May 08 As fentanyl death toll spikes, states step up their interventions By Christine Vestal, Stateline With the advent of fentanyl and other highly potent synthetic drugs, many states are amplifying those policies and adding new programs to protect drug users from deadly contaminants in heroin, cocaine and other illicit drugs. Continue reading
Apr 05 This obscure Medicaid waiver opens up more beds for opioid treatment By Christine Vestal, Stateline An estimated 22 million Americans have a drug or alcohol addiction that needs treatment, yet only one in 10 receive it. Continue reading
Mar 29 Here’s what Trump’s new executive order means for opioid addiction By Laura Santhanam New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie will lead a commission designed to combat opioid addiction, part of Trump's plan to fight the crisis. Continue reading
Mar 01 Watch 7:41 Baltimore turns to a life-saving opioid overdose antidote, but it’s no cure for the crisis By PBS News Hour, Frank Carlson With overdose deaths from opioids on the rise across the country, Baltimore has begun training everyday citizens to use a life-saving antidote as one tool to combat the crisis, and the approach is catching on. But while many more states… Continue watching
Feb 28 In the war on heroin, Baltimore drug programs face an uncertain future By Laura Santhanam In 2015, Baltimore wrote a city-wide prescription for a heroin antidote. Two years later, as the city tries to expand access to addiction treatment, will the White House support its mission?… Continue reading
Dec 27 Watch 8:42 This West Virginia school is caring for students, when addicted parents can’t By PBS News Hour In opioid-stricken West Virginia, this school is taking on the role of parent. Lisa Stark of Education Week visits Cottageville Elementary, where students often lack food, clothes and transportation because of drug-addicted parents. In addition to increasing communication with local… Continue watching
Dec 20 Heroin deaths soar compared to other opioids, new study shows By Laura Santhanam Government researchers dove into death certificate data to uncover what drugs are most commonly associated with overdose deaths in the United States. These deaths are on the rise, and heroin is becoming a primarily culprit. Continue reading
Aug 17 Watch 2:28 News Wrap: Turkey releasing inmates to make room for coup arrests By PBS News Hour In our news wrap Wednesday, Turkey announced plans to release nearly 40,000 prison inmates to clear space for a similar number detained over last month’s coup attempt. Depending on their remaining sentences, prisoners may qualify for early release, although the… Continue watching
Mar 29 Watch 3:47 There was no wave of compassion when addicts were hooked on crack By PBS News Hour Faced with a rising national wave of opioid addiction and its consequences, families, law enforcement and political leaders around the nation are linking arms to save souls. But 30 years ago, it was a different story. Ekow Yankah, a Cardozo… Continue watching
Jan 27 Will red and blue lawmakers clear a path for a heroin abuse bill? By Alan Fram, Associated Press WASHINGTON — In a testy election year likely to see scant collaboration between Republicans and Democrats, there's a glint of hope in Congress for a bipartisan bill aimed at fighting heroin and opioid addiction — a deadly, growing problem that… Continue reading