268 articles found
CDC provisional data put U.S. overdose deaths at nearly 68,000 for the year ending March 2026, about 9,500 fewer than a year earlier, while 430 counties recorded increases.
A NIDA-funded trial of mobile units in five cities found no gain in PrEP or methadone use, but four deaths in the intervention arm against 13 in the control.
Los Angeles County stopped distributing syringes and pipes at the Skid Row Care Campus in August and ended the contract of the nonprofit that ran harm reduction there on Nov. 3.
A coalition of 50 organizations and 100 individuals asked the state Department of Human Services to hold a public hearing on how $1.1 billion in opioid settlement money is overseen.
Baltimore health officials issued an advisory after benzodiazepines turned up in 31 Maryland drug samples from April to July, more than double last year's 14.
Oklahoma's HB 2941, effective Nov. 1, requires first responders to notify law enforcement of suspected overdoses and presumes fentanyl in fatal cases.
California is steering more than $21 million to 112 community organizations for naloxone distribution, peer navigation and prevention education through August 2027.
The FDA accepted Orexo's resubmitted application for IZIPRY, a high-dose naloxone nasal powder, and set a March 29, 2027 target date for a decision.
An October Annenberg survey found 58% know regular drinking raises cancer risk, up 5 points since February, though 42% still doubt or misunderstand the link.
A Harm Reduction Journal commentary distills seven years of MassJCOIN findings: 43 percent of 6,383 jailed people with opioid use disorder received medication.
Four years of Utah crash data show the nation's only 0.05% blood alcohol limit was followed by a 9% drop in alcohol-involved crashes, IIHS reports.
A CU Anschutz study in Clinical Infectious Diseases found drug use-associated endocarditis hospitalizations fell 18% from 2020 to 2022 as stimulants rose.
Minnesota opioid overdose deaths fell to 671 in 2025, a third consecutive decline, while total drug deaths rose 3% to 1,025 as stimulant deaths increased.
Portland, Maine councilors were asked Monday to take $900,000 from the city's opioid settlement fund for a winter warming shelter, up from a $350,000 request.
Bloomberg Philanthropies adds $150 million to its overdose prevention work, expanding to Washington state and promising opioid treatment in every state prison and ER it funds.
Illinois regulators proposed rules that bring the state's roughly 50,000 video gambling terminals into the voluntary self-exclusion program, with ID checks at every voucher purchase.
A new pharmacokinetic model traces how intranasal naloxone reaches brain opioid receptors fast enough to restore breathing, and why fentanyl dose changes the race.
Volunteers across western North Carolina hand out naloxone, test drugs and deliver supplies, as rural counties absorb 42% of the state's overdoses.
Pennsylvania's Supreme Court upheld two drug delivery resulting in death convictions, declining to shield people who pooled drugs with the person who died.
Open the Books found Pennsylvania counties spent between $714 and $42,000 per overdose death with no clear pattern, and says Ohio and West Virginia publish no performance data.
CDC researchers documented acute kidney injury in 34.5% of 1.3 million overdose hospitalizations from 2016 to 2025, and 61% of those cases took a severe course.
Saratoga County supervisors voted 17-4 to ban kratom sales, including natural leaf, with fines up to $1,000 and 30 days to clear inventory.
A Maryland work group of people with lived addiction experience recommended decriminalizing drug paraphernalia and opening supervised drug-use centers.
A three-hour Assembly hearing on $1.1 billion in opioid settlement money ended with no vote, as sponsors weigh an 18-month spending rule for towns.
Attorney General Phil Weiser committed another $3.5 million in opioid settlement money to Colorado's naloxone bulk purchase fund, bringing the total to $6.5 million.
Delaware awarded $12.13 million in Round Four opioid settlement grants to 42 organizations, from $10,000 micro awards to $11.75 million in general grants.
San Francisco confirmed its first fatal overdose involving MGM-15, a kratom-derived opioid that animal tests suggest may be up to 50 times stronger than morphine.
A JAMA research letter analyzing 2.5 million nonfatal overdoses at 5,324 EMS agencies finds naloxone was given at nearly the same rate per overdose after deaths began falling in 2023.
CDC provisional data show about 3,650 New York overdose deaths in the 12 months ending May 2026, roughly 8% fewer than a year earlier and far below the state's two-year drop.
Richmond County commissioners approved the first round of awards from a trust fund that sat unspent for years: 24 groups applied, six scored high enough to be paid.
Fall River councilors questioned the glass pipes and 20 syringes in harm reduction bags from Seven Hills Behavioral Health and asked whether recipients are screened.
University of Minnesota researchers linked 87 Minneapolis encampment clearances to a 65% higher overdose risk within a few blocks over the next three days.
Los Angeles County confirmed its first cychlorphine death, a February fatality identified this month, in a warning that fentanyl test strips miss the drug.
DEA issued notices of intent to place 7-hydroxymitragynine and mitragynine pseudoindoxyl in Schedule I when a product exceeds 1 milligram per gram.
DEA and more than 4,300 law enforcement partners will collect unused prescription medications at 4,400-plus sites on Saturday, October 24, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Los Angeles County health officials say the medical examiner identified cychlorphine, a synthetic opioid more potent than fentanyl, in the county's first fatal overdose.
