Opioids, Fentanyl and other Drug Issues

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More people die after smoking drugs than injecting them, US study finds

NEW YORK (AP) — Smoking has surpassed injecting as the most common way of taking drugs in U.S. overdose deaths, a new government study suggests.

https://apnews.com/article/smoking-injection-overdoses-fentanyl-cbaf9c258b4fdbcc93ac164902629c35?

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As xylazine surges, some lawmakers want jail time for dealers and people who use the drug

Legislators in a handful of states are offering bills to address the rise in the misuse of xylazine, a cheap animal sedative not intended for human consumption.

https://floridaphoenix.com/2024/03/09/as-xylazine-surges-some-lawmakers-want-jail-time-for-dealers-and-people-who-use-the-drug/?

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Meth, fentanyl tailor made for homeless people, Denver mayor says

Denver Mayor Mike Johnston said Monday that methamphetamine and fentanyl are tailor made for people experiencing homelessness.

https://original.newsbreak.com/@david-heitz-561257/3363742067779-meth-fentanyl-tailor-made-for-homeless-people-denver-mayor-says

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Oregon governor signs a bill recriminalizing drug possession into law

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — Oregon’s Democratic Gov. Tina Kotek on Monday signed into law a bill that recriminalizes the possession of small amounts of drugs, ending a first-in-the-nation experiment with decriminalization that was hobbled by implementation issues.

https://apnews.com/article/oregon-drug-recriminalization-law-signed-governor-96e36ed60e999572bbf47c160b412a73?

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House panel says China is fueling the fentanyl crisis in the US The crisis is being fueled by China directly subsidizing the manufacturing of materials that traffickers use to make the drug outside the country, according to a report released Tuesday by a special House committee focused on countering the Chinese government. Read more.

Why this matters: Most overdose deaths in the U.S. continue to be linked to fentanyl and other synthetic opioids. Inexpensive fentanyl is increasingly cut into other drugs, often without the buyers’ knowledge.   The chemical companies providing fentanyl precursors often have legitimate businesses with customers around the world. The report said fentanyl precursors and other synthetic narcotics are a “side hustle” designed to maximize profits.   In November, President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping reached agreements to curb illicit fentanyl production and focused on reducing the flow of precursor chemicals and synthetic drug trafficking. But the congressional report raises questions about whether China is following through.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Vertex Pharma scientist talks about the long road to developing non-addictive painkillers   Mexico, a leading producer of illicit fentanyl, can’t get enough for medical use, study finds   Police say fentanyl killed 8-year-old Kentucky boy, not an allergic reaction to strawberries

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Overdose deaths in 2023 fell for the first time since the pandemic

Fatal drug overdoses in the United States declined last year for the first time since before the COVID-19 pandemic, new preliminary federal data show.

https://www.axios.com/2024/05/15/drug-overdoses-decline-fentanyl?

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Pill press molds used to produce illicit fentanyl targeted in legislation in Congress

WASHINGTON – Bipartisan legislation pushed in both chambers of Congress aims to stop illegal fentanyl production and trafficking by focusing on the machinery used to manufacture pills.

https://floridaphoenix.com/2024/05/30/pill-press-molds-used-to-produce-illicit-fentanyl-targeted-in-legislation-in-congress/?

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The legal odyssey for OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma and its owners is complex. Here’s what to know

Members of the Sackler family who own OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma have been cast as prime villains in the U.S. opioid epidemic.

https://apnews.com/article/opioid-crisis-purdue-pharma-oxycontin-sackler-d468e436c6a9a129c5498f90e4526004?

