opioid and CNS depressant addiction, and mental health disorders
Classroom discussions/assignments
News and resources
2018
The high cost of medical marijuana causes pain in Vermont – NPR, January 11th 2018
Opioid addiction knows no color, but it treatment does – New York Times, January 12th 2018
On the hunt for poppies in Mexico - America's biggest heroin supplier – NPR, January 14th 2018
1 son, 4 overdoses, 6 hours – New York Times, January 21st 2018
An addict dies in a school restroom. He was a teacher – New York Times, January 26th 2018
After surgery in Germany, I wanted vicodin, not herbal tea - New York Times, January 27th 2018
A doctor's painful struggle with an opioid-addicted patients – New York Times, February 1st 2018
Fentanyl adds deadly kick to opioid woes in Britain – New York Times, February 4th 2018
Kratom is hailed as a natural pain remedy, assailed as an addictive killer. The U.S. wants to treat it like heroin – Washington Post, February 10th 2018
Drugmakers spent millions promoting opioids to patient groups, senate reports says – NPR, February 13th 2018
Cost of U.S. opioid epidemic since 2001 is 1$trillion and climbing – NPR, February 13th 2018
How a police chief, a governor and a sociologist would spend $100 billion to solve the opioid crisis – New York Times, February 14th 2018
Opioid addiction and death mail-ordered to your door – BBC News, February 22nd 2018
Let cities open safe injection sites – New York Times, February 24th 2018
Once it was overdue books. Now Librarians fight overdoses – February 28th 2018
When opioids make pain worse – NPR, March 3rd 2018
The opioid crisis is surging in black, urban communities – NPR, March 8th 2018
The 'moral hazard of naloxone in the opioid crisis – Washington Post, March 8th 2018
Some patients are in pain. Some just want drugs. How do I tell them apart? – Washington Post, March 9th 2018
The other opioid crisis: pain patients who can't access the medicine we need – Washington Post, March 9th 2018
NHS accused of fuelling rise in opioid addiction – BBC News, March 15th 2018
Palliative care film challenges stereotypes about opioids – March 16th 2018
Opioid use lower in states that eased marijuana laws – NPR, April 2nd, 2018
'I can't stop': Schools struggle with vaping explosion – New York Times, April 2nd 2018
Synthetic marijuana leaves two dead and dozens with severe bleeding – Washington Post, April 3rd 2018
A Perplexing marijuana side effect relieved by hot showers – New York Times, April 5th 2018
"cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, a condition that causes cyclic vomiting in heavy marijuana users and can be cured by quitting marijuana"
Ineffective treatment often prescribed for lower back pain, report says – NPR, April 5th 2018
Naloxone stops opioid overdoses. How do you use it? – New York Times, April 6th 2018
2017
Inside a killer drug epidemic: A look at America's opioid crisis – The New York Times, January 6th 2017
Young victims of the opioid epidemic – The New York Times, January 16th 2017
Picking the right over-the-counter pain reliever – The New York Times, February 6th 2017
Lower back ache? Be active and wait it out, new guidelines say – The New York Times, February 13th 2017
'He's blue': Louisville rattled by 151 overdoses in 4 days – CNN, February 14th 2017
Long-term opioid use could depend on the doctor who first prescribed it – The New York Times, February 15th 2017
Why Tump's wall won't keep out heroin – The New York Times, February 16th 2017
When retirement comes with a daily dose of cannabis – The New York Times, February 19th 2017
Dentists work to ease patients' pain with fewer opioids – NPR, February 26th 2017
Surgeons were told to stop prescribing so many painkillers. The results were remarkable. – Washington Post, March 7th 2017
GOP health-care bill would drop addiction treatment mandate covering 1.3 million Americans – Washington Post, March 9th 2017
Can this man successfully treat opioid addiction with marijuana? - The Guardian, March 9th 2017
Lethal opiates delivered by mail from China, killing addicts in the U.S. – NPR, March 11th 2017
Dangers of Opana opioid painkiller outweigh benefits, FDA panel says – NPR, March 16th 2017
Studies suggest cautious optimism about declines in teen opioid use – NPR, March 20th 2017
Doctors consider ethics of costly heart surgery for people addicted to opioids – NPR, March 21st 2017
In school nurse's room: Tylenol, bandages and an antidote to heroin – New York Times, March 29th 2017
US heroin use has increased almost fivefold in a decade, study shows – The Guardian, March 29th 2017
Who is to blame for the opioid epidemic? – Washington Post, March 29th 2017
The government's struggle to hold opioid manufacturers accountable – Washington Post, April 2nd 2017
What doesn't kill you can maim: Unexpected injuries from opioids – NPR, April 13th 2017
Can we tax away the opioid crisis? – Kaiser Health News, April 14th 2017
Home-based drug treatment programs cost less and works – NPR, April 17th 2017
Investigation into Prince's death reveals pills were hidden throughout Paisley park – NPR, April 17th 2017
How Prince concealed his addiction: Aspirin bottles of opiates – New York Times, April 17th 2017
How do former opioid addicts safely get pain relief after surgery? – NPR, April 20th 2017
Don't give kids cought syrup or pain meds that contain codeine, FDA says. – NPR, April 20th 2017
Cherokee nation sues Wal-mart, CVS, Walgreens over tribal opioid crisis – NPR, April 25th 2017
DEA seeks prosecutors to fight opioid crisis; critics fear return to war on drugs – NPR, May 4th 2017
White house proposes cutting drug control office funding by 95% – New York Times, May 5th 2017
Public restrooms become ground zero in the opioid epidemic – NPR, May 8th 2017
'I was in total shock': Ohio police officer accidentally overdoses after traffic stop – Washington Post, May 16th 2017
Poll: Doctors are still prescribing lots of opioids for low back pain – NPR, May19th 2017
Residents of halfway house found two men dead from overdoses - their drug counselors – Washington Post, May 24th 2017
Ohio sues 5 major drug companies for 'fueling opioid epidemic' – NPR, May 31th 2017
How a short letter in a prestigious journal contributed to the opioid crisis – Washington Post, June 2nd 2017
Drug deaths in America are rising faster than ever – New York Times, June 5th 2017
As many as 4 are dead in drug overdoses in Georgia – New York Times, June 6th 2017
FDA seeks removal of opioid painkiller from the market – Washington Post, June 8th 2017
Drug crisis is pushing up death rates for almost all groups of Americans – Washington Post, June 9th 2017
Opioid dealers embrace the dark web to send deadly drugs by mail – New York Times, June 10th 2017
Seizing on opioid crisis, a drug maker lobbies hard for Its product – New York Times, June 11th 2017
GOP's proposed cuts to medicaid threaten treatment for opioid addiction -–NPR, June 11th 2017
A drugmaker tries to cash in on the opioid epidemic, one state law at a time – NPR June 12th 2017
Heroin use? Juvenile record? For recruits, police forgive past sins – New York Times, June 12th 2017
Doctor who wrote 1980 letter on painkillers regrets that it fed the opioid crisis – NPR, June 16th 2017
In just one year, nearly 1.3 million Americans needed hospital care for opioid related issues – Washington Post, June 20th 2017
For newborns exposed to opioids, health issues may be the least of their problems – NPR, June 30th 2017
Without medical support, DIY detox often fails – NPR, July 3rd 22017
Opioid prescriptions dropped for the first time in the modern drug crisis – Washington Post, July 6th 2017