Massachusetts opioid overdose deaths fell for a third straight year, a Boston Indicators brief finds, but federal Medicaid work rules could reverse the gains.
Security officers across Southern Nevada's transit system began carrying Narcan on July 1 and have used it in 19 overdose responses in the first 90 days.
Bernalillo County proposed an emergency declaration to fund street medicine, overdose tracking and jail reentry care where six people a week die of opioids.
Dane County installed two free harm reduction vending machines stocked with naloxone in Sun Prairie and Stoughton, extending a program that had operated only in Madison.
Montgomery County commissioners approved $98,661 in 2027 opioid settlement mini-grants for 13 local organizations, from peer recovery coaches to a veterans treatment court.
An R Street analysis of CDC and EMS data finds non-fatal opioid overdoses declining more slowly than deaths, pointing to survivability gains and a missed treatment handoff.
Robeson County's sheriff issued a public safety alert after four suspected overdose deaths in one week, warning that a more potent batch of fentanyl and cocaine is circulating.
Hamilton County, Tennessee recorded 89 overdose deaths through September with fentanyl in six of ten, as recovery advocates took naloxone outreach to Chattanooga.
El Paso County joins nine Colorado counties piloting an overdose fatality review board with CDC funding, as local deaths rose 16% and the state bucked a national decline.
Madison County, Illinois officials report 48 drug overdose deaths in 2026, 26 involving opioids, as a county roundtable weighs treatment, drug court and recovery costs.
Michigan's MDHHS updated its Opioid Strategy Progress Metrics Dashboard to track the four pillars of its SUD framework ahead of $1.8 billion in settlement funds.
The National Council on Problem Gambling's executive director resigned after the nonprofit accepted $2 million from prediction market Kalshi, and donors left.
A free vending machine dispensing naloxone, pregnancy tests and hygiene supplies at Copper Mountain College was restocked twice in its first week.
Houston's FRONTLINES program will use $3 million in federal money to train first responders across Harris and Fort Bend counties to reverse opioid overdoses with naloxone.
A NIST analysis of 4,563 drug samples finds fentanyl adulterants now average six or more per sample, with sharp regional differences.
OneOhio Recovery Foundation's second regional grant cycle awarded $960,158 to four Stark County agencies for harm reduction, youth prevention and recovery services.
Michigan's Ingham County health department reported a rise in non-fatal overdoses from Oct. 2 to 4, including one suspected death, and sent teams out with naloxone.
A foundation started by a father who lost his son to an overdose delivered 500 naloxone kits to Milwaukee Public Schools, enough for every campus.
Louisiana health officials confirmed cychlorphine in at least two overdose deaths since December 2025 and warned the potent opioid may require repeated naloxone doses.
Overdose deaths among Black San Diegans fell from 159 in 2023 to 85 in 2025, the district attorney said, while methamphetamine deaths kept rising.
The Postal Service issued a $1 semipostal stamp honoring fentanyl awareness, with net proceeds going to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
An FDA final order exempts certain clinical toxicology test systems from premarket review, clearing a barrier to oral fluid drug testing in federal programs.
Nevada's prison board advanced a plan to replace inmate mail with tablet scans, citing drug-laced paper; legal mail will pass through settlement-funded scanners.
The Pennsylvania House voted unanimously for House Bill 2657, which would register kratom sellers, bar sales to minors and ban synthetic 7-OH products.
What a month without alcohol does to sleep, mood and health, who should not quit cold turkey, and what it means if 31 days feels harder than expected.
Utah health officials issued an urgent warning after four deaths were linked to illegal kratom-derived compounds found in supplements labeled 'cat's claw.'
A New York labor law takes effect Dec. 13, requiring most private employers to keep an opioid antagonist on hand; proposed rules leave dose counts to employers.
Massachusetts health officials now say even moderate drinking can raise the risk of cancer, high blood pressure and heart disease, going further than federal advice.
Minnesota's health department launched MN-OD-ALERTS, which uses near-real-time ambulance and hospital data to flag opioid overdose spikes and warn local agencies.
Clear Scientific's CS-1103, a first-in-class sequestrant, accelerated fentanyl clearance into urine 25-fold in a 16-person Phase 2 trial. Phase 3 is set for 2027.
Spending reports released Thursday show New Jersey towns used opioid settlement money on concerts, bounce houses and a muscle car, prompting an oversight bill.
Gov. Matt Meyer signed Senate Bill 249 and Executive Order 28, creating a licensing framework for harm-reduction programs and decriminalizing paraphernalia.
St. Louis County's health department reported about 200 suspected nonfatal overdoses since late August, with a cluster in the 63136 ZIP code around Jennings.
Dr. Stephen Loyd, the eighth director of West Virginia's Office of Drug Control Policy, resigned this month after being moved under a cabinet secretary.
Orexo completed a resubmission of its new drug application for IZIPRY, a high-dose naloxone nasal powder, answering a 2024 FDA rejection letter.
Corrections data compiled by the Correctional Association of New York show prison staff used Narcan 51% more often in 2025, with 12 deaths in each of the past two years.
Austin-Travis County EMS reports some overdose victims now need up to six naloxone doses, up from the typical one to two, as the fentanyl-adulterated drug supply grows more unpredictable.
