Opioids, Fentanyl and other Drug Issues

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‘I call these murder pills’: Volusia County drug bust keeps over 200 grams of fentanyl off the streets

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – A long-term drug bust investigation led to the arrest of multiple people accused of distributing several kilos of fentanyl in Volusia County.

https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/2023/08/22/i-call-these-murder-pills-volusia-county-drug-bust-keeps-over-200-grams-of-fentanyl-off-the-streets/

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Rite Aid Reportedly Preparing For Bankruptcy Amid Opioid Lawsuits And $3.3 Billion Debt

Rite Aid is reportedly preparing to declare Chapter 11 bankruptcy, the Wall Street Journal reported Friday, citing unnamed sources, a move that would halt lawsuits over allegations that the pharmacy chain oversupplied prescription painkillers during a national opioid addiction crisis and help the company deal with its $3.3 billion debt load.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/willskipworth/2023/08/25/rite-aid-reportedly-preparing-for-bankruptcy-amid-opioid-lawsuits-and-33-billion-debt/?

 

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Honduras Defense Official and U.S. Drug War Ally Tied to Narco-Trafficker, Notorious Mercenary Firm

Documents and interviews link Col. Elias Melgar Urbina to a convicted drug trafficker and a security company accused of assassinating activists.

https://theintercept.com/2023/08/25/honduras-military-elias-melgar/?

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Death rates for people under 40 have skyrocketed. Blame fentanyl

Accidental overdoses are now the No. 1 cause of death for young people in 37 states

https://floridaphoenix.com/2023/09/06/death-rates-for-people-under-40-have-skyrocketed-blame-fentanyl/?

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Overdose-reversing drug administered to puppy after possible fentanyl exposure in California

IRVINE, Calif. (AP) — A pit bull puppy that California police believe got into its owners’ fentanyl stash was administered an overdose-reversing drug and is recovering, officials said.

https://apnews.com/article/irvine-california-police-fentanyl-puppy-naloxone-fe30cc0c3f6bd30f1188687770b76673?

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🎤 Politicizing fentanyl

The country's fentanyl crisis has become a political weapon, Axios' Caitlin Owens reports.

• Why it matters: The opioid epidemic once was one of the few topics that brought Republicans and Democrats together.

As overdose deaths climb, conversation about fentanyl has become more politicized and, at times, less aligned with reality — especially when Republicans talk about its connection to the Southwest border.

• "When it gets to the front page, sometimes the incentives can be to use it more as a partisan weapon," said Keith Humphreys, a Stanford professor of psychiatry and behavioral services.

The White House last week issued a memo on the stakes of the government funding debate, zeroing in on "life and death priorities like fighting the fentanyl crisis."

• House Republicans' border oversight hearings have regularly invoked the smuggling of fentanyl across the U.S.-Mexico border.
• Fentanyl repeatedly came up during the first GOP presidential debate. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said: "When these drug pushers are bringing fentanyl across the border, that's going to be the last thing they do. We're going to use force and we're going to leave them stone-cold dead."

🥊 Reality check: Prominent Republicans conflate the flow of illicit fentanyl from Mexico with the country's migration crisis, which isn't accurate.

• Although the majority of U.S. fentanyl is from Mexico, the vast majority comes through legal ports of entry.

Keep reading.

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Prescription opioid shipments declined sharply even as fatal overdoses increased, new data shows

The number of prescription opioid pills shipped in the U.S. in the second half of the 2010s decreased sharply even as a nationwide overdose crisis continued to deepen, according to data released Tuesday.

https://apnews.com/article/opioids-distribution-prescription-data-us-overdose-crisis-8bb8d2138fb51289b0189e4af250da12?

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Opioid overdoses fall in Central Florida for first time in years

Tuesday morning in the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, Andrae Bailey held up a small plastic bag containing a few teaspoons of a crystalline substance.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2023/09/15/opioid-overdoses-fall-in-central-florida-for-first-time-in-years/?

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NYC day care operator tried to cover up fentanyl operation before 1-year-old’s death, feds allege

NEW YORK (AP) — The owner of a New York City day care center where a 1-year-old child died after being exposed to fentanyl took steps to cover up her involvement in a sprawling drug operation, even as medics rushed to treat several children in her care who were poisoned by the opioid, federal prosecutors said.

https://apnews.com/article/day-care-toddler-death-fentanyl-new-york-bronx-ccc2e034dd920f9dbd9cba29d49b75b3?

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Ashley Moody Files Emergency Rule to Outlaw Gas Station Heroin in Florida

Through this emergency action, tianeptine, commonly known as gas station heroin, is now on the Schedule I list of controlled substances in Florida. Commonly sold as a dietary supplement under the names Pegasus, Tianaa or Zaza Red, tianeptine can mimic the effects of opioids and is available at gas stations, convenience stores and online. Tianeptine is not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for any medical use and is attributed to five deaths nationwide.

https://local.newsbreak.com/florida-state/3168571084162-ashley-moody-files-emergency-rule-to-outlaw-gas-station-heroin-in-florida?

