heroin,” as a Schedule 1 controlled drug. In some countries the drug is prescribed in low doses to treat depression and anxiety. The drug is not approved in the United States and in higher doses produces[Read More…]