More people are making mistakes with medicines at home – NPR, July 13th 2017
'Extreme' opioid use and doctor shopping still plague medicare – NPR, July 13th 2017
A tide of opioid-dependent newborns forces doctors to rethink treatment – New York Times, July 13th 2017
The lawyer, the addict – New York Times, July 15th 2017
How did this happen to a 10-year-old?: Child dies with heroin and fentanyl in his system – Washington Post, July 18th 2017
Economy needs workers, but drug tests take a toll – New York Times, July 24th 2017
These college students lost access to legal pot - and started getting better grades – Washington Post, July 25th
2017
A doctor was killed for refusing to prescribe opioids, authorities say – Washington Post, July 29th 2017
Nashville mayor's son dies of apparent overdose – Washington Post, July 31st 2017
Opioid commission tells Trump to declare state of emergency – CNN, August 1st 2017
Opioid users are filling jails. Why don't jails treat them? – New York Times, August 4th 2017
Deaths from drug overdoses soared in the first nine months of 2016 – Washington Post, August 8th 2017
First responders spending more on overdose reversal drug – NPR, August 8th 2017
With drug overdoses soaring, states limit the length of painkiller prescriptions – Washington Post, August 9th 2017
Short answers to hard questions about the opioid crisis – New York Times, August 10th 2017
A 'vaccine for addiction' is no simple fix – NPR, August 10th 2017
'Body brokers' get kickbacks to lure people with addictions to bad rehab – NPR, August 15th 2017
The rist and fall of Miami's 'CEO of purple drank' – Washington Post, August 21st 2017
West Virginians struggle for answers in America's worst hit opioid epidemic state – Guardian, August 28th 2017
Holistic therapy programs may help pain sufferers ditch opioids – NPR, August 29th 2017
Opioid-addicted zebrafish attempt to get a hit 2,000 times in 50 minutes, a study says – Washington Post, September 1st 2017
The first count of fentanyl deaths in 2016: Up 540% in three years – New York Times, September 2nd 2017
US overdose deaths from fentanyl and synthetic opioids doubled in 2016 – Guardian, September 3rd 2017
Opioids aren't the only pain drugs to fear – New York Times, September 4th 2017
Opioid crisis looms over job market, worrying employers and economists – NPR, September 7th 2017
Amid opioid crisis, insurers restrict pricey, less addictive painkillers – New York Times, September 17th 2017
41 states to investigate pharmaceutical companies over opioids – NPR, September 19th 2017
'The pills are everywhere': How the opioid crisis claims its youngest victims – New York Times, September 20th 2017
How to win the war on drugs – New York Times, September 22nd 2017
America's 8-step program for drug addiction – New York Times, September 30th 2017
As overdose deaths pile up, a medical examiner quits the morgue – New York Times, October 7th 2017
The Drug Industry's triumph over the DEA – Washington Post, October 15th 2017
Another outbreak related to the nation's opioid crisis: hepatitis C – Washington Post, October 17th 2017
Growth in Md. opioid fatalities comes almost entirely from fentanyl related deaths – Washington Post, October 24th 2017
Wave of addiction linked to fentanyl worsens as drugs, distribution, evolve – Washington Post, October 24th 2017
Even this puppy wasn't safe from America's opioid crisis – Washington Post, October 28th 2017
Panel recommends opioid solutions but puts no price tag on them – New York Times, November 1st 2017
Department of Justice announces significant tool in prosecuting opioid traffickers in emergency scheduling of all fentanyls – DEA public affairs, November 9th 2017
Brain scientists look beyond opioids to conquer pain – NPR, November 13th 2017
Mexican traffickers making New York a hub for luctrative - and deadly - fentanyl – Washington Post, November 13th 2017
FDA warns about the dangers of kratom herbal supplement – NPR, November 14th 2017
Study finds competing opioid treatments have similar outcomes – New York Times, November 14th 2017
Counterfeit opioid pills are tricking users - sometimes with lethal results – Washington Post, November 19th 2017
Telemedicine for addiction treatment? Picture remains fuzzy – NPR, November 24th, 2017
Supplements claiming to ease opioid addiction come under scrutiny – New York Times, December 8th, 2017
Marijuana and vaping are more popular than cigarettes among teenagers – New York Times, December 14th 2017
Life expectancy drops again as opioid deaths surge in U.S. – NPR, December 21st 2017
The opioid crisis is getting worse, particularly for black Americans – New York Times, December 22nd 2017
2016
Misuse of ADHD drugs by young adults drives rise in ER visits – NPR, February 17th 2016
Boston Heroin users will soon get a safer place to be high – NPR, March 1st 2016
No, you can't vape on commercial flights transportation department says – NPR, March 2nd 2016
Legal marijuana is finally doing what the drug war couldn’t – Washington Post, March 3rd 2016
Drug maker fined by New York over improper opioid marketing – Stat News, March 3rd 2016
CDC warns doctors about the dangers of prescribing opioid painkillers – Washington Post, March 15th 2016
Hospitals in 4 states warn of exposure to hepatitis, HIV – CNN, March 17th 2016
Heroin bill passes with needle exchange – Courier journal, March 25th 2016
No Joke: N.J. hospital uses laughing gas to cut down on opioid use – NPR, April 1st 2016
The surprising dissapearance of flakka, the synthetic drug that pushed South Florida to the brink – Washington Post, April 4th 2016
How to create opioids for the masses – CNN, April 5th 2016
Synthetic opiate makers stay step ahead of US dug laws as overdose cases rise – The Guardian, April 11th 2016
Political gridlock blocks database for fighting drug abuse – NPR, April 12th 2016
SNL tried to joke about the heroin epidemic in America. Not all of America laughed – Washington Post, April 17th 2016
Opioid prescribing gets another look as FDA revisits mandatory doctor training – The New York Times, May 2nd 2016
Abuse of diarrhea medicine you know well is alarming physicians – Washington Post, May 4th 2016
The federal government is about to begin regulating the booming e-cigarette market – Washington Post, May 5th 2016
Addicts turning to anti-diarrhea medication to get high – CBS News, May 6th 2016
E-cigarette poisoning in kids skyrocket, study finds – CNN, May 9th 2016
Pfizer blocks the use of its drugs in executions – The New York Times, May 13th 2016
Treating opioid addiction with a drug raises hope and controversy – NPR, May 17th 2016
FDA requires 'black box' warning on painkillers – CNN, June 2nd 2016
The lonely road of staying clean – Washington Post, June 11th 2016
Opioid painkillers study: 66% of patients keep leftover pill after treatment – The Guardian, June 15th 2016
Congress splits over bill aimed at Nation's opioid epidemic – The New York Times, July 6th 2016
After medical marijuana legalized, medicare prescriptions drop for many drugs – NPR, July 6th 2016
How a $2 roadside drug test sends innocent people to jail – The New York Times, July 7th 2016
One striking chart shows why pharma companies are fighting legal marijuana – Washington Post, July 13th 2016
K2 overdoses surge in New York: At least 130 cases this week alone – The New York Times, July 14th 2016
Maryland switches opioid treatments and some patients cry foul – NPR, July 19th 2016
Montana's 'pain refugees' leave state to get prescribed opioids – NPR, July 20th 2016
Small town in Colorado tell residents water is contaminated with THC – NPR, July 21st 2016
