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07 Oct
HealthDay Now: Fentanyl, Supply Chain Issues, and Isolation Drove Record High Drug Overdoses in 2020
In a HealthDay Now interview, we spoke to Dr. Thomas Stopka, associate professor and epidemiologist who studies opioid use and abuse at Tufts University School of Medicine. Considering the record high number of drug overdoses reported in 2020, Dr. Stopka discussed factors that may be responsible for this increase.
Health News Results - 210
Teens Have Triple the Odds of Misusing Marijuana Compared to Adults
- Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
- July 6, 2022
- Full Page
In yet another report that illustrates the dangers pot poses to the young, developing brain, a new British study finds teenagers are much more likely than adults to develop an addiction to mariju...
What Drives Doctors to Take Their Own Lives
- By Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- July 5, 2022
- Full Page
Doctor burnout and suicide are a growing concern, a new study finds.
“We often overlook the physical health of our health care workers, but poor health can lead to difficulty performing tasks at work, which then leads to job stress and mental health issues,” said cor...
Will Medical Marijuana, CBD Ease Chronic Pain?
- Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
- June 7, 2022
- Full Page
Use of medical marijuana has surged across the United States, but a new analysis finds that evidence supporting its use in treating chronic pain remains surprisingly thin.
There have been few well-performed clinical trials focused on pain relief from the sort of products...
Dangerous Prescriptions of Opioids-Plus-Sedatives Plummet in U.S.
- Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
- June 7, 2022
- Full Page
Reacting to the nation's opioid epidemic, doctors in the United States are co-prescribing fewer opioid painkillers and benzodiazepines such as Ativan and Xanax, federal health officials report.
When these drugs are taken together, the odds of an overdose, even a fatal ov...
Setting Time Limits on Opioid Prescriptions Might Reduce Misuse
- By Robert Preidt HealthDay Reporter
- June 6, 2022
- Full Page
Here's a simple weapon to employ against the opioid epidemic: New research finds that placing time limits on prescriptions for highly addictive narcotic painkillers may reduce the risk of m...
Liver Transplants From Donors Who Overdosed Rose During Pandemic
- By Robert Preidt HealthDay Reporter
- May 23, 2022
- Full Page
Organs from donors who died of drug overdoses helped keep the number of U.S. liver transplants steady during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, a new study finds.
"When the pandemic began, we saw no decline in liver transplants, which seemed surprising since many s...
Too Few People Treated for Opioid Use Get Anti-Overdose Med
- By Robert Preidt HealthDay Reporter
- May 13, 2022
- Full Page
A potentially lifesaving drug that reduces overdose risk is prescribed to less than half of Americans treated for opioid addiction, a new study finds.
U.S. Fatal Drug ODs Rose Again in 2021, But Increase Is Slowing
- Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
- May 11, 2022
- Full Page
Drug overdose deaths in the United States continue to climb, but at a slower pace, federal health officials reported Wednesday.
Early data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control a...
Leftover Opioids After Surgery? Mailed Kits Double Rate of Proper Disposal
- By Robert Preidt HealthDay Reporter
- May 11, 2022
- Full Page
Could giving surgery patients ready-to-use mailed disposal kits for unused opioids lower the risk of abuse...
Ohio State Warns of Fake Adderall Pills After Two Students Die
- By Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- May 9, 2022
- Full Page
Ohio State University is warning students to be wary of fake Adderall pills after two students died last week.
University officials said that Columbus Public Health has warned the community about the counterfeit Adderall, which contain the deadly synthetic opioid fentany...
Smoking Rates Drop for Americans Battling Depression, Substance Abuse
- By Robert Preidt HealthDay Reporter
- April 27, 2022
- Full Page
Folks who struggle with depression and substance use disorders often tend to be smokers, but a new study finds that smoking ...
Mental Health Issues Linked to Higher Risk of Breakthrough COVID Infections
- Denise Mann HealthDay Reporter
- April 18, 2022
- Full Page
People with substance abuse disorders, depression and other mental health conditions may be at higher risk for COVID-19 -- even when they are fully vaccinated, new research suggests.
