• St. Louis combats opioid crisis as overdose deaths skyrocket among Black Americans

    St. Louis combats opioid crisis as overdose deaths skyrocket among Black Americans

    Aug 16, 2022 10:35 PM EDT

    More Americans died from drug overdoses last year than ever before. And while deaths are up across nearly every demographic since the start of the pandemic, there’s been an especially alarming spike in overdose deaths among Black Americans. John Yang reports from St. Louis on the growing public health crisis.

  • Why overdose deaths spiked among people of color during the pandemic

    Why overdose deaths spiked among people of color during the pandemic

    Jul 19, 2022 10:45 PM EDT

    A CDC report finds overdose deaths rose significantly for people of color from 2019 to 2020. The synthetic opioid fentanyl is largely to blame, combined with a disruption in treatment and prevention programs during the pandemic. Dr. Edwin Chapman, who specializes in treating addiction, joins John Yang to discuss.

  • WATCH: House Oversight hearing on federal response to drug addiction and overdose crisis

    WATCH: House Oversight hearing on federal response to drug addiction and overdose crisis

    Jun 27, 2022 05:27 PM EDT

    The House Oversight committee held hearing Monday on the federal response to drug addiction and the overdose crisis. Watch the hearing in the player above. “This hearing comes at a very difficult moment for our nation,” said committee chairwoman Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y. “Overdose deaths in American have ...

  • Overdose deaths in the U.S. reached record levels in 2021

    Overdose deaths in the U.S. reached record levels in 2021

    May 11, 2022 10:25 PM EDT

    ... of the consequences that this drug-taking may take. And, importantly, we also need to consider that we have a very effective medication for reversing overdoses, Narcan or naloxone, which works if you're overdosing with opioids. But if you're overdosing with methamphetamine contaminated with fentanyl, naloxone does not ...

  • CDC says more than 107,000 Americans died of drug overdoses in 2021, setting 'staggering' record

    CDC says more than 107,000 Americans died of drug overdoses in 2021, setting 'staggering' record

    May 11, 2022 03:51 PM EDT

    NEW YORK (AP) — More than 107,000 Americans died of drug overdoses last year, setting another tragic record in the nation's escalating overdose epidemic, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated Wednesday. The provisional 2021 total translates to roughly one U.S. overdose death every 5 minutes. It ...

  • White House will push ‘harm reduction’ in latest fight against drug overdoses

    White House will push ‘harm reduction’ in latest fight against drug overdoses

    Apr 21, 2022 10:25 PM EDT

    ... conservatives, if they take a close look at the harm reduction interventions that are being put forward, like making naloxone more available to prevent an overdose or making clean syringes available to prevent injection-related infectious diseases, I think most conservatives will agree these are important interventions. We should, though ...

  • What two decades of data on overdose suicides shows about mental health care disparities

    What two decades of data on overdose suicides shows about mental health care disparities

    Feb 17, 2022 10:59 PM EDT

    “Addiction is a disease of isolation, and recovery depends on relationships,” Wen said. “People who were previously struggling so much have had their social support cut off with no end in sight.” What can be done to save lives Alleviating the nation's mental health and overdose crises won ...

  • Bipartisan congressional commission recommends new approach to combatting overdose epidemic

    Bipartisan congressional commission recommends new approach to combatting overdose epidemic

    Feb 08, 2022 05:16 PM EDT

    ... said Biden has already issued two executive orders to counter fentanyl trafficking and called on Congress to pass his $41 billion request to address the overdose epidemic. In prepared statements, Republican commission members stressed the law enforcement response. "We must redouble our efforts to secure the border against illegal trafficking ...

  • 4 charged in overdose death of 'The Wire' actor Michael K. Williams

    4 charged in overdose death of 'The Wire' actor Michael K. Williams

    Feb 02, 2022 08:34 PM EDT

    NEW YORK (AP) — Four men believed to be members of a drug distribution crew have been charged in the overdose death of actor Michael K. Williams five months ago, authorities said Wednesday. All four were arrested Tuesday and were in custody based on criminal complaints in Manhattan federal court, including ...

  • Overdose deaths hit a historic high in 2020. Frustrated experts say these strategies could save lives

    Overdose deaths hit a historic high in 2020. Frustrated experts say these strategies could save lives

    Jan 13, 2022 07:58 PM EDT

    ... and talk from Trump. Dr. Bertha Madras, who sat on Trump’s commission and regards their 2017 report as “sound” and “evidence-based,” the newest overdose numbers lay bare that more must be done. She says emphasizing the need for harm reduction above all else ignores individuals who sell illicit ...