Naloxone saves lives, but is no cure in heroin epidemic – The New York Times, July 27th 2016
As opioid epidemic surges, medical schools try to keep pace – NPR, July 27th 2016
E-cig vapor releases two cancerous chemicals, new study says – Washington Post, July 28th 2016
Rural counties across the US becoming powder keg for HIV outbreak – The Guardian, July 31st 2016
Many more people seek medical help for opioid abuse – NPR, August 1st 2016
Stop treating marijuana like heroin – The New York Times, August 12th 2016
Few homeless shelter workers are trained to administer heroin antidote – The New York Times, August 24th 2016
Illegally made fentanyl seems to be fueling a spike in overdoses – NPR, August 25th 2016
Heroin laced with elephant tranquilizers hits the streets – CNN, August 25th 2016
College high: students are using more maijuana, fewer opioids – NPR, September 9th 2016
Ohio police post graphic overdosing heroin parents photo – BBC News, September 9th 2016
Kratom advocates speak out against proposed government ban – NPR, September 12th 2016
Doctors who treat opioid addiction often see very few patients – NPR, September 20th 2016
The pill mill doctor who prescribed thousands of opioids and billed dead patients – Washington Post, September 22nd 2016
Deadly opioid overwhelms first responders and crime labs in Ohio – NPR, September 25th 2016
A death on Staten Island highlights heroin's place in 'mainstream society' – The New York Times, October 2nd 2016
France's first drug room for addicts to inject opens in Paris – BBC News, October 11 2016
Kratom gets reprieve from drug enforcement administration – NPR, October 12th 2016
How drugs intended for patients ended up in the hands of illegal users: 'no one was doing their job' – Washington Post, October 22nd 2016
Investigation: The DEA slowed enforcement while the opioid epidemic grew out of control – Washington Post, October 22nd 2016
Don't lock 'em up. Give 'em a chance to quite drugs – The New York Times, October 25th 2016
Another parent's overdose, another child in the back seat: A 'new norm' for drug users? – Washington Post, October 28th 2016
More children are being poisoned by prescription opioids – NPR, October 31st 2016
Opioid pills 'are like guns': More than 13,000 children were poisoned during six-year period – Washington Post, October 31st 2016
Washington mother accused of giving children heroin – BBC News, November 2nd 2016
Surgeon general Murthy wants America to face up to addiction – NPR, November 17th 2016
Drug policy experts and advocates implore DEA to keep opiate-like pant legal – Washington Post, December 2nd 2016
Heroin deaths surpass gun homocides for the first time, CDC data shows – Washington Post, December 8th 2016
Pills that kill: Why are thousands dying from fentanyl abuse – The Guardian, December 11th 2016
Drug 85 times as potent as marijuana caused a 'zombielike' state in Brooklyn - The New York Times, December 14th 2016
'Drug dealer M.D.: Misunderstandings and good intentions fueled opioid epidemic – NPR, December 15 2016
Opioids can derail the lives of older people, too – NPR, December 20th 2016
2015
Addiction patients overwhelm Vermont's expanded treatment programs – NPR, January 6th 2015
Prescription painkillers' overuse has become a 'silent epidemic', US warns – The Guardian, January 16th 2015
Dying to be free – Huffington Post, January 28th 2015
New rules on narcotic painkillers cause grief for veterans and VA – Washington Post, February 18th 2015
Breaking good: Vivitrol, a new drug given as a monthly shot, is helping addicts stay clean – Washington Post, March 13th 2015
Heroin bill passes with needle exchange – Courier Journal, March 25th 2015
Indiana is battling the worst HIV outbreak in its history – Washington Post, March 26th 2015
Legal high causing 'violent and bizarre' behaviour are banned – The Telegraph, April 9th 2015
Drug minister bans five legal highs from midnight – The Guardian, April 9th 2015
A lifesaving medicine that my patient didn't get in time – NPR, April 10th 2015
High school, middle school kids now use more e-cigs than tobacco: CDC – Washington Post, April 16th 2015
Workers seeking productivity in a pill are abusing ADHD drugs – New York Times, April 18th 2015
'This is going to be too hard': Keeping kids from using pot – NPR, April 19th 2015
Why this father didn't hide his daughter's heroin overdose in her obituary – Washington Post, April 22nd 2015
New Zealand balloon crash pilot 'a regular drug user' – BBC News, April 23rd 2015
Chemical change in synthetic marijuana suspected of causing illness – NPR, April 27th 2015
A rural police chief asks citizens to help pick up used syringes – NPR, April 28th 2015
Legal high 'five times stronger than heroin' killed dad – BBC News, May 7th 2015
Hooked – BBC News, May 15th 2015
How heroin made its way from rural Mexico to small-town America – NPR, May 19th 2015
'Home-brewed morphine' made possible – BBC News, May 19th 2015
Maine bill aims to make abuse deterrent painkillers more affordable – NPR, May 20th 2015
Depression treatments inspired by club drug move ahead in tests – NPR, May 28th 2015
Drug overdose, on the rise, cropping up as campaign issue – NPR, May 28th 2015
Still more questions than answers about how to treat ADHD – Washington Post, June 1st 2015
Emergency rooms crack down on abusers of pain pills – NPR, June 5th 2015
How an FBI agent who arrested drug addicts became one himself – Washington Post, June 28th 2015
Heroin use jumps in US as painkiller addicts switch drugs – BBC News, July 8th 2015
Heroin use surges, especially among women and whites – NPR, July 8th 2015
Syracuse, N.Y., Experiences spike in synthetic marijuana hospitalizations – NPR, July 10th 2015
The ketamine connection – BBC News, July 10th 2015
Inside a Chinese 'ketamine village' – BBC News, July 10th 2015
Tough painkiller rules push some Russian cancer patients to suicide – NPR, July 10th 2015
New drug agency chief to revive take-back program – NPR, July 10th 2015
When life begins in rehab: A baby heals after a mother's heroin addiction – Washington Post, August 12th 2015
Narcolepsy medication modafinil is world's first safe smart drug – The Guardian, August 19th 2015
Ravages of heroin addiction haunt friends families and whole towns – NPR, August 23rd 2015
The heroin epidemic's toll: One county, 70 minutes, eight overdoses – Washington Post, August 23rd 2015
How the prescription painkiller fentanyl became a street drug – NPR, August 26th 2015
Illicit version of painkiller fentanyl makes heroin deadlier – NPR, August 26th 2015
Why a bag of heroin costs less than a pack of cigarettes – Washington Post, August 27th 2015
Murder trial begins for alleged ‘pill mill’ doctor after string of patients overdose on painkillers – Washington Post, September 1st 2015
A heroin addict begged his jailers for an IV. They refused. Six hours later, he died of dehydration. – Washington Post, October 21st 2015
In Tennessee given birth to a drug dependent baby can be a crime – NPR, November 18th 2015
2014
In Vermont, a network of help for opiate-addicted mothers – NPR, January 28th 2014
McLean high school student’s heroin overdose shows disturbing trend facing police – Washington Post, January 31st 2014
Spike in heroin use can be traced to prescription pads – NPR, February 4th 2014
When you talk to people who use heroin today, almost all of them will tell you that their opioid addiction began with exposure to painkillers, says Dr. Andrew Kolodny, chief medical officer for the Phoenix House Foundation and president of Physicians for Responsible Opioid Prescribing.