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Operation Rooske: Central Florida Fentanyl Trafficking Organization Busted

A Central Florida fentanyl trafficking organization, described as a “family affair,” was busted in Operation Rooske. The multi-agency fentanyl trafficking investigation, which lasted just over three years, resulted in the arrest of 64 people and crippled the Lakeland-based organization.

https://westorlandonews.com/operation-rooske-central-florida-fentanyl-trafficking-organization-busted/

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Drug bust

 

US Customs and Border Protection officers in Arizona said they recently seized the largest amount of fentanyl pills in the agency's history. A 20-year-old was detained at the Lukeville port of entry after attempting to transport around 4 million fentanyl pills weighing more than 1,000 pounds, according to the agency. The CBP has seized more than 15,000 pounds of fentanyl so far in 2024, federal data shows. Fentanyl, a strong synthetic opioid that is about 50 times more potent than heroin, was involved in almost 70% of overdose deaths last year, according to data from CDC. The narcotic kills tens of thousands of people in the US annually.

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What is ketamine, the drug involved in Matthew Perry’s death?

The investigation into the death of “Friends” star Matthew Perry has led to a sweeping indictment that pulled in five people who prosecutors say contributed to his ketamine overdose in October, including two doctors and a street dealer involved in providing Perry large amounts of the powerful anesthetic.

https://apnews.com/article/ketamine-matthew-perry-death-charges-drug-1f6bc37573a44408146e42260b689de4?

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What to know about delta-8 and other common vape shop drugs

They’re sold in gas stations, vape shops, online and in other stores around the country in seemingly countless enticing forms: gummies, chocolate bars, chips. Their packaging lists things like delta-8 THC, micro- and macrodoses of “psychedelics” and “nootropics.”

https://apnews.com/article/delta8-marijuana-cbd-psychedelics-fda-ed31c96994d573368380b0cdf8a24acd?

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Fentanyl still deadliest drug in Florida as overall deaths decline and another synthetic drug rises

The number of Floridians who died from drugs last year decreased across the state, but one synthetic drug was noticeably on the rise and fentanyl is still the deadliest drug of all, according to a statewide report released this summer.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2024/09/12/fentanyl-still-deadliest-drug-in-florida-as-overall-deaths-decline-and-another-synthetic-drug-rises/?

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📉 Charted: Overdose deaths falling fast

Data: CDC. Chart: Axios Visuals Fatal drug overdoses, which fell in the U.S. last year for the first time since before the pandemic, are continuing to decline, Axios' Erica Pandey writes from preliminary CDC data. Why it matters: "This is going to be the best year we've had since all of this started," Keith Humphreys, a drug policy researcher at Stanford, told NPR. The most recent CDC data, last updated in April, shows the number of overdose deaths is falling faster than the 3% decrease between 2022 and 2023. In the 12 months ending in April, there was a 10% decline from the same period a year before. Keep reading.

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Maylia and Jack:
A Story of Teens and Fentanyl

Police knew she was selling fake Percocet but did not stop her. His mother sought the right treatment for his addiction but could not find it. Two teens got caught up in a system unprepared to handle kids on either side of the drug trade.

https://www.propublica.org/article/teens-fentanyl-percocet-green-bay-wisconsin-maylia-sotelo-jack-mcdonough?

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Doctor who helped supply Matthew Perry ketamine pleads guilty to drug charge

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A San Diego doctor became the third person to plead guilty in the case of Matthew Perry ’s fatal drug overdose, as prosecutors collect cooperators in an attempt to convict two bigger targets they say are responsible for the death of the “Friends” star.

https://apnews.com/article/matthew-perry-doctor-ketamine-920ad848602817c7d267f5924236d7fc?

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What is the recreational drug ‘pink cocaine’?

A recreational drug called “pink cocaine” is getting attention and causing confusion since it doesn’t typically contain cocaine.

https://apnews.com/article/pink-cocaine-tusi-drug-powder-5e3bd632650d211474046e13b0acd794?

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Deaths by overdose are down, giving experts hope for an enduring decline The decline in U.S. drug overdose deaths appears to have continued this year, giving experts hope the nation is seeing sustained improvement in the persistent epidemic. In the latest CDC data, overdose death reports are down in 45 states, though increases occurred in Alaska, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Washington. Read more.