"Individuals with psychiatric disorders, and especially older adults with psychiatric di...
Pandemic Brought Surge in Fatal Drug Overdoses in U.S. Teens
- Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
- April 12, 2022
- Full Page
Drug overdose deaths among America's teens have skyrocketed during the pandemic, and not because drug use is more common, researchers report.
In 2020, overdose deaths among adolescents nearly doubled, compared with 10 years before the pandemic. They rose another 20% in t...
Teens Who Misuse Drugs Rarely Shake the Issue as Adults: Study
- Alan Mozes HealthDay Reporter
- April 4, 2022
- Full Page
Does youthful experimentation with drugs and alcohol always fade with age? Not necessarily, a long-term study warns.
Researchers found that more than 60% of teens who report heavy use of
Police Records Show Use of Illegal Fentanyl-Laced Pills Soaring
- By Robert Preidt HealthDay Reporter
- March 31, 2022
- Full Page
Dovetailing with a surge in overdose deaths, the United States has seen a sharp rise in seizures of illicit fentanyl, according to a new report.
Law enforceme...
Too Few People With Opioid Disorder Receive Best Treatments
- Consumer news
- March 24, 2022
- Full Page
Even though medication is considered the most effective therapy for opioid addiction, many Americans who need it don't receive it, a new study finds.
"Evidence supporting the effectiveness of medication for opioid use disorder — such as methadone, buprenorphine or nalt...
Arthritis? Back Pain? Medical Pot May Help You Avoid Opioid Painkillers
- March 22, 2022
- Full Page
Medical marijuana could be a viable alternative to opioid painkillers for people dealing with arthritis or chronic back pain, two new studies show.
Many patients prescr...
Could the Party Drug Ecstasy Help Treat PTSD?
- March 22, 2022
- Full Page
The party drug "ecstasy" might be the key to helping people heal from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), new clinical trial results indicate.
In a small study, PTSD patients treated with a powerful combination of the psychedelic drug, also known as
Medical Marijuana Rx Ups Odds for Overuse, With No Benefit to Health: Study
- Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
- March 18, 2022
- Full Page
Using medical marijuana to treat pain, anxiety or depression may quickly lead to dependence, without relieving symptoms, a new study suggests.
Those most at risk for misusing medical ma...
Some Teens Are Overdosing With Meds Prescribed for ADHD, Anxiety
- March 14, 2022
- Full Page
Taken correctly, prescription drugs used to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can help teens and young adults navigate their condition, but a new study finds many a...
J&J Finalizes $26 Billion Opioid Settlement
- February 28, 2022
- Full Page
Settlements totaling $26 billion have been finalized between drugmaker Johnson & Johnson plus three major pharmaceutical distributors and state and local governments, over the companies' role in America's
A Hotter Climate Could Trigger More Mental Health Crises
- February 24, 2022
- Full Page
Extreme heat from climate change is making it harder for people with mental illness and drug addiction to cope and adding to pressure on pandemic-stretched U.S. emergency rooms.
During these severe summer temperature spikes, Americans with depression, anxiety, mood disor...
FDA Warns of Rising Dangers of Unapproved Drug Tianeptine
- February 23, 2022
- Full Page
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued another pointed warning about the dangers posed by tianeptine, an antidepressant that is not
Microdosing LSD: Can It Help or Harm Mental Health?
- February 23, 2022
- Full Page
Microdosing has become trendy in the era of drug legalization, with TV shows like "Nine Perfect Strangers" promoting the potential positives of regularly taking tiny amounts of psychedelics.
But a new study finds that short-term microdosing of one hippy-era psychedelic, ...
Millions of Americans Are Taking Risky Opioid/Sedative Combo
- February 23, 2022
- Full Page
Millions of American adults take a potentially deadly duo of prescription opioid painkillers and sedatives at the same time, researchers warn.
The side effects of concurrent use of op...
Stopped Early, Teen Drug Abuse Won't Harm Life Success
- February 23, 2022
- Full Page
If they quit early on, there's a good chance that teenage drug abusers can still succeed in life, researchers say.
The findings show the importance of stopping drug use by early adulthood in order to protect future health and well-being, according to Jake Najman, a profe...