"The main reason they switched to heroin is because heroin is either easier to access or less expensive than buying painkillers on the black market," he says.
When a prescription of pain pills becomes a gateway to addiction – NPR, February 15th 2014
Zohydro: The FDA-approved prescription for addiction – Huffington Post, February 26th 2014
‘Magic’ overdose drug works but demand and price on the rise – NPR, February 28th 2014
Philip Seymour Hoffman ‘killed by toxic mix of drug’ – BBC News, February 28th 2014
Young Women increasingly turn to ADHD drugs – New York Times, March 14th 2014
The horrific toll of America’s heroin ‘epidemic’ – BBC News, March 21st 2014
Growing evidence that a party drug can help severe depression – NPR, April 3rd 2014
My journey from homeless drug addict to magna cum laude – NPR, April 13th 2014
Risk of popular anxiety drugs often overshadowed – NPR, April 15th 2014
Powerful narcotic painkiller up for FDA approval – NPR, April 22nd 2014
Fairfax mother of young heroin addict: ‘There were clues. But we had no clue.’ – Washington Post, April 22nd 2014
An Afghan village of drug addicts from ages 10-60 – NPR, April 30th 2014
Addicted and pregnant: ’the most heart-wrenching experience of my life – NPR, May 11th 2014
Today’s Heroin addict is young, white and suburban – NPR, May 29th 2014
Value of British economy to include illegal drugs – New York Times, May 30th 2014
Chicago 'Heroin Highway' bust shows a 'new face of organized crime – NPR, June 13th 2014
Americans weigh addiction risk when taking painkillers – NPR, June 22nd 2014
Trouble in paradise: opiate use spikes on Martha’s Vineyard – NPR, June 25th 2014
A growing number of veterans struggles to quit powerful painkillers – NPR, July 10th 2014
Veterans kick the prescription pill habit, against doctors’ orders – NPR, July 11th 2014
Heroin antidote Naloxone offers US hope against overdose – BBC news, July 23rd 2014
Recovery coach helps and addict resist heroin’s lure – NPR, August 10th 2014
State department official has spent career waging a global war on drug addiction – NPR, August 13th 2014
More people died of heroin overdose in New York City last year than any year since 2003 – Washington Post, August 28th 2014
D.E.A. to allow return of unused pills to pharmacies – New York Times, September 8th 2014
Dying without morphine – New York Times, September 30th 2014
Heroin baggies: killer branding - The Guardian, October 5th 2014
British drugs survey 2014: drug use is rising in the UK - But we're not addicted - The Guardian, October 5th 2014
No link between tough penalties and drug use - report – BBC news, October 30th 2014
Using doctors with troubled pasts to market a painkiller - New York Times, November 27th 2014
'You will not be arrested for using drugs': What a sane drug policy looks like – Washington Post, December 2nd 2014
Prolific prescibers of controlled substances face medicare scrutiny – NPR, December 15th 2014
Teaching friends and family how to reverse a drug overdose – NPR, December 29th 2014
2013
Global rise in new ‘legal high’ – UN world drug report – BBC news, June 26th, 2013
Sharp rise in women’s death from overdose of painkillers – New York Times, July 2nd 2013
Cory Monteith: Glee star died from alcohol and heroin – BBC News, July 17th 2013
Inca child sacrifice victims were drugged – National Geographic News, July 29th 2013
After legalizing marijuana, Washington and Colorado are starting to regulate it – Washington Post, October 9th 2013
Flesh-eating 'zombie' drug 'kills you from the inside out' – CNN, October 18th 2013
How a wandering brain can help people cope with pain – NPR, October 29th 2013
Toronto Mayor Rob Ford admits using crack cocaine in a ‘drunken stupor’ – The Guardian, November 5th 2013
Yes I have smoked crack cocaine" he replied. "But, no, do I? Am I an addict? No. Have I tried it? Um, probably in one of my drunken stupors, probably approximately about a year ago."
Bath salts make you more like a zombie than you think – Huffington Post, November 7th 2013
What is synthetic marijuana and how does it compare to traditional marijuana? – Huffington Post, November 9th 2013
Addiction treatment with a dark side – New York Times, November 16th 2013
2012
Ritalin gone wrong – New York Times, January 28th 2012
Youth find creative ways to fuel cravings for nicotine – Billings Gazette, February 27th 2012
- Which classes of illicit drugs are available? Are some more harmful than others? Is drug dependence a disease, a learning disorder or a choice? When does illicit drug use turn into addiction?
- What can be done to reduce the risks of people getting addicted? How can people that are addicted be helped? Should they be placed in mandatory treatment facilities, imprisoned if caught, provided with opportunities to live successful lives when they have been treated for their addiction?
- Should we treat famous people with drug addictions different than regular folks? What is the influence of illicit drug use in popular culture (movies, tv, music, books) on your perception of drugs of abuse? How do you feel when famous people/role models use these types of drugs in real life, not just in fiction?
- What strategies should be taken on a global scale to deal with illicit drug use? You can think about drug trafficking in Latin America, drug production in Afghanistan, South America, Marijuana plantations inside National parks, differences in legal systems and treatment options in Europe vs US.
- What are the differences between illicit drugs and ‘legal highs’, such as bath salts, synthetic cannabinoids? What is the potential harm of these ‘legal highs’? Do you believe government has the ability to control these drugs, or even control any type of illicit drug for that matter? Should the government spend resources trying to ban new synthetic drugs abuse when they hit the market, even if it only results in synthesis of yet different drugs of abuse? Should the government fully assess the abuse potential of a legal high before banning it?
- What do you think is the best way to treat drug addiction? What roles do medication, narcotics anonymous and drug rehabilitation centers play? What price tag do you put on treating someone’s addiction? The upfront cost for treatment will be higher, and the outcome remains uncertain, but the long term cost to society and healthcare that a life-long addict incurs cannot be underestimated.