Medina County reduced fatal overdoses from 42 in 2017 to 8 in 2025, an almost 80% drop, as Ohio's statewide rate fell from 70 to 27 per 100,000.
OSHA released a September 24, 2026, fact sheet advising employers on stocking naloxone and training workers to reverse opioid overdoses, though it stops short of mandatory requirements.
Volunteers handed out free naloxone at more than 1,000 sites in all 50 states on Sept. 24 for Save a Life Day, as federal funding rules kept drug test strips off many tables.
Autopsy identifies 16-year-old Dante Lacourte as the victim of San Francisco's first fatal cychlorphine overdose; police arrest four and seize 20,000 pills.
Five years after the national settlement, Grand Traverse County opens applications Sept. 14 for more than $2.3 million in opioid settlement funding.
Prosecutors: two Jacksonville brothers sold 'fent free' counterfeit oxycodone pills that actually contained nitazenes, opioids rivaling fentanyl's potency.
Luzerne County officials warn that 12 overdose deaths in three months involved cocaine mixed with fentanyl, even as the county's overall overdose toll falls.
Pennsylvania's high court is weighing a joint-use defense to drug delivery resulting in death charges, filed more than 680 times statewide from 2021 to 2025.
Singing River Health System's free naloxone vending machines at three Mississippi Gulf Coast hospitals have distributed more than 7,800 boxes as overdose deaths fall statewide.
Iowa AG Brenna Bird awarded $1.6 million to five organizations in the first wave of opioid settlement grants after months of criticism over delays.
Investigation finds 19 law enforcement agencies across 10 states spent over $920,000 in opioid settlement funds on Flock cameras and license plate readers.
New study in Addiction Science & Clinical Practice documents how a mobile opioid treatment unit in Rhode Island reaches unhoused patients and breaks down barriers to care.
Allegheny County reports a 41% reduction in fatal overdoses from 2023 to 2025, with officials directing $1.7 million in opioid settlement funds toward community-based recovery programs.
Mississippi reports 449 overdose deaths in 2025, a 39.8% decline from the 2021 peak of 746, as state officials prepare for International Overdose Awareness Day events.
DEA temporarily places mitragynine pseudoindoxyl, MGM-15, and MGM-16 in Schedule I after linking compounds to 64 fatal overdoses, targeting flavored products sold online and in gas stations.
KFF Health News investigation reveals Louisiana sheriffs spent $8.1M in opioid settlement funds, with 66% deemed inappropriate and $4.7M on items other states ban.
CDC provisional data show fentanyl-related deaths dropped 54% from their peak, with total overdose fatalities falling to approximately 70,000 in 2025—a third consecutive year of decline.
August 31 marks 25 years of International Overdose Awareness Day with theme '25 Years On. Still Needed' as CDC reports third consecutive year of declining overdose deaths.
Middlesex-London Health Unit data shows opioid deaths fell to 62 in 2025 from 72 in 2024, marking three years of progress while officials warn gains remain fragile.
Annual report shows 634 homeless New Yorkers died in 2025, down from 770 in 2024, marking the first decrease in seven years amid expanded harm reduction efforts.
Santa Cruz County reports 20 overdose deaths in first half of 2026, down from 36 in 2025, marking third straight year of decline after peak of 130+ deaths in 2023.
SAMHSA's April 2026 guidance restricts federal grant funds for syringe services programs, removing support for fentanyl test strips and overdose hotlines while preserving naloxone funding.
Suzetrigine (Journavx) becomes the first novel non-opioid pain medication approved by FDA in over 20 years, offering surgery patients effective pain relief with significantly lower opioid use.
Adults 65 and older are now among the fastest-growing groups for fentanyl overdose deaths, with fatalities involving fentanyl-stimulant combinations rising over 9,000% in eight years.
Wisconsin records steepest-ever single-year drop in fentanyl overdose deaths, falling from 1,422 in 2023 to 818 in 2024, as naloxone destigmatization and treatment access expand.
Pennsylvania's Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs introduces free self-paced online naloxone training, with over 100 residents completing the course in the first two weeks.
Ocean County's first 24/7 harm reduction vending machine opens in Toms River, providing free naloxone, sterile syringes, and overdose prevention supplies anonymously.
The iNal patch uses microneedle technology to detect dangerous fentanyl levels and automatically release naloxone, potentially saving lives when no bystander is present.
Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond announces $12 million settlement with eight generic opioid manufacturers to fund addiction treatment and community grants.
DOJ's inspector general opens a nationwide review of DEA wiretap investigations in which agents let fentanyl shipments reach the streets.
HHS Secretary RFK Jr. and HUD Secretary Scott Turner release a 40-page toolkit promoting a 'treatment first' approach to homelessness and addiction, contrasting with traditional 'housing first' models.
President Trump proclaims August 2026 as National Substance Use Primary Prevention Month, emphasizing evidence-based prevention strategies and the HALT Fentanyl Act.
Wyoming County District Attorney Joe Peters allocates opioid settlement money to support struggling ambulance services, using a novel formula to reimburse costs associated with opioid-related emergency calls.