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Third person charged in suspected fentanyl poisoning death of 1-year-old at New York City day care

NEW YORK (AP) — A third person has been charged in the death of a toddler apparently poisoned by fentanyl inside a New York City day care center, authorities said as the search continued for the alleged ringleader of the drug peddling operation.

https://local.newsbreak.com/new-york-city-ny/3169603288122-third-person-charged-in-suspected-fentanyl-poisoning-death-of-1-year-old-at-new-york-city-day-care?

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Blue cities rethink liberal drug policies

Blue cities that have taken the most progressive — and often controversial — steps to tackle the nation's drug crisis are beginning to question those strategies amid rising political backlash, Axios' Caitlin Owens writes.

• Why it matters: Public health experts emphasize policies that prioritize saving the lives of drug users — like so-called safe injection sites — but the worsening fentanyl problem is testing the patience of even the seemingly most tolerant cities.

The Philadelphia City Council appears ready to override the mayor's veto of its ban on supervised consumption sites where people can take drugs under the watch of health workers.

• San Francisco Mayor London Breed proposed drug testing for welfare recipients this week.
• New York City is reeling from the suspected fatal fentanyl poisoning of a 1-year-old in day care.

These cities are among those that embraced "harm reduction" measures, which attempt to thwart the harms of drug use rather than punish it.

• New York has the nation's only supervised drug consumption sites. Rhode Island is planning to open one next year and a nonprofit in Philadelphia has been trying to open one.

🖼️ The big picture: Other states, particularly those on the West Coast, have adopted measures that decriminalize drug possession and focus instead on treatment, but those efforts are also being second-guessed.

• "I get a feeling that the fever has broken," said Keith Humphreys, a drug policy expert at Stanford University. "I think the pushback in New York is really just the tip of the iceberg."

Many of the local policy changes are being driven by Democrats who are under pressure from constituents concerned about a drug crisis that's increasingly visible on their streets.

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27 suspected LA gang members arrested in connection with illegal drugs and weapons operation in California

Twenty-seven suspected gang members have been arrested and nearly 150 pounds of drugs have been seized as part of a months-long investigation into organized crime in Los Angeles, law enforcement announced Monday.

https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/02/us/los-angeles-suspected-gang-drugs-weapons-seizure

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The U.S. Government Is Preparing for a Fentanyl WMD Attack

Joe Biden didn’t make a WMD designation, but federal agencies acted anyway — kicking off a panic among police.

https://theintercept.com/2023/10/08/fbi-fentanyl-wmd-attack/?

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American reality: Too little addiction treatment for kids

Data: JAMA Pediatrics. Chart: Axios Visuals An alarming rise in overdose deaths among children and teenagers is colliding with an inadequate pediatric mental health system — including a lack of addiction treatment, Axios' Caitlin Owens reports. Why it matters: Limited treatment options and coverage gaps mean that many kids aren't getting needed care that could help prevent them from developing a deeper and potentially deadly addiction. 🧮 By the numbers: Pediatric opioid deaths began to spike with the rise in fentanyl availability in the mid-2010s. Median monthly overdose deaths among adolescents ages 10-19 increased 109% between the second half of 2019 and the second half of 2021, according to CDC data. Deaths involving illicitly manufactured fentanyl increased by 182%. 🖼️ The big picture: Opioid misuse is just one factor in a growing mental health crisis among children. Children's health-advocacy organizations declared a national state of emergency two years ago. The drug overdose crisis has worsened since the beginning of the pandemic, with more than 100,000 Americans dying each year. How it works: When it comes to substance addiction, "most of the resources in this country have been geared towards adults," said Matthew Cook, CEO of the Children's Hospital Association. Kids who need substance use care usually go to the ER. But instead of being moved to the appropriate setting, they sometimes stay there, Cook said. More than half of U.S. children are covered through Medicaid — which generally pays less than commercial insurance — or the Children's Health Insurance Program. Zoom in: Sivabalaji Kaliamurthy, director of the addiction clinic at Children's National, said he is one of just a few pediatric addiction specialists in the greater Washington, D.C., area, which includes parts of Maryland and Virginia. In the D.C. area, he said, there are no residential treatment programs for kids who take Medicaid. Just a few accept private insurance. "I have a lot of kids who are struggling, and it's hard because I don't have a lot of treatment options for them," Kaliamurthy told Axios. "It's hard for me to motivate them to go to rehab when that option doesn't exist." "Some of these kids," he added, "my goal is to keep them safe until they're 18 so they can access the adult treatment."