Sackler Family Sweetens Opioid Settlement Offer
- February 22, 2022
- Full Page
The wealthy Sackler family upped its cash offer to settle thousands of opioid-related lawsuits against the family and their company, Purdue Pharma.
Instead of paying out $4.5 billion, the company is now offering $6 billion to settle the slew of lawsuits.
But the fa...
As Fentanyl Overdoses Rise, So Does Use of 'Party Drug' Test Strips
- February 18, 2022
- Full Page
Potent and poisonous, the synthetic opioid known as fentanyl has infiltrated nearly every corner of the U.S. illegal street drug market, experts warn.
In the process, it's killing addicts and recreati...
Autism, ADHD Raise the Odds for Early Death
- February 17, 2022
- Full Page
Young people with autism or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have a higher risk of dying early from a range of causes, a new research review suggests.
Researchers found that before middle-age, people with autism face higher-than-average rates of death from...
Psychosis Risk Rises When People Abuse 'Speed'
- February 15, 2022
- Full Page
Amphetamines can pull people into a vicious cycle of addiction, but new research now shows that people who abuse these stimulants are also five times more likely to develop psychosis than non-users.
The effect of "speed" on neurotransmitter signaling in the brain often c...
Young Americans Lost Almost 1.5 Million Years of Life to Opioids Between 2015 and 2019
- Robert Preidt
- February 1, 2022
- Full Page
The U.S. drug epidemic continues its death march, with new research showing American teens and young adults have lost nearly 1.5 million years of life due to drug overdose deaths in recent years.
Opioid Misuse Keeps Rising Among Older Americans
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- January 13, 2022
- Full Page
The opioid addict you know might not be the college kid who has always dabbled in alcohol and drugs.
It could be your grandparent.
Opioid misuse doesn't discriminate by age -- and rates are rising steadily among adults aged 55 and up,
ERs Can Boost Efforts to Stamp Out Opioid Addiction
- Cara Murez
- December 29, 2021
- Full Page
A program meant to encourage the use of a drug that can help people overcome opioid addiction led to dramatic increases in its use in emergency rooms, researchers report.
NYC's Overdose Prevention Centers Already Saving Lives
- Robert Preidt
- December 22, 2021
- Full Page
At least 59 overdoses were prevented in the first three weeks that two overdose prevention centers have been open in New York City, the city's health department said Tuesday.
During that time, there were more than 2,000 visits to the centers that are operated by OnPoint ...
Did Pandemic Lockdowns Worsen the Epidemic of Opioid Abuse?
- Alan Mozes HealthDay Reporter
- December 14, 2021
- Full Page
Pandemic lockdowns may have led fewer Americans to seek pain treatment last year, but folks who did seek help had higher-than-usual odds of receiving dangerous opioid painkillers, a new study says.
And that could lead to a worsening of the opioid epidemic, researchers su...
Getting a Pacemaker Can Raise Odds for Opioid Abuse
- Robert Preidt
- December 1, 2021
- Full Page
People who are prescribed opioid painkillers after receiving a heart pacemaker or defibrillator may be at risk for opioid abuse -- and the higher the initial dose, the greater the risk, according to a new study.
“The significance of this study is to make other electrop...
Wearable Device Spots, Reverses Opioid Overdoses
- Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
- November 24, 2021
- Full Page
A wearable device that could inject a lifesaving antidote for an opioid overdose might be on the horizon.
A new study shows that the device, worn on the stomach like an insulin pump, can detect when someone stops breathing from an overdose and inject the drug naloxone to...
Over 100,000 Americans Died From Drug Overdoses in One Year: Report
- Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
- November 17, 2021
- Full Page
New government data confirms what many have suspected: The pandemic has prompted a record number of drug overdose deaths, with more than 100,000 Americans succumbing to addiction as COVID-19 raged across the country.
That figure is almost 30% higher than the previous yea...
Trauma in Childhood Can Harm Health for a Lifetime: Study
- Robert Preidt
- November 15, 2021
- Full Page
As if suffering through a childhood trauma weren't enough, new research suggests it might raise the risk of poor mental and physical health later in life.