Springfield, Missouri expands harm reduction infrastructure with 14 distribution boxes at fire stations, providing 24/7 access to overdose reversal kits without questions or paperwork.
Suffolk County adopts new transparency measures for opioid settlement funds after critical audit found selection issues and ethics violations, holding first public hearing with nonprofits.
Colorado recorded 1,554 unintentional overdose deaths in 2025, up from 1,409 in 2024, even as the U.S. death rate hit an all-time low, state data shows.
North Dakota banned kratom under a public health emergency order, with a Sept. 2 special legislative session set to make the prohibition permanent.
Maryland's Office of Overdose Response opens five virtual town halls Aug. 4-6 to gather public input on how to spend more than $687 million in opioid settlement funds.
Utah officials warn that Buzzers Cat's Claw tablets contained illicit kratom compounds tied to a death and multiple overdoses; retailers ordered to remove the product.
Ohio Narcotics Intelligence Center issues urgent public safety bulletins about orphine analogs and veterinary sedatives medetomidine and xylazine appearing in the state's illicit drug supply.
Maryland will receive more than $13 million from seven generic opioid manufacturers under a nationwide settlement that imposes new marketing restrictions and monitoring requirements.
2025 National Survey on Drug Use and Health reveals 44.6 million Americans have substance use disorder, with marijuana use disorder rising to 19.3 million cases while alcohol use disorder declines.
Detroit's Wayne County reports 42% decline in overdose deaths for 2024, but health officials warn that carfentanil—100 times stronger than fentanyl—threatens to reverse progress.
Baltimore uses $15 million in opioid settlement funds to transform 911 response, sending mental health teams instead of police to crisis calls.
Oklahoma discontinues its statewide naloxone vending machine program after 16 months, shifting burden to local organizations as fentanyl deaths persist and federal harm reduction funding faces cuts.
National Survey on Drug Use and Health 2025 data reveals declining rates of adolescent drug use, depression, and suicidal thoughts, though treatment access gaps persist for millions.
Arizona's drug overdose mortality now doubles the national average amid a 17% year-over-year increase, even as U.S. deaths fall for the third consecutive year
Cuyahoga County, Ohio reports dramatic 70% decline in fentanyl overdose deaths from 2023 to 2025, with cocaine now becoming the leading drug in fatalities.
State Senator John Velis warns municipalities he will pursue legislation to reclaim opioid settlement dollars after investigation finds only $19 million of $115 million distributed has been spent.
Utah health officials confirm medetomidine, a potent veterinary sedative, has been detected in the state's illicit drug supply, creating naloxone-resistant overdoses and severe withdrawal symptoms.
New York City budgeted $3 million a year for a program that pays 20 cents per used syringe and has collected more than 2.3 million needles in 16 months.
Veterinary sedative medetomidine, 100-200 times more potent than xylazine, is appearing in Minnesota's illicit fentanyl supply, creating naloxone-resistant overdoses and severe withdrawal symptoms.
SAMHSA bans federal funding for clean needles and syringe services while cutting agency staff by half, alarming addiction treatment providers.
Washington Attorney General opens trial against Albertsons, alleging pharmacy chain failed to prevent opioid misuse while prioritizing prescription volume over patient safety.
Delaware Opioid Settlement Commission launches fourth competitive grant round with $12.75 million available for prevention, treatment, harm reduction, and recovery support programs.
Manatee County, Florida reports dramatic 56% decline in opioid overdose deaths through coordinated naloxone distribution, expanded treatment access, and peer recovery support programs.
Wisconsin Watch investigation reveals $160 million in opioid settlement funds received by local governments, with 16 municipalities yet to spend any allocations.
DEA files notice of intent to classify 7-OH and synthetic compounds as Schedule I drugs, targeting products currently sold over the counter in Hawaii with no age restrictions.
Scienture Holdings begins shipping REZENOPY, a 10mg naloxone nasal spray—the highest FDA-approved dose—bringing a new overdose reversal option as fentanyl deaths decline nationwide.
DEA announces emergency Schedule I scheduling for investigational opioid compounds SR17018, SR-14968, R-6890, and 5,6-dichloro-brorphine, raising concerns about impact on pain medication research.
Wisconsin reports 1,185 drug overdose deaths in 2024, a 33% decline from 2022 peak, as naloxone distribution and medication-assisted treatment expansion show measurable results.
South Carolina reports 1,481 drug overdose deaths in 2024, a 31.3% decrease from 2023, with fentanyl remaining the primary contributor to fatalities.
Attorney General Phil Weiser awards $12 million to 27 organizations through the Resilient Colorado Grant, investing opioid settlement funds in community-led prevention and recovery programs.
JAMA study finds most 8th-graders and one-third of high schoolers underestimate fentanyl's lethal risk, highlighting dangerous knowledge gaps as drug overdoses rank third in youth deaths.
Georgia Senate Bill 6 legalizes possession of fentanyl testing strips starting July 1, 2026, removing a key barrier to overdose prevention in a state hit hard by the opioid crisis.
Kentucky Center for Economic Policy finds 90% of opioid settlement dollars remain unspent three years after distributions began, with half of local governments reporting zero expenditures in FY 2025.
CDC reports lowest U.S. death rate in over a century, driven by 14% decline in drug overdose deaths and improved public health interventions nationwide.