- Do you think drug addicts can fully recover or will they always live near the precipice of relapse? Do you think future technologies may interfere with brain circuits, feelings and memories associated with drug use, thereby reducing the chance to relapse? How do you provide pain treatment to former drug addicts?
- Is it ethical to treat an opioid overdose with narcan, the nasal naloxone spray, in the absence of a cure for drug addiction? How is it different from a torturer keeping his victim alive to prolong his ability to torture? How does it differ from denying poor women abortion without providing financial support for the newborn? Is overdosing harmless if the user is rescued with narcan? How will the emergence of potent opioids impact the usefulness of narcan?
- What is your understanding of the mechanisms of action of methadone, buprenorphine and naltrexone (vivitrol) and their effectiveness to treat opioid use disorder and different stages of treatment?
- Is the prescription opioid abuse a result of a systemic flaw or predominantely caused by some 'bad apples', doctors in certain states over-prescribing opioids?
- What is your opinion about clean needle distribution, needle exchanges, methadone clinics and using heroin in treatment of drug addicts?
- What is kratom? Why would the DEA schedule kratom in schedule I? What are benefits and downsides to this scheduling? Is kratom useful for a heroin user? Is it useful for a teenager who has never used a psychoactive drug before?
- Should the DEA stratify schedule I drugs using a similar scale as schedule II-V i.e. drugs with no current medical use but moderate or weak abuse potential? What exactly does the DEA mean by no current medical use? Is their definition clear enough and do you agree with the strictness of their adherence to this definition?
- What are the risks associated with heroin laced with therapeutic opioids, such as fentanyl or carfentanil? What other risks can you think off arising from an increase prevalence of highly potent opioids?
- Write a case study about the 'rise and fall' of Opana ER.
News and resources
2018
The high cost of medical marijuana causes pain in Vermont – NPR, January 11th 2018
Opioid addiction knows no color, but it treatment does – New York Times, January 12th 2018
On the hunt for poppies in Mexico - America's biggest heroin supplier – NPR, January 14th 2018
1 son, 4 overdoses, 6 hours – New York Times, January 21st 2018
An addict dies in a school restroom. He was a teacher – New York Times, January 26th 2018
After surgery in Germany, I wanted vicodin, not herbal tea - New York Times, January 27th 2018
A doctor's painful struggle with an opioid-addicted patients – New York Times, February 1st 2018
Fentanyl adds deadly kick to opioid woes in Britain – New York Times, February 4th 2018
Kratom is hailed as a natural pain remedy, assailed as an addictive killer. The U.S. wants to treat it like heroin – Washington Post, February 10th 2018
Drugmakers spent millions promoting opioids to patient groups, senate reports says – NPR, February 13th 2018
Cost of U.S. opioid epidemic since 2001 is 1$trillion and climbing – NPR, February 13th 2018
How a police chief, a governor and a sociologist would spend $100 billion to solve the opioid crisis – New York Times, February 14th 2018
Opioid addiction and death mail-ordered to your door – BBC News, February 22nd 2018
Let cities open safe injection sites – New York Times, February 24th 2018
Once it was overdue books. Now Librarians fight overdoses – February 28th 2018
When opioids make pain worse – NPR, March 3rd 2018
The opioid crisis is surging in black, urban communities – NPR, March 8th 2018
The 'moral hazard of naloxone in the opioid crisis – Washington Post, March 8th 2018
Some patients are in pain. Some just want drugs. How do I tell them apart? – Washington Post, March 9th 2018
The other opioid crisis: pain patients who can't access the medicine we need – Washington Post, March 9th 2018
NHS accused of fuelling rise in opioid addiction – BBC News, March 15th 2018
Palliative care film challenges stereotypes about opioids – March 16th 2018
Opioid use lower in states that eased marijuana laws – NPR, April 2nd, 2018
'I can't stop': Schools struggle with vaping explosion – New York Times, April 2nd 2018
Synthetic marijuana leaves two dead and dozens with severe bleeding – Washington Post, April 3rd 2018
A Perplexing marijuana side effect relieved by hot showers – New York Times, April 5th 2018
"cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, a condition that causes cyclic vomiting in heavy marijuana users and can be cured by quitting marijuana"
Ineffective treatment often prescribed for lower back pain, report says – NPR, April 5th 2018
Naloxone stops opioid overdoses. How do you use it? – New York Times, April 6th 2018
2017
Inside a killer drug epidemic: A look at America's opioid crisis – The New York Times, January 6th 2017
Young victims of the opioid epidemic – The New York Times, January 16th 2017
Picking the right over-the-counter pain reliever – The New York Times, February 6th 2017
Lower back ache? Be active and wait it out, new guidelines say – The New York Times, February 13th 2017
'He's blue': Louisville rattled by 151 overdoses in 4 days – CNN, February 14th 2017
Long-term opioid use could depend on the doctor who first prescribed it – The New York Times, February 15th 2017
Why Tump's wall won't keep out heroin – The New York Times, February 16th 2017
When retirement comes with a daily dose of cannabis – The New York Times, February 19th 2017
Dentists work to ease patients' pain with fewer opioids – NPR, February 26th 2017
Surgeons were told to stop prescribing so many painkillers. The results were remarkable. – Washington Post, March 7th 2017
GOP health-care bill would drop addiction treatment mandate covering 1.3 million Americans – Washington Post, March 9th 2017
Can this man successfully treat opioid addiction with marijuana? - The Guardian, March 9th 2017
Lethal opiates delivered by mail from China, killing addicts in the U.S. – NPR, March 11th 2017
Dangers of Opana opioid painkiller outweigh benefits, FDA panel says – NPR, March 16th 2017
Studies suggest cautious optimism about declines in teen opioid use – NPR, March 20th 2017
Doctors consider ethics of costly heart surgery for people addicted to opioids – NPR, March 21st 2017
In school nurse's room: Tylenol, bandages and an antidote to heroin – New York Times, March 29th 2017
US heroin use has increased almost fivefold in a decade, study shows – The Guardian, March 29th 2017
Who is to blame for the opioid epidemic? – Washington Post, March 29th 2017
The government's struggle to hold opioid manufacturers accountable – Washington Post, April 2nd 2017
What doesn't kill you can maim: Unexpected injuries from opioids – NPR, April 13th 2017
Can we tax away the opioid crisis? – Kaiser Health News, April 14th 2017
Home-based drug treatment programs cost less and works – NPR, April 17th 2017
Investigation into Prince's death reveals pills were hidden throughout Paisley park – NPR, April 17th 2017
How Prince concealed his addiction: Aspirin bottles of opiates – New York Times, April 17th 2017
How do former opioid addicts safely get pain relief after surgery? – NPR, April 20th 2017