Key points: There were about 97,000 overdose deaths in the year-ending June 30, according to provisional data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Wednesday. That’s down 14% from the estimated 113,000 for the previous 12-month period.   Experts aren’t certain about the reasons for the decline, but they cite a combination of possible factors. One is COVID-19. In the worst days of the pandemic, addiction treatment was hard to get and people were socially isolated — with no one around to help if they overdosed.   The recent numbers could represent the fruition of years of efforts to increase the availability of the overdose-reversing drug naloxone, and addiction treatments such as buprenorphine, said Erin Winstanley, a University of Pittsburgh professor who researches drug overdose trends.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Birth control and abortion pill requests have surged since Trump won the election   STD epidemic slows as new syphilis and gonorrhea cases fall in US   What makes walking so great for your health and what else you need to do

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How should the opioid settlements be spent? Those hit hardest often don’t have a say

People with substance use disorder across the country are not getting a formal say in how most of the approximately $50 billion in opioid lawsuit settlement money is being used to stem the crisis, a new analysis found.

https://apnews.com/article/opioid-crisis-settlement-lived-experience-d7333af213cfaa90dc5ea7bad728fb13?

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McKinsey & Company agrees to pay $650M for helping Purdue Pharma boost opioid sales

BOSTON (AP) — McKinsey & Company consulting firm has agreed to pay $650 million to settle a federal investigation into its work to help opioids manufacturer Purdue Pharma boost the sales of the highly addictive drug OxyContin, according to court papers filed in Virginia on Friday.

https://apnews.com/article/mckinsey-justice-department-criminal-penalty-opioids-crisis-d47d1bc1c4e14288927c2aea2369b789?

McKinsey to pay $650M in federal opioid probe

Consulting giant McKinsey & Co. will pay $650 million in a deal with federal prosecutors over its work helping Purdue Pharma increase opioid sales.

https://www.axios.com/2024/12/13/mckinsey-opioid-settlement-650-million?

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Kentucky reaches $110 million deal with Kroger to settle its opioid lawsuit

Kentucky will receive $110 million to settle its lawsuit accusing one of the nation’s largest grocery chains of helping fuel the opioid epidemic, the state’s attorney general said Thursday.

https://apnews.com/article/kentucky-opioid-addiction-settlement-fbc5bc9ad88b04c81786ed3c5cd14705?

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Purdue Pharma and owners to pay $7.4 billion in settlement of lawsuits over the toll of OxyContin

Members of the family who own OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma, and the company itself, agreed to pay up to $7.4 billion in a new settlement to lawsuits over the toll of the powerful prescription painkiller, the attorneys general from several states announced Thursday.

https://apnews.com/article/purdue-pharma-sackler-settlement-opioid-lawsuits-ea6c89aa9cafc8fdd18fabfad503eeea?

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📉 Overdose deaths fall

Data: CDC. Map: Alex Fitzpatrick/Axios The fatal drug overdose rate fell 4% nationwide from 2022 to 2023 — but grew notably out West and up in Alaska, per new CDC data. Why it matters: Overdose deaths seem to be falling as pandemic-era isolation ebbs and access to life-saving medications like Naloxone grows, Axios' Alex Fitzpatrick writes. Alaska, Oregon and Washington, splitting from the national trend, reported major increases in their fatal OD rates.

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Opioid Abuse Statistics: Who’s Affected and Why?

The opioid use disorder (OUD) crisis in the U.S. is dire. Every day, 224 people die from an opioid overdose, and this number continues to grow every year. OUD reaches across every population group and every part of the country.

https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/addiction/opioid-use-statistics?

Opioids and Surgery: How to Know Your Usage Risk Going In

Feb. 25, 2025 – Planning surgery? Talking to your doctor about pain management beforehand could keep you off the path to long-term opioid use, a risk factor for addiction. 

https://www.webmd.com/pain-management/news/20250225/opioids-and-surgery-how-to-know-your-usage-risk-going-in?

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Osceola sheriff: 26 arrested in largest fentanyl bust in county history

Sheriff Marcos Lopez is calling his agency’s recent arrests of more than two dozen people the biggest fentanyl bust in Osceola County history.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/03/12/osceola-sheriff-26-arrested-in-largest-fentanyl-bust-in-county-history/?