Howard County, Maryland deploys free naloxone vending machines providing 24/7 anonymous access to overdose reversal medication and drug testing supplies.
Baltimore City Health Department alerts clinicians and community to rising threat of medetomidine, a veterinary sedative 100-200x more potent than xylazine, now detected across Maryland's illicit drug supply.
Hawaii's pioneering syringe exchange program sees dramatic decline in needle swaps as fentanyl users increasingly prefer smoking over injection, prompting statewide harm reduction policy shift through Act 106.
CDC informs state and local health programs they must agree to new Trump administration priorities within days, including deprioritizing harm reduction and housing-first strategies proven to reduce drug overdoses.
New York City opens first public health vending machines on Staten Island, providing free naloxone, fentanyl test strips, and harm reduction supplies around the clock using opioid settlement funds.
Oklahoma's law protecting harm reduction organizations expires July 1, 2026, halting a program that distributed 1.25 million syringes and reached 8,800 people over five years.
Chicago and suburban Cook County report largest overdose death reduction of any U.S. county, with deaths falling from 1,961 in 2022 to 1,138 in 2024 through strategic harm reduction and naloxone distribution.
Illinois reports dramatic 36% decline in opioid overdose deaths from 2023 to 2024, with synthetic opioid fatalities down 38%. The reduction reflects sustained investments in naloxone distribution, harm reduction, and treatment access.
UNODC World Drug Report 2026 reveals 1 in 16 people worldwide now use drugs, with synthetic opioids like fentanyl, nitazenes, and orphines replacing heroin and creating unprecedented public health risks.
Powerful veterinary tranquilizer medetomidine causes life-threatening withdrawal symptoms in incarcerated individuals, overwhelming jails ill-equipped to treat complex opioid dependence
Attorney General Raúl Torrez launches criminal probe into claims that DEA agents allowed hundreds of thousands of fentanyl pills to reach Albuquerque streets as state leads nation in overdose death increases.
New CDC data reveals 9,651 overdose deaths in hotels and motels from 2022-2024, with 56% involving local residents. Report highlights critical gaps in bystander response and naloxone access.
Rural Kentucky communities are using opioid settlement money to fund comprehensive harm reduction centers that provide everything from naloxone to housing assistance, demonstrating a sustainable model for addressing addiction in underserved areas.
Los Angeles County reports 6% decline in drug overdose deaths for 2025, marking three years of progress as fentanyl fatalities drop 10% and harm reduction programs show results.
New federal guidance empowers pharmacists to prescribe buprenorphine for opioid use disorder, potentially transforming access to medication-assisted treatment in underserved communities.
CDC provisional data shows New Jersey achieved a 22% decline in drug overdose deaths in 2025, outpacing the national average and marking the lowest fatalities since before the pandemic.
Virginia's Opioid Abatement Authority announces largest funding round to date, supporting prevention, treatment, and recovery programs across the Commonwealth.
Michigan health officials announce 47% reduction in overdose mortality since 2021 peak, attributing success to expanded naloxone distribution, harm reduction services, and improved treatment access.
North Carolina's third mobile medication-assisted treatment program brings buprenorphine and methadone directly to underserved communities through partnership with Oak City Cares homeless services hub.
Investigation reveals super-potent synthetic opioids called nitazenes have caused over 1,100 confirmed deaths, with experts warning the true toll could reach 2,000 as these 1950s-era compounds flood the illicit market.
Boston Public Health Commission reports 120 opioid overdose deaths in 2025, a 29% decline from 2024 and 56% drop from the 2023 peak, marking the lowest fatalities in ten years.
FDA approves Rextovy, expanding OTC naloxone options to three products. The new 4mg nasal spray broadens access to overdose reversal medication amid declining but still elevated overdose deaths.
Mayor Greenberg's proposal to redirect $8 million in opioid settlement money to cover 911 call center and jail costs draws criticism from advocates who call it 'blood money' diversion.
Amneal Pharmaceuticals' generic 4mg naloxone nasal spray receives FDA approval for over-the-counter sales, expanding access to life-saving overdose reversal medication amid ongoing opioid crisis.
CDC and White House issue urgent health advisory as veterinary sedative medetomidine surges 3,000% in two years, creating naloxone-resistant overdoses across 18 states
Rhode Island reports 50% decline in overdose deaths since 2022, surpassing state's 2030 goal four years early and marking lowest mortality since before the fentanyl crisis began.
Scripps Research Institute develops experimental vaccine that blocks fentanyl and multiple dangerous variants by training immune system to recognize broad molecular signatures shared across the drug class.
Trump administration policy change eliminates SAMHSA funding for fentanyl test strips, forcing Ohio health departments to rely on dwindling state and local resources as overdose deaths decline nationally.
A novel class of synthetic opioids called orphines is appearing in the U.S. illicit drug supply with potency exceeding fentanyl, challenging detection and overdose reversal efforts.
North Carolina's most populous county reports largest overdose decline in five years after tripling naloxone distribution and expanding harm reduction infrastructure.
Missouri's updated 2026 naloxone standing order explicitly includes individuals under 18, as Medicaid claims exceed 11,000 annually and overdose deaths fall 23%.