Don't give kids cought syrup or pain meds that contain codeine, FDA says. – NPR, April 20th 2017
Cherokee nation sues Wal-mart, CVS, Walgreens over tribal opioid crisis – NPR, April 25th 2017
DEA seeks prosecutors to fight opioid crisis; critics fear return to war on drugs – NPR, May 4th 2017
White house proposes cutting drug control office funding by 95% – New York Times, May 5th 2017
Public restrooms become ground zero in the opioid epidemic – NPR, May 8th 2017
'I was in total shock': Ohio police officer accidentally overdoses after traffic stop – Washington Post, May 16th 2017
Poll: Doctors are still prescribing lots of opioids for low back pain – NPR, May19th 2017
Residents of halfway house found two men dead from overdoses - their drug counselors – Washington Post, May 24th 2017
Ohio sues 5 major drug companies for 'fueling opioid epidemic' – NPR, May 31th 2017
How a short letter in a prestigious journal contributed to the opioid crisis – Washington Post, June 2nd 2017
Drug deaths in America are rising faster than ever – New York Times, June 5th 2017
As many as 4 are dead in drug overdoses in Georgia – New York Times, June 6th 2017
FDA seeks removal of opioid painkiller from the market – Washington Post, June 8th 2017
Drug crisis is pushing up death rates for almost all groups of Americans – Washington Post, June 9th 2017
Opioid dealers embrace the dark web to send deadly drugs by mail – New York Times, June 10th 2017
Seizing on opioid crisis, a drug maker lobbies hard for Its product – New York Times, June 11th 2017
GOP's proposed cuts to medicaid threaten treatment for opioid addiction -–NPR, June 11th 2017
A drugmaker tries to cash in on the opioid epidemic, one state law at a time – NPR June 12th 2017
Heroin use? Juvenile record? For recruits, police forgive past sins – New York Times, June 12th 2017
Doctor who wrote 1980 letter on painkillers regrets that it fed the opioid crisis – NPR, June 16th 2017
In just one year, nearly 1.3 million Americans needed hospital care for opioid related issues – Washington Post, June 20th 2017
For newborns exposed to opioids, health issues may be the least of their problems – NPR, June 30th 2017
Without medical support, DIY detox often fails – NPR, July 3rd 22017
Opioid prescriptions dropped for the first time in the modern drug crisis – Washington Post, July 6th 2017
More people are making mistakes with medicines at home – NPR, July 13th 2017
'Extreme' opioid use and doctor shopping still plague medicare – NPR, July 13th 2017
A tide of opioid-dependent newborns forces doctors to rethink treatment – New York Times, July 13th 2017
The lawyer, the addict – New York Times, July 15th 2017
How did this happen to a 10-year-old?: Child dies with heroin and fentanyl in his system – Washington Post, July 18th 2017
Economy needs workers, but drug tests take a toll – New York Times, July 24th 2017
These college students lost access to legal pot - and started getting better grades – Washington Post, July 25th
2017
A doctor was killed for refusing to prescribe opioids, authorities say – Washington Post, July 29th 2017
Nashville mayor's son dies of apparent overdose – Washington Post, July 31st 2017
Opioid commission tells Trump to declare state of emergency – CNN, August 1st 2017
Opioid users are filling jails. Why don't jails treat them? – New York Times, August 4th 2017
Deaths from drug overdoses soared in the first nine months of 2016 – Washington Post, August 8th 2017
First responders spending more on overdose reversal drug – NPR, August 8th 2017
With drug overdoses soaring, states limit the length of painkiller prescriptions – Washington Post, August 9th 2017
Short answers to hard questions about the opioid crisis – New York Times, August 10th 2017
A 'vaccine for addiction' is no simple fix – NPR, August 10th 2017
'Body brokers' get kickbacks to lure people with addictions to bad rehab – NPR, August 15th 2017
The rist and fall of Miami's 'CEO of purple drank' – Washington Post, August 21st 2017
West Virginians struggle for answers in America's worst hit opioid epidemic state – Guardian, August 28th 2017
Holistic therapy programs may help pain sufferers ditch opioids – NPR, August 29th 2017
Opioid-addicted zebrafish attempt to get a hit 2,000 times in 50 minutes, a study says – Washington Post, September 1st 2017
The first count of fentanyl deaths in 2016: Up 540% in three years – New York Times, September 2nd 2017
US overdose deaths from fentanyl and synthetic opioids doubled in 2016 – Guardian, September 3rd 2017
Opioids aren't the only pain drugs to fear – New York Times, September 4th 2017
Opioid crisis looms over job market, worrying employers and economists – NPR, September 7th 2017
Amid opioid crisis, insurers restrict pricey, less addictive painkillers – New York Times, September 17th 2017
41 states to investigate pharmaceutical companies over opioids – NPR, September 19th 2017
'The pills are everywhere': How the opioid crisis claims its youngest victims – New York Times, September 20th 2017
How to win the war on drugs – New York Times, September 22nd 2017
America's 8-step program for drug addiction – New York Times, September 30th 2017
As overdose deaths pile up, a medical examiner quits the morgue – New York Times, October 7th 2017
The Drug Industry's triumph over the DEA – Washington Post, October 15th 2017
Another outbreak related to the nation's opioid crisis: hepatitis C – Washington Post, October 17th 2017
Growth in Md. opioid fatalities comes almost entirely from fentanyl related deaths – Washington Post, October 24th 2017
Wave of addiction linked to fentanyl worsens as drugs, distribution, evolve – Washington Post, October 24th 2017
Even this puppy wasn't safe from America's opioid crisis – Washington Post, October 28th 2017
Panel recommends opioid solutions but puts no price tag on them – New York Times, November 1st 2017
Department of Justice announces significant tool in prosecuting opioid traffickers in emergency scheduling of all fentanyls – DEA public affairs, November 9th 2017
Brain scientists look beyond opioids to conquer pain – NPR, November 13th 2017
Mexican traffickers making New York a hub for luctrative - and deadly - fentanyl – Washington Post, November 13th 2017
FDA warns about the dangers of kratom herbal supplement – NPR, November 14th 2017
Study finds competing opioid treatments have similar outcomes – New York Times, November 14th 2017
Counterfeit opioid pills are tricking users - sometimes with lethal results – Washington Post, November 19th 2017
Telemedicine for addiction treatment? Picture remains fuzzy – NPR, November 24th, 2017
Supplements claiming to ease opioid addiction come under scrutiny – New York Times, December 8th, 2017
Marijuana and vaping are more popular than cigarettes among teenagers – New York Times, December 14th 2017
Life expectancy drops again as opioid deaths surge in U.S. – NPR, December 21st 2017
The opioid crisis is getting worse, particularly for black Americans – New York Times, December 22nd 2017
2016
Misuse of ADHD drugs by young adults drives rise in ER visits – NPR, February 17th 2016
Boston Heroin users will soon get a safer place to be high – NPR, March 1st 2016
No, you can't vape on commercial flights transportation department says – NPR, March 2nd 2016
