Stories You Might Have Missed This Week
Colorado sues an opioid manufacturer, the ACLU says the government suppressed pipeline protests, and India lets go of an outmoded gay sex ban.
Opioids
Stories You Might Have Missed This Week
Scientists test a non-addictive painkiller, the Trump administration takes another swing at affirmative action, and something fishy's going on off the Normandy coast.
The Opioid Crisis Is Also a Crisis of Speech
Under the opioid panic, patients suffering from chronic pain can find themselves unable to speak openly with their doctors.
Oregon Considers Ending Coverage of Opioid Painkillers for Chronic Pain
Officials hope to curb overdoses that they think are caused by the overprescription of opioid painkillers to chronic pain patients.
New York Is the Latest State to Sue an Opioid Manufacturer
Twenty-six other states have already sued the company.
The House Passes Bipartisan Opioid Legislation
The legislative package consists of more than 50 bills, with provisions including increased access to treatment and a push for the development of non-addictive painkillers.
What Health Ad Researchers Think About the White House's New Anti-Opioid Campaign
The ads capture attention and may help spread awareness. But will they change how anyone acts?
Doctors Who Get Gifts From Opioid Sales Reps Prescribe More Opioids
In wooing a doctor, even a single meal makes a difference.
Traumatic Childhoods Produce More Painful Adulthoods
New research finds a link between adolescent adversity and later-in-life pain.
Thirty California Counties Sue Drug Companies That Make Opioid Painkillers
Thirty California counties—home to more than 10 million people—are suing drug companies that manufacture and market opioid painkillers.
Some Officials Worry a Cocaine Epidemic Is About to Hit the U.S.
Farmers in Colombia have been ramping up their coca planting and now seem ready to produce cocaine in unprecedented amounts, according to the DEA.
New York City Announces Plans to Open Safe Injection Sites
Following a record-setting year for opioid-related deaths in New York City, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Thursday night that the city will open safe injection sites for drug users, BuzzFeed News reports.
One New York Police Chief Is Upending Conventional Drug Enforcement
The police chief of Chatham, New York, has a revolutionary strategy for policing the opioid epidemic.
How Easy Is It to Get Naloxone in Your State?
Here's how states have made it easier for bystanders to administer naloxone to overdose victims.
The Surgeon General Urges More Americans to Carry Naloxone
Advocacy groups have long pushed for making more naloxone available to the public as a way to prevent overdoses. The surgeon general's advisory gives that effort a big boost.
The NIH Just Announced a Billion-Dollar Initiative to Combat Opioid Addiction
On Wednesday, federal science and policy speakers outlined their plans for combating opioid addiction.
New CDC Data Shows a Jump in Opioid-Related Overdoses
Over 63,000 Americans died of drug overdoses in 2016.
Many E.R. Doctors Underestimate How Many Opioids They Prescribe
New research finds presenting them with actual numbers can change their behavior.
The Research Behind Trump's Anti-Drug Proposals
Is condemning drug dealers to death really a wise strategy?
Trump's Plan to 'Solve' the Opioid Crisis Will Include the Death Penalty for Drug Dealers
The plan's law enforcement strategies have been met with skepticism by some lawmakers.
Emergency Room Visits for Opioid Overdoses Went Up 30 Percent Last Year
It seems few corners of America have been spared the ravages of opioid misuse.
Is the Secret to Solving the Opioid Crisis More Opioids?
Medication-assisted treatment in Rhode Island's prisons is preventing overdose deaths among the recently incarcerated.
An Off-Label Use of Cheap Strips—to Test for Deadly Contaminants in Drugs—Gets the Backing of Science
Research is beginning to show that cheap strips can accurately detect deadly fentanyl, and encourages people to get high more cautiously.
The Edit, Episode #1: A Conversation About New Treatment Options for Opioid-Addicted Moms
On the latest episode of Pacific Standard's podcast about how our stories are made, staff writer Francie Diep discusses her experiences covering the opioid epidemic and a promising new treatment program at the University of Kentucky.