Massachusetts opioid overdose deaths fell to 978 in 2025, a nearly 60% decline from the 2022 peak of 2,364 deaths. The state credits comprehensive harm reduction, expanded treatment access, and community partnerships.
A powerful synthetic opioid 10 times stronger than fentanyl has emerged in East Tennessee, claiming more than 50 lives and spreading to multiple states.
Landmark UC San Diego research finds U.S. overdose deaths fell 24.4% in 2024, marking the first decline across all four waves of the addiction crisis, though stimulant-only deaths and racial disparities persist.
Colorado's latest round of opioid settlement grants targets Western Slope communities with mobile crisis teams, secure transport services, and expanded recovery housing to address geographic barriers to addiction care.
Black Lives Matter Paterson partners with city officials to install free overdose reversal medication kiosks across high-need areas, reporting significant reduction in overdose deaths since rollout began.
CDC data shows New York State overdose deaths fell 44.9% over three years, saving more than 5,000 lives, with opioid fatalities down nearly 52% since 2022.
FDA extends Narcan nasal spray shelf-life from 3 to 4 years, reducing replacement costs and improving stockpile reliability for harm reduction programs nationwide.
National overdose deaths decline for third consecutive year, yet Alaska, New Mexico, and other western states see rising mortality amid fentanyl crisis
The DEA issues urgent warnings about fentanyl mixed with xylazine and medetomidine—animal sedatives that complicate overdose reversal and create new dangers for people who use drugs.
Philadelphia reports significant progress in reducing overdose deaths, particularly among Black residents who saw a 27% decrease, even as stimulant-related fatalities continue rising.
Xylazine, a veterinary tranquilizer increasingly mixed with fentanyl, is creating unprecedented challenges for overdose reversal and wound care across the United States.
Anthem HealthKeepers Plus partners with Virginia Harm Reduction Coalition to install free naloxone vending machines in Roanoke, Martinsville, and Henry County, where overdose rates exceed state averages.
Oregon Health Authority announces $90 million in opioid settlement funding distributed over two years to support prevention, treatment, and recovery services as overdose deaths decline for the second consecutive year.
Attorney General Alan Wilson announces $256 million recovered in opioid litigation settlements, marking a major milestone for addiction treatment and prevention efforts across South Carolina.
BGSU researchers analyzing syringes from Ohio needle exchange programs discovered dangerous Candida fungus in 86% of samples, plus a soil bacterium that could lead to new treatments
Florida reports dramatic 42% decline in opioid-related overdose deaths and 46% drop in fentanyl fatalities, outpacing national improvements and marking significant progress in the state's battle against synthetic opioids.
New CDC data shows drug overdose deaths fell to approximately 70,000 in 2025, marking three consecutive years of decline from the 2022 peak of nearly 110,000 fatalities.
Preliminary 2025 data shows Oregon overdose deaths fell to approximately 1,100 from 1,544 in 2024, marking the state's first year-over-year decline since 2016.
DEA advisory highlights escalating threat from fentanyl combined with cychlorphine, medetomidine, nitazenes, and xylazine—substances that resist naloxone and are driving overdose deaths across multiple states.
Milwaukee Public Safety and Health Committee moves forward with comprehensive plan to distribute $17.1 million in opioid settlement funds across prevention, treatment, and recovery services.
US authorities issue urgent warning to international visitors ahead of 2026 FIFA World Cup about fentanyl contamination in street drugs, as DEA reports 29% of seized pills contain lethal doses.
A deadly synthetic opioid called cychlorphine, estimated to be 10 times more potent than fentanyl and undetectable by standard test strips, has been linked to dozens of overdose deaths across Tennessee, Arkansas, California, and other states.
Michigan achieves a 35% reduction in opioid overdose deaths since 2023, with preliminary 2024 data projecting fewer than 2,000 fatalities through strategic harm reduction investments and naloxone distribution.
Maryland reports a dramatic 57% reduction in opioid overdose deaths since the pandemic peak, reaching a 10-year low through expanded naloxone distribution, fentanyl test strips, and community-based treatment access.
Holyoke, Massachusetts announces inaugural distribution of opioid settlement funds, awarding nearly $1 million to five organizations for recovery coaching, harm reduction, job training, and emergency support.
Healey-Driscoll Administration announces Mosaic Municipal Matching Grants to expand prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery services in communities disproportionately impacted by overdose crisis.
Colorado Opioid Abatement Council distributes infrastructure grants to 24 organizations, with demand exceeding available funding nearly four to one.
Wyoming becomes the latest state to adopt digital harm reduction tools, launching an interactive map that connects residents with free naloxone across 22 of 23 counties.
Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown announces $90 million state allocation from $7.4 billion Purdue-Sackler settlement effective May 2026, with funds directed to treatment, prevention, and recovery services.
Colorado classrooms are embracing harm reduction strategies and naloxone training, moving away from decades of abstinence-only messaging as fentanyl crisis reshapes youth drug education.
Trump administration ends federal support for fentanyl, xylazine, and medetomidine test strips through SAMHSA grants, reversing Biden-era harm reduction policies amid declining overdose deaths.
Austin-area officials credit free naloxone distribution through vending machines and community partnerships for dramatic reduction in fentanyl fatalities.