Legal marijuana is finally doing what the drug war couldn’t – Washington Post, March 3rd 2016
Drug maker fined by New York over improper opioid marketing – Stat News, March 3rd 2016
CDC warns doctors about the dangers of prescribing opioid painkillers – Washington Post, March 15th 2016
Hospitals in 4 states warn of exposure to hepatitis, HIV – CNN, March 17th 2016
Heroin bill passes with needle exchange – Courier journal, March 25th 2016
No Joke: N.J. hospital uses laughing gas to cut down on opioid use – NPR, April 1st 2016
The surprising dissapearance of flakka, the synthetic drug that pushed South Florida to the brink – Washington Post, April 4th 2016
How to create opioids for the masses – CNN, April 5th 2016
Synthetic opiate makers stay step ahead of US dug laws as overdose cases rise – The Guardian, April 11th 2016
Political gridlock blocks database for fighting drug abuse – NPR, April 12th 2016
SNL tried to joke about the heroin epidemic in America. Not all of America laughed – Washington Post, April 17th 2016
Opioid prescribing gets another look as FDA revisits mandatory doctor training – The New York Times, May 2nd 2016
Abuse of diarrhea medicine you know well is alarming physicians – Washington Post, May 4th 2016
The federal government is about to begin regulating the booming e-cigarette market – Washington Post, May 5th 2016
Addicts turning to anti-diarrhea medication to get high – CBS News, May 6th 2016
E-cigarette poisoning in kids skyrocket, study finds – CNN, May 9th 2016
Pfizer blocks the use of its drugs in executions – The New York Times, May 13th 2016
Treating opioid addiction with a drug raises hope and controversy – NPR, May 17th 2016
FDA requires 'black box' warning on painkillers – CNN, June 2nd 2016
The lonely road of staying clean – Washington Post, June 11th 2016
Opioid painkillers study: 66% of patients keep leftover pill after treatment – The Guardian, June 15th 2016
Congress splits over bill aimed at Nation's opioid epidemic – The New York Times, July 6th 2016
After medical marijuana legalized, medicare prescriptions drop for many drugs – NPR, July 6th 2016
How a $2 roadside drug test sends innocent people to jail – The New York Times, July 7th 2016
One striking chart shows why pharma companies are fighting legal marijuana – Washington Post, July 13th 2016
K2 overdoses surge in New York: At least 130 cases this week alone – The New York Times, July 14th 2016
Maryland switches opioid treatments and some patients cry foul – NPR, July 19th 2016
Montana's 'pain refugees' leave state to get prescribed opioids – NPR, July 20th 2016
Small town in Colorado tell residents water is contaminated with THC – NPR, July 21st 2016
Naloxone saves lives, but is no cure in heroin epidemic – The New York Times, July 27th 2016
As opioid epidemic surges, medical schools try to keep pace – NPR, July 27th 2016
E-cig vapor releases two cancerous chemicals, new study says – Washington Post, July 28th 2016
Rural counties across the US becoming powder keg for HIV outbreak – The Guardian, July 31st 2016
Many more people seek medical help for opioid abuse – NPR, August 1st 2016
Stop treating marijuana like heroin – The New York Times, August 12th 2016
Few homeless shelter workers are trained to administer heroin antidote – The New York Times, August 24th 2016
Illegally made fentanyl seems to be fueling a spike in overdoses – NPR, August 25th 2016
Heroin laced with elephant tranquilizers hits the streets – CNN, August 25th 2016
College high: students are using more maijuana, fewer opioids – NPR, September 9th 2016
Ohio police post graphic overdosing heroin parents photo – BBC News, September 9th 2016
Kratom advocates speak out against proposed government ban – NPR, September 12th 2016
Doctors who treat opioid addiction often see very few patients – NPR, September 20th 2016
The pill mill doctor who prescribed thousands of opioids and billed dead patients – Washington Post, September 22nd 2016
Deadly opioid overwhelms first responders and crime labs in Ohio – NPR, September 25th 2016
A death on Staten Island highlights heroin's place in 'mainstream society' – The New York Times, October 2nd 2016
France's first drug room for addicts to inject opens in Paris – BBC News, October 11 2016
Kratom gets reprieve from drug enforcement administration – NPR, October 12th 2016
How drugs intended for patients ended up in the hands of illegal users: 'no one was doing their job' – Washington Post, October 22nd 2016
Investigation: The DEA slowed enforcement while the opioid epidemic grew out of control – Washington Post, October 22nd 2016
Don't lock 'em up. Give 'em a chance to quite drugs – The New York Times, October 25th 2016
Another parent's overdose, another child in the back seat: A 'new norm' for drug users? – Washington Post, October 28th 2016
More children are being poisoned by prescription opioids – NPR, October 31st 2016
Opioid pills 'are like guns': More than 13,000 children were poisoned during six-year period – Washington Post, October 31st 2016
Washington mother accused of giving children heroin – BBC News, November 2nd 2016
Surgeon general Murthy wants America to face up to addiction – NPR, November 17th 2016
Drug policy experts and advocates implore DEA to keep opiate-like pant legal – Washington Post, December 2nd 2016
Heroin deaths surpass gun homocides for the first time, CDC data shows – Washington Post, December 8th 2016
Pills that kill: Why are thousands dying from fentanyl abuse – The Guardian, December 11th 2016
Drug 85 times as potent as marijuana caused a 'zombielike' state in Brooklyn - The New York Times, December 14th 2016
'Drug dealer M.D.: Misunderstandings and good intentions fueled opioid epidemic – NPR, December 15 2016
Opioids can derail the lives of older people, too – NPR, December 20th 2016
2015
Addiction patients overwhelm Vermont's expanded treatment programs – NPR, January 6th 2015
Prescription painkillers' overuse has become a 'silent epidemic', US warns – The Guardian, January 16th 2015
Dying to be free – Huffington Post, January 28th 2015
New rules on narcotic painkillers cause grief for veterans and VA – Washington Post, February 18th 2015
Breaking good: Vivitrol, a new drug given as a monthly shot, is helping addicts stay clean – Washington Post, March 13th 2015
Heroin bill passes with needle exchange – Courier Journal, March 25th 2015
Indiana is battling the worst HIV outbreak in its history – Washington Post, March 26th 2015
Legal high causing 'violent and bizarre' behaviour are banned – The Telegraph, April 9th 2015
Drug minister bans five legal highs from midnight – The Guardian, April 9th 2015
A lifesaving medicine that my patient didn't get in time – NPR, April 10th 2015
High school, middle school kids now use more e-cigs than tobacco: CDC – Washington Post, April 16th 2015
Workers seeking productivity in a pill are abusing ADHD drugs – New York Times, April 18th 2015
'This is going to be too hard': Keeping kids from using pot – NPR, April 19th 2015
Why this father didn't hide his daughter's heroin overdose in her obituary – Washington Post, April 22nd 2015
New Zealand balloon crash pilot 'a regular drug user' – BBC News, April 23rd 2015
Chemical change in synthetic marijuana suspected of causing illness – NPR, April 27th 2015
A rural police chief asks citizens to help pick up used syringes – NPR, April 28th 2015