Researchers analyzed nearly 2,900 responses to the 2019 New Zealand Family Violence Survey and found that about 45% ...
Oklahoma Supreme Courts Overturns $465 Million J & J Opioid Ruling
- Robert Preidt and Robin Foster
- November 10, 2021
- Full Page
A previous court ruling that ordered Johnson & Johnson to pay Oklahoma $465 million for the company's role in the opioid epidemic was tossed out by the state's highest court on Tuesday.
In a 5-1 vote, the Oklahoma Supreme Court rejected the state's argument that Johnson ...
California Judge Sides With Drug Companies in Opioid Lawsuit
- Robert Preidt and Robin Foster
- November 3, 2021
- Full Page
A California judge has ruled against local governments that sued drug companies for billions of dollars to recover their costs of dealing with the opioid epidemic.
In a tentative ruling issued Monday, Orange County Superior Court Judge Peter Wilson rejected the plaintiff...
Number of Teens Who Vape Marijuana Doubled in 7 Years
- Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
- October 26, 2021
- Full Page
Teenagers have followed the vaping trend into marijuana use, with recent studies chronicling a boom in pot vaping among adolescents in the United States and Canada, researchers report.
The percentage of teens who've experimented with vaped pot has more than doubled in re...
Scientists Develop Quick Test for Marijuana Use
- Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
- October 22, 2021
- Full Page
Researchers may be one step closer to developing the equivalent of a Breathalyzer for detecting marijuana use.
In an early study, scientists found that their rapid test was able to reliably detect THC in people's saliva in under 5 minutes. THC, short for tetrahydrocannab...
CDC Reports Record High 12-Month Drug Overdose Death Toll
- Robert Preidt and Robin Foster
- October 14, 2021
- Full Page
Drug overdose deaths in the United States hit a new record for the 12-month period ending March 2021, new government data shows.
A record high 96,779 drug overdose deaths occurred between March 2020 and March 2021, representing a 29.6% rise, new statistics from the U.S....
Many Addicts Turned to Telemedicine During Pandemic, But Does It Beat In-Person Care?
- Robert Preidt
- October 14, 2021
- Full Page
The coronavirus pandemic forced a significant shift to telemedicine treatment for addiction, but it's not clear whether that approach is better than in-person care, a new study finds.
Before the pandemic, addiction treatment services in the United States had many restric...
'Breakthrough' COVID More Likely in People With Problem Drug, Alcohol Use
- Robert Preidt
- October 6, 2021
- Full Page
Drug and alcohol abuse increase the risk of breakthrough COVID-19 infection as well as severe illness and death among fully vaccinated people, a new study shows.
"First and foremost, vaccination is highly effective for people with substance use disorders, and the overall...
How the COVID Pandemic Made the Opioid Epidemic Worse, Even as Telehealth Helped
- Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
- October 1, 2021
- Full Page
The COVID-19 pandemic has shaken up the U.S. opioid crisis in ways bad and good, increasing the risk of use and overdose but also spurring innovative approaches to treatment.
The pandemic has definitely been linked to an increase in opioid use and overdose deaths, Tufts ...
U.S. Meth Overdose Deaths Tripled in Recent Years
- Steven Reinberg
- September 23, 2021
- Full Page
Deaths from methamphetamine overdoses in the United States nearly tripled between 2015 and 2019, health officials report in a new study.
While the number of methamphetamine users did not increase as steeply, researchers said frequent use of methamphetamine, and using oth...
Animal Sedative Is Driving Rise in Fatal Drug ODs
- Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
- September 21, 2021
- Full Page
An animal tranquilizer, xylazine, is increasingly linked to drug overdose deaths across the United States, health officials say.
According to a new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, xylazine has turned up in overdose deaths in 25 of 38 stat...
Opioid Use Disorder Is as Deadly as Heart Attack: Study
- Steven Reinberg
- September 20, 2021
- Full Page
Hospitalized opioid addicts die at a rate similar to people who have a heart attack after leaving the hospital.
Nearly 8% of patients addicted to opioids died within 12 months of hospital discharge, according to researchers from Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU)....