Kentucky reports fourth straight year of declining overdose deaths with 22.9% reduction in 2025, marking 50.8% decrease from 2021 peak as comprehensive state strategy shows sustained results.
New CDC data shows U.S. overdose deaths fell 15.9% in the past year, but emerging synthetic drugs like medetomidine threaten continued progress
While overdose deaths fell 18% nationally, Colorado saw a 10% increase in fentanyl-related fatalities, with Denver reporting a 25% spike. DEA data reveals the state's unique challenges.
Eden Village uses $140,000 in opioid settlement grants to provide permanent supportive housing and peer counseling for chronically homeless individuals recovering from addiction.
Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird announces $9 million in opioid settlement grants for community prevention and treatment programs, with funds flowing through state legislature-approved distribution framework.
Rural Oklahoma faces barriers accessing opioid settlement grants due to lack of grant-writing expertise and community partnerships, while metro areas and schools secure most funding.
Trump administration's SAMHSA announces major policy reversal, banning federal funds for fentanyl test strips and sterile syringes while urging limitations on methadone and buprenorphine prescribing.
Milwaukee County reports dramatic 42.5% decline in drug overdose deaths since 2022, driven by harm reduction expansion, medication-assisted treatment, and $111 million opioid settlement investment.
Vermont reports dramatic 25% reduction in drug overdose deaths, marking the state's first significant decline in fatal overdoses in 20 years amid national mortality improvements.
West Virginia reports 48% drop in fatal drug overdoses, exceeding the national decline of 44%, as enforcement and public health efforts converge in the state hardest hit by the opioid crisis.
Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission distributes record $34 million to 100+ organizations, bringing total community investment past $100 million since 2021.
Health officials confirm first fatal overdose involving N-Propionitrile chlorphine, a potent synthetic opioid undetectable by standard fentanyl test strips.
Utah joins $773.7 million national settlement with Albertsons Companies, directing funds to opioid abatement programs for treatment, recovery services, and prevention efforts.
New Child Trends analysis shows youth overdose deaths dropped 37% since 2023, with rates now lower than before the pandemic despite fentanyl's continued spread.
Mayor Brandon Scott unveils first annual report and public dashboard tracking how Baltimore invests settlement dollars from opioid litigation into harm reduction, treatment, and community services.
UC San Diego and SDSU study of 2.8 million students finds local flavor bans reduce e-cigarette use by 20% with no increase in cigarette smoking, challenging industry arguments.
DEA reports 1,400 carfentanil identifications in 2025, up from just 54 in 2022. The veterinary tranquilizer, 100 times stronger than fentanyl, is killing unsuspecting users as China cracks down on fentanyl precursors.
ONDCP, SAMHSA and HUD launch two-day summit to develop national toolkit for treating substance use disorders among homeless individuals, marking a shift toward integrated care models
Federal health officials warn about medetomidine, a veterinary tranquilizer increasingly mixed with illicit fentanyl, causing complex withdrawal syndromes and complicating overdose responses
New Anesthesiology research reveals that conventional naloxone doses may not fully reverse respiratory depression from potent synthetic opioids like fentanyl and sufentanil, urging updated emergency protocols
NPR analysis reveals sustained decline in overdose mortality since August 2023 peak, marking longest decrease in four decades despite emergence of more potent street drugs
Wisconsin Department of Health Services announces comprehensive $31 million opioid response strategy combining treatment access expansion, harm reduction, and law enforcement education.
Central Health plans 45 free naloxone units by September as Travis County overdose deaths drop 22%, expanding vending machines and community partnerships to sustain decline.
Rhode Island becomes first state to reverse kratom ban while Kansas, Connecticut move toward Schedule I classification, creating fragmented regulatory landscape for substance used by millions for pain and opioid withdrawal.
NCDHHS awards federal block grant funding to twelve community organizations targeting rural areas, youth prevention, and criminal justice-involved populations as state battles 1.4 million struggling with substance use.
Federal initiative targets individuals experiencing homelessness and substance use disorders through outcomes-based approach, but faith-based inclusion and punitive policy context raise concerns among public health advocates.
Two competing bills represent fundamentally different approaches to kratom policy—one seeks complete prohibition while the other acknowledges harm reduction uses for addiction recovery and pain management.
Senator Patty Murray announces funding for Tacoma-Pierce County mobile medical services while highlighting successful pushback against Trump administration's proposed $2 billion SAMHSA grant terminations.
Ann Arbor-based online addiction provider now treats kratom and 7-hydroxymitragynine dependence through app-based platform, addressing regulatory gap as FDA restricts potent derivatives but leaf products remain unregulated nationwide.
Georgia county awards settlement dollars to programs ranging from peer support to residential treatment as officials confront third-highest opioid death toll in the state.
New report profiles eight alternative mental health crisis programs removing police from response while Trump administration restructuring threatens federal funding infrastructure.
Indiana University's MACRO-B initiative reduced opioid overdose mortality among Black Indianapolis residents by 45% in two years, now expanding statewide.
Cychlorphine, a novel opioid resistant to standard naloxone doses, has been detected in over a dozen states. Oklahoma confirmed its first death as experts warn the drug may require multiple Narcan doses to reverse overdoses.