Legal high 'five times stronger than heroin' killed dad – BBC News, May 7th 2015
Hooked – BBC News, May 15th 2015
How heroin made its way from rural Mexico to small-town America – NPR, May 19th 2015
'Home-brewed morphine' made possible – BBC News, May 19th 2015
Maine bill aims to make abuse deterrent painkillers more affordable – NPR, May 20th 2015
Depression treatments inspired by club drug move ahead in tests – NPR, May 28th 2015
Drug overdose, on the rise, cropping up as campaign issue – NPR, May 28th 2015
Still more questions than answers about how to treat ADHD – Washington Post, June 1st 2015
Emergency rooms crack down on abusers of pain pills – NPR, June 5th 2015
How an FBI agent who arrested drug addicts became one himself – Washington Post, June 28th 2015
Heroin use jumps in US as painkiller addicts switch drugs – BBC News, July 8th 2015
Heroin use surges, especially among women and whites – NPR, July 8th 2015
Syracuse, N.Y., Experiences spike in synthetic marijuana hospitalizations – NPR, July 10th 2015
The ketamine connection – BBC News, July 10th 2015
Inside a Chinese 'ketamine village' – BBC News, July 10th 2015
Tough painkiller rules push some Russian cancer patients to suicide – NPR, July 10th 2015
New drug agency chief to revive take-back program – NPR, July 10th 2015
When life begins in rehab: A baby heals after a mother's heroin addiction – Washington Post, August 12th 2015
Narcolepsy medication modafinil is world's first safe smart drug – The Guardian, August 19th 2015
Ravages of heroin addiction haunt friends families and whole towns – NPR, August 23rd 2015
The heroin epidemic's toll: One county, 70 minutes, eight overdoses – Washington Post, August 23rd 2015
How the prescription painkiller fentanyl became a street drug – NPR, August 26th 2015
Illicit version of painkiller fentanyl makes heroin deadlier – NPR, August 26th 2015
Why a bag of heroin costs less than a pack of cigarettes – Washington Post, August 27th 2015
Murder trial begins for alleged ‘pill mill’ doctor after string of patients overdose on painkillers – Washington Post, September 1st 2015
A heroin addict begged his jailers for an IV. They refused. Six hours later, he died of dehydration. – Washington Post, October 21st 2015
In Tennessee given birth to a drug dependent baby can be a crime – NPR, November 18th 2015
2014
In Vermont, a network of help for opiate-addicted mothers – NPR, January 28th 2014
McLean high school student’s heroin overdose shows disturbing trend facing police – Washington Post, January 31st 2014
Spike in heroin use can be traced to prescription pads – NPR, February 4th 2014
When you talk to people who use heroin today, almost all of them will tell you that their opioid addiction began with exposure to painkillers, says Dr. Andrew Kolodny, chief medical officer for the Phoenix House Foundation and president of Physicians for Responsible Opioid Prescribing.
"The main reason they switched to heroin is because heroin is either easier to access or less expensive than buying painkillers on the black market," he says.
When a prescription of pain pills becomes a gateway to addiction – NPR, February 15th 2014
Zohydro: The FDA-approved prescription for addiction – Huffington Post, February 26th 2014
‘Magic’ overdose drug works but demand and price on the rise – NPR, February 28th 2014
Philip Seymour Hoffman ‘killed by toxic mix of drug’ – BBC News, February 28th 2014
Young Women increasingly turn to ADHD drugs – New York Times, March 14th 2014
The horrific toll of America’s heroin ‘epidemic’ – BBC News, March 21st 2014
Growing evidence that a party drug can help severe depression – NPR, April 3rd 2014
My journey from homeless drug addict to magna cum laude – NPR, April 13th 2014
Risk of popular anxiety drugs often overshadowed – NPR, April 15th 2014
Powerful narcotic painkiller up for FDA approval – NPR, April 22nd 2014
Fairfax mother of young heroin addict: ‘There were clues. But we had no clue.’ – Washington Post, April 22nd 2014
An Afghan village of drug addicts from ages 10-60 – NPR, April 30th 2014
Addicted and pregnant: ’the most heart-wrenching experience of my life – NPR, May 11th 2014
Today’s Heroin addict is young, white and suburban – NPR, May 29th 2014
Value of British economy to include illegal drugs – New York Times, May 30th 2014
Chicago 'Heroin Highway' bust shows a 'new face of organized crime – NPR, June 13th 2014
Americans weigh addiction risk when taking painkillers – NPR, June 22nd 2014
Trouble in paradise: opiate use spikes on Martha’s Vineyard – NPR, June 25th 2014
A growing number of veterans struggles to quit powerful painkillers – NPR, July 10th 2014
Veterans kick the prescription pill habit, against doctors’ orders – NPR, July 11th 2014
Heroin antidote Naloxone offers US hope against overdose – BBC news, July 23rd 2014
Recovery coach helps and addict resist heroin’s lure – NPR, August 10th 2014
State department official has spent career waging a global war on drug addiction – NPR, August 13th 2014
More people died of heroin overdose in New York City last year than any year since 2003 – Washington Post, August 28th 2014
D.E.A. to allow return of unused pills to pharmacies – New York Times, September 8th 2014
Dying without morphine – New York Times, September 30th 2014
Heroin baggies: killer branding - The Guardian, October 5th 2014
British drugs survey 2014: drug use is rising in the UK - But we're not addicted - The Guardian, October 5th 2014
No link between tough penalties and drug use - report – BBC news, October 30th 2014
Using doctors with troubled pasts to market a painkiller - New York Times, November 27th 2014
'You will not be arrested for using drugs': What a sane drug policy looks like – Washington Post, December 2nd 2014
Prolific prescibers of controlled substances face medicare scrutiny – NPR, December 15th 2014
Teaching friends and family how to reverse a drug overdose – NPR, December 29th 2014
2013
Global rise in new ‘legal high’ – UN world drug report – BBC news, June 26th, 2013
Sharp rise in women’s death from overdose of painkillers – New York Times, July 2nd 2013
Cory Monteith: Glee star died from alcohol and heroin – BBC News, July 17th 2013
Inca child sacrifice victims were drugged – National Geographic News, July 29th 2013
After legalizing marijuana, Washington and Colorado are starting to regulate it – Washington Post, October 9th 2013
Flesh-eating 'zombie' drug 'kills you from the inside out' – CNN, October 18th 2013
How a wandering brain can help people cope with pain – NPR, October 29th 2013
Toronto Mayor Rob Ford admits using crack cocaine in a ‘drunken stupor’ – The Guardian, November 5th 2013
Yes I have smoked crack cocaine" he replied. "But, no, do I? Am I an addict? No. Have I tried it? Um, probably in one of my drunken stupors, probably approximately about a year ago."
Bath salts make you more like a zombie than you think – Huffington Post, November 7th 2013
What is synthetic marijuana and how does it compare to traditional marijuana? – Huffington Post, November 9th 2013
Addiction treatment with a dark side – New York Times, November 16th 2013
2012
Ritalin gone wrong – New York Times, January 28th 2012
Youth find creative ways to fuel cravings for nicotine – Billings Gazette, February 27th 2012
