In the News
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nj.com: Patches, pills and lollipops: 4 things to know about fentanyl
Posted 6/29/2017
Fentanyl has only made its way into illegal drugs in the past five years, but its history goes far further back: The powerful opioid was first synthesized by Janssen Pharmaceuticals in 1960.
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nj.com: Doctors raked in cash to push fentanyl as N.J. death rate exploded
Posted 6/29/2017
The most powerful opioid ever mass-marketed was designed to ease cancer patients into death. It's ideal for that: the drug is fast acting, powerful enough to tame pain that other opioids can't and comes in a variety of easy delivery methods -- from patches to lollipops. But a dose the size of a grain of sand can kill you.
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thehill.com: We can’t cure the opioid epidemic if it’s not treated as a health crisis
Posted 6/29/2017
We’re living with a virus-like disease sweeping our nation. Nearly every community is affected. The rates of death rise year after year. Between 1990 and 2015, the percentages of death more than quadrupled. We lost more people than the population of Pittsburgh.
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cnn.com: An EMT's view from the front lines of America's heroin crisis
Posted 6/29/2017
Driving through the streets of Huntington, West Virginia, with Gordon Merry is a stark reminder of what heroin is doing to American communities.
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businessinsider.com: The Senate healthcare bill mentions the opioid crisis only once — but its effects could be devastating
Posted 6/29/2017
The bill contained only one mention of the ongoing opioid crisis: It appropriates $2 billion for fiscal year 2018 for the secretary of Health and Human Services "to provide grants to states to support substance use disorder treatment and recovery support services for individuals with mental or substance use disorders."
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tworivertimes.com: OPIOIDS – THE SCOURGE OF THE COMMUNITY
Posted 6/27/2017
MIDDLETOWN — “We know how important addressing this epidemic is,” said Mary Ann Christopher, senior executive for clinical affairs for Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, referring to the opioid/heroin abuse plaguing all communities in Monmouth County and the state.
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hudsonreporter.com: Danger lurks in every corner
Posted 6/27/2017
Drug tests may have a place in law enforcement, but for most practical purposes, their effectiveness is limited at best. That was one of the problems raised at a seminar on June 7 that brought together leaders in various fields dealing with the spread of illicit drugs.
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statnews.com: 51 percent of opioid prescriptions go to people with depression and other mood disorders
Posted 6/27/2017
More than half of all opioid prescriptions in the United States are written for people with anxiety, depression, and other mood disorders, according to a new study that questions how pain is treated in this vulnerable population.
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statnews.com: STAT forecast: Opioids could kill nearly 500,000 Americans in the next decade
Posted 6/27/2017
Opioids could kill nearly half a million people across America over the next decade as the crisis of addiction and overdose accelerates.
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northjersey.com: Editorial: Taking the opioid fight to the courts
Posted 6/27/2017
The deadly opioid crisis that’s gripped New Jersey and the nation has many manifestations, and many causes. Treatment and prevention of the scourge have become an everyday part of the political lexicon, and a focus for Gov. Chris Christie during his final months in office.