Governor Josh Stein announces expansion of Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion programs to seven counties, offering treatment alternatives to incarceration for low-level offenses involving substance use.
CDCR documented over 7,000 overdose reversals since 2019 and became the only U.S. state prison system allowing incarcerated individuals to carry naloxone inside facilities.
Opioid deaths fell 12% in Washington last year while innovative programs expanded access to life-saving treatment. But new Medicaid work requirements and federal funding cuts are already disrupting care.
Psychostimulants, primarily methamphetamine, overtook opioids as Iowa's leading overdose cause in 2024. Without a Narcan equivalent, public health officials confront new treatment challenges.
Veterinary sedative 300× more potent than xylazine spreads through illicit opioid supply, causing life-threatening withdrawal and evading standard drug tests.
Baltimore's finalized Overdose Response Strategic Plan ups its target to a 50% reduction by 2040, backed by nearly $600 million in opioid settlement funds and community-driven priorities.
Eastern Shoshone Tribal Health launches Wyoming's first harm reduction vending machines offering free naloxone, fentanyl test strips, and suicide prevention tools through anonymous PIN access to address overdose crisis on Wind River Reservation.
Bipartisan DETECT Nitazenes Act introduced in Congress would enhance detection technology for emerging class of synthetic opioids linked to over 1,000 deaths in UK.
Columbia adds twelve public naloxone boxes as Missouri House proposes $8M cut to statewide distribution, threatening 800 agencies and 7,500 documented overdose saves since 2017.
New federal data reveals historic decline in opioid deaths across all demographics, driven by expanded naloxone access, weaker fentanyl supply, and medication treatment—though Arizona and four other states buck the trend.
ACLU challenges West Virginia's 2007 moratorium on methadone clinics, arguing the state's unique restriction violates disability law while forcing 54,000 residents with opioid use disorder to navigate impossible treatment logistics.
Mayor Daniel Lurie announces Proposition 1 funding for 100 new psychiatric and addiction treatment beds across three sites, even as the city faces $900 million deficit and federal funding cuts.
Parents who lost children to overdoses are urging Pennsylvania to use settlement money to create a comprehensive bereavement support system modeled on Philadelphia's Philly HEALs program.
SAMHSA's termination and rapid restoration of $2 billion in mental health grants in January exposed fragility of addiction infrastructure as overdose deaths decline for first time in decades.
AG Kris Kobach and DCCCA deploy free overdose reversal kits across Kansas universities and community colleges as state battles 2,000+ fentanyl deaths.
New transparency tool shows municipalities spent just 12% of available settlement funds in latest fiscal year, while state officials emphasize accountability in managing $1 billion expected through 2039.
Cychlorphine, an emerging synthetic opioid more potent than fentanyl, has been connected to at least 16 overdose deaths in East Tennessee since October. Federal authorities track 22 samples nationwide as harm reduction officials warn naloxone may require multiple doses.
CDC data shows overdose deaths fell to 68,000 in 12 months ending October 2025, the lowest since 2019, driven by a dramatic decline in fentanyl purity from 25% to 11% as all four waves of the epidemic enter simultaneous decline.
Eight new mental health and drug treatment facilities will receive Proposition 1 funding, including sobering centers and residential programs across the Bay Area
New CDC data reveals West Virginia and Virginia achieved the steepest opioid death declines in America, with drops approaching 49% and outpacing the national 44% reduction.
Indiana city's first round of settlement funding prioritizes community organizations meeting people at every stage of recovery, including grief counseling for families navigating substance use loss.
Sen. John Keenan proposes expanding subway naloxone access after 2024 pilot ended prematurely, leaving empty and broken cabinets across Boston's transit system.
New state transparency dashboard reveals municipalities spent just 12% of available settlement funds in FY2025 while communities await critical addiction services and harm reduction programs.
City Council approves five-year opioid settlement funding plan targeting overdose prevention through community-based Narcan distribution, HIV testing, and integrated harm reduction services.
Harm Reduction Coalition of San Diego failed to pay subcontractors and staff for months while COO allegedly misappropriated over $200,000 in public funds for personal expenses.
MDHHS distributes free naloxone kits at local offices statewide, funded by $1.8 billion opioid settlement. State reports 35% decline in overdose deaths since 2023.
House Bill 487 allocates $43M from opioid settlements to prevention, treatment, and recovery programs, with unanimous bipartisan support as Alabama reports 30% reduction in overdose deaths.
State legislators advance $5.7 million appropriation to sustain 988 Mental Health Lifeline after federal funding expires in September, citing success in diverting crisis calls from emergency services.
New federal legislation would require OSHA guidance on workplace naloxone access amid rising employer reports of opioid impact and uneven emergency preparedness.
The Maternal Overdose Matters Initiative delivered naloxone kits to over 2,500 families at 107 hospitals, helping reverse a crisis where overdose became the leading cause of maternal mortality statewide.
California's CalRx program cuts naloxone costs by more than half while the state's distribution initiative crosses a staggering milestone in overdose reversals.
As cocaine and methamphetamine become contaminated with fentanyl, researchers argue that contingency management and culturally adapted harm reduction are essential—yet remain vastly underutilized across the United States.