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As billions roll in to fight the US opioid epidemic, one county shows how recovery can work

FINDLAY, Ohio (AP) — Communities ravaged by America’s opioid epidemic are starting to get their share of a $50 billion pie from legal settlements.

https://apnews.com/article/opioids-settlement-money-recovery-addiction-d186d72250f35056892bc9d70b5ab2c3?

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Mind-altering ketamine becomes latest pain treatment, despite little research or regulation

WASHINGTON (AP) — As U.S. doctors scale back their use of opioid painkillers, a new option for hard-to-treat pain is taking root: ketamine, the decades-old surgical drug that is now a trendy psychedelic therapy.

https://apnews.com/article/ketamine-pain-drugs-psychedelic-fda-2c67eeac1932962a7b0affc07d24c09a?

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Dangerous Drug Alert: "Pink" Poses Grave Risk to Teens

SAN FRANCISCO, California (LAI) - A critical warning for parents: "Pink," a highly dangerous synthetic drug known as U4, is posing a serious threat to teenagers and college students. Despite the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) imposing a nationwide ban on its sale, this illicit substance continues to proliferate through online channels, mainly originating from Chinese companies offering it at an alarmingly low cost.

https://www.newsbreak.com/news/3222721109778-dangerous-drug-alert-pink-poses-grave-risk-to-teens?

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Feds remove Mexican drug kingpin, one of most wanted fugitives in world

(The Center Square) – Federal agents have removed one of the world’s most wanted fugitives from the U.S. – 20 years after he was indicted in Colorado, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

https://local.newsbreak.com/colorado-state/3222954071235-feds-remove-mexican-drug-kingpin-one-of-most-wanted-fugitives-in-world?

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Election offices are sent envelopes with fentanyl or other substances. Authorities are investigating

WASHINGTON (AP) — Authorities were hunting Thursday for whoever sent suspicious letters — including some containing fentanyl — to elections offices in at least five states this week, delaying the counting of ballots in some local races in the latest instance of threats faced by election workers around the country.

https://apnews.com/article/election-offices-letters-evacuations-fentanyl-threats-5d39155be4b2fcd5481b570cc109cb9c?

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Oregon’s first-in-the-nation drug decriminalization law is facing pushback amid the fentanyl crisis

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Oregon’s first-in-the-nation law that decriminalized the possession of small amounts of heroin, cocaine and other illicit drugs in favor of an emphasis on addiction treatment is facing strong headwinds in the progressive state after an explosion of public drug use fueled by the proliferation of fentanyl and a surge in deaths from opioids, including those of children.

https://apnews.com/article/oregon-drugs-decriminalization-pushback-bb209e6ba9835c69f95b093c8ee00279?

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OxyContin maker’s settlement plan divides victims of opioid crisis. Now it’s up to the Supreme Court

WASHINGTON (AP) — The agreement by the maker of OxyContin to settle thousands of lawsuits over the harm done by opioids could help combat the overdose epidemic that the painkiller helped spark. But that does not mean all the victims are satisfied.

https://apnews.com/article/purdue-pharma-opioids-sackler-settlement-supreme-court-403e6d0fd01852b858ac3ce6d2a17e9e?

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Seminole Sheriff, AdventHealth fight opioid crisis with new drug rehab facility

An empty old building in Altamonte Springs — across the street from one of the largest hospitals in the region — could soon be transformed into an intensive rehabilitation facility, where dozens of patients would live for as long as a month to battle drug addictions.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2023/12/26/seminole-sheriff-adventhealth-fight-opioid-crisis-with-new-drug-rehab-facility/?

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Washington state reaches a nearly $150 million settlement with Johnson & Johnson over opioid crisis

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — The Washington state attorney general announced a $149.5 million settlement Wednesday with drugmaker Johnson & Johnson, more than four years after the state sued the company over its role in the opioid addiction crisis.

https://apnews.com/article/washington-opioids-johnson-johnson-settlement-58038e4877ca7b9bf458c54e110b12d8?

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Fentanyl state of emergency declared in downtown Portland, Oregon Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler and Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson made the declaration for a 90-day period during which collaboration and response will come from a command center downtown. Read more.

Why this matters: The synthetic opioid addiction and overdose crisis has gripped the U.S. for over two decades and has left governments at the federal, state and local levels scrambling for solutions.   At the state level, Oregon lawmakers have introduced a new bill that would undo a key part of the state’s drug decriminalization law. Public opinion has soured on it as public drug use has become more visible because of growing homelessness.   American and Chinese officials committed Tuesday to working together to stem the flow of fentanyl into the United States, the head of a visiting U.S. delegation said. The U.S. wants China to do more to curb the export of chemicals they say are processed into fentanyl, largely in Mexico, before the final product is smuggled into the United States.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ US and China launch talks on fentanyl trafficking in a sign of cooperation amid differences   Package sent to rural California elections office tested positive for fentanyl, authorities say   Washington state reaches a nearly $150 million settlement with Johnson & Johnson over opioid crisis