Nov 01 How should we fight the opioid crisis? A White House commission offered these 56 strategies By Laura Santhanam The final report by the commission, chaired by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, now awaits review by President Donald Trump. Continue reading
Oct 31 Watch 8:10 What advocates on the front lines of the opioid crisis want to see from Trump’s public health emergency By PBS News Hour In declaring a public health emergency over the opioid epidemic, President Trump called for the creation of a national media campaign to reduce drug use among young people. As part of our “America Addicted” series, William Brangham speaks with Gary… Continue watching
Oct 27 LISTEN: This blues song tells the story of the opioid crisis — and the ‘white coat men’ who started it By Laura Santhanam Singer-songwriter Marcus Oglesby said he found inspiration to write a song about opioids when he took a hard look at the place and people that raised him and found his West Virginia hometown transformed. Continue reading
Oct 27 AP fact check: Anti-drug campaigns of yesteryear show little success By Matthew Perrone, Associated Press President Donald Trump is promising a "massive advertising campaign" as part of his administration's response to the worst drug crisis in U.S. history, but experts say other measures could be far more effective in curbing the current epidemic. Continue reading
Oct 26 Words matter when it comes to declaring the opioid crisis an emergency By Laura Santhanam, Daniel Bush President Donald Trump's public health emergency declaration elevated his administration’s response to the opioid crisis -- and stopped short of declaring a national emergency. Here's the key difference. Continue reading
Oct 26 WATCH: Donald Trump declares opioid crisis a public health emergency By Laura Santhanam President Donald Trump declared the opioid crisis a nationwide public health emergency, but provided no new funds to confront this problem nor took media questions during a press briefing in the White House East Room Thursday. Continue reading
Oct 23 Watch 5:11 Why this poet couldn’t avoid writing about the opioid crisis By PBS News Hour The opioid crisis has plagued poet William Brewer’s hometown in West Virginia. His vivid poems tell the story of the opioid epidemic from different voices and depict the sense of bewilderment people find themselves in as addiction creeps into their… Continue watching
Oct 20 WATCH: Trump’s opioid commission meets before issuing final report By Laura Santhanam President Donald Trump's opioid commission will meet today fewer than two weeks before its deadline to issue a final report with strategies for how to lead the nation out of a public health crisis. Continue reading
Oct 16 Watch 5:39 How drug distributors reportedly hobbled law enforcement from policing the flow of opioids By PBS News Hour An investigation by 60 Minutes and the Washington Post alleges that the companies that distribute opioid painkillers to pharmacies and doctors’ offices nationwide persuaded Congress to weaken the DEA’s ability to halt drug distribution at the height of the opioid… Continue watching
Oct 09 Watch 10:06 How one group of doctors drastically decreased opioid prescriptions By Cat Wise, Jason Kane With addictions and overdoses surging over the past two decades, recent CDC guidelines urge doctors to avoid or dramatically limit the use of legal painkillers. In Southern California, a group of Kaiser Permanente doctors has been helping chronic pain patients… Continue watching