Articles tagged “opioid-crisis”

A King County judge ordered Albertsons to pay Washington $900 million, believed to be the largest verdict in state history, over red-flagged opioid prescriptions.

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.

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.

A Boston Medical Center study of 326 Massachusetts census tracts found opioid overdose death rates 86% higher in neighborhoods graded worst on 1930s federal redlining maps.

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.

An InvestigateWest review of 134 Idaho fentanyl trafficking cases found at least 30 defendants charged without evidence of selling, facing mandatory minimums.

Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony was paid $65,000 by an opioid training company whose course he later urged Florida's settlement council to fund, records show.

The DEA issued its first federal registrations to more than 900 state-licensed medical marijuana dispensaries in seven states under an April order.

Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird awarded $775,550 in opioid settlement funds to bring the surgery-prescribing program to eight more mostly rural hospitals.

Wabanaki Public Health & Wellness will close its Bangor detox services, saying MaineCare reimburses roughly 1.5 million dollars a year less than the care costs.

California opened the first behavioral health facility built with Proposition 1 bond money, the Ritter Center in San Rafael, with 1,412 projected outpatient slots.

A Berks County jury found Jesus Martinez-Espinal guilty on nine counts of drug delivery resulting in death after a single-day overdose cluster in Reading in 2022.

A U.S. bankruptcy judge rejected Richard Sackler and Lin Gao's bid to keep their Greenwich estate out of the $7.4 billion Purdue Pharma opioid settlement.

California is steering more than $21 million to 112 community organizations for naloxone distribution, peer navigation and prevention education through August 2027.

Hawaii has drawn $51.4 million from opioid settlements and $36 million in federal grants while meth kills more than twice as many residents as opioids.

Central City Concern closes Portland's Letty Owings Center on Oct. 31 after 37 years, as Oregon loses about 20 percent of residential beds for pregnant and parenting people.

An ASPE reanalysis cuts the record 2025 death-rate decline from 4.6% to about 2% once Census vintages match, leaving drug overdoses behind 22% of the real drop.

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.

A Virginia Commonwealth University update to the state's opioid cost tool estimates $1.3 billion in reduced costs in 2024, about 14 to 20 times added public spending.

The Addictions Care Center of Albany absorbed Twin County Recovery Services, a merger finalized Sept. 8 and announced Monday, with a methadone clinic planned for Hudson.

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.

A University of Toledo chemist received nearly $2 million from NIGMS to build new carbon-hydrogen methods aimed at safer opioids and cheaper naloxone.

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.

Huntsville's council voted 3-2 to give Wellstone up to $3 million in opioid settlement money for a 16-bed crisis unit, more than double the nonprofit's request and without a bidding process.

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.

Prosecutors charged Clara Wilkerson, three doctors and a clinic operator with selling opioid prescriptions for $250 to $500 in cash at fake Detroit clinics.

Flint gave $1 million in opioid settlement money to the Greater Flint Health Coalition, which selected 17 local groups for awards of $20,000 to $150,000.

Lexington's social services department recommended 24 nonprofits for $3,029,681 in opioid abatement grants, from grief counseling to street outreach.

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.

Seven years after Oklahoma's $270 million Purdue settlement created a private foundation, the nonprofit is spending $28 million on labs in Tulsa.

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.

The Justice Department charged 15 defendants over $1.8 billion in false claims, including a $1.6 billion sham rehab operation it calls the largest ever brought.

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.

Albuquerque's City Council voted to spend $5.2 million in opioid settlement funds on treatment navigation, a sobering center, recovery housing and school prevention.

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.

DeSantis credits the S.A.F.E. grant program as the 2025 medical examiners report shows fentanyl-caused deaths falling from about 5,000 to roughly 2,000.

In a JAMA Network Open study of 399,500 Medicaid patients, starting above 50 morphine milligram equivalents raised the odds of opioid use disorder or overdose.

A University of New Mexico review finds methamphetamine and fentanyl used together may sharpen reward and relapse, with mu-opioid receptors mediating the effect.

At a Wilkes-Barre roundtable with Sen. Dave McCormick, the attorney general attributed declining overdose deaths to interagency coordination and prevention.

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.

An analysis of CDC records ranks the northeast Ohio county first among 550 for its 75.2% decline in overdose deaths, as state data shows Ohio outpacing national trends.

University of Minnesota researchers linked 87 Minneapolis encampment clearances to a 65% higher overdose risk within a few blocks over the next three days.

Pinnacle Treatment Centers opened FCCR Richmond at 1801 Hull Street, offering methadone, buprenorphine, counseling and same-day admissions in South Richmond.

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.

Confirmed overdose deaths in Texas prisons rose from 4 in 2020 to at least 131 in 2025, while TDCJ asked lawmakers only to maintain treatment funding.

Four people died of overdoses in Wausau in the first nine months of 2026, one more than in all of 2025, even as CDC data show national deaths falling.

Gov. Kay Ivey awarded $280,806 in federal Justice Department money for 12-month residential substance abuse treatment at eight Alabama prisons.

Colorado's attorney general filed a Denver court complaint alleging Alvogen sold generic oxycodone for more than a decade without required suspicious order monitoring.

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.

Weill Cornell and Penn researchers engineered AM-3, a morphine-based compound switched on by light, producing pain relief in mice without addiction or breathing risks.

Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway issued investigative demands to nine more kratom companies and cease-and-desist orders to two retailers over 7-OH.

Hospital for Special Surgery reported that patients whose lumbar fusions used robotic arm guidance took 16 percent less opioid medication during their hospital stay.

Two years after Gov. Spencer Cox created Utah's Fentanyl Task Force, the DEA says agents have seized nearly one million fentanyl pills in the state this year.

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.

Jose Llerena, 49, admitted paying recruits to pose as patients at South Florida clinics so a pharmacist already convicted of illegal dispensing could fill their prescriptions.

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.

FAIR Health's annual Opioid Tracker update shows commercially insured opioid use disorder diagnoses rose 32.7% from 2022 to 2025, with Tennessee highest.

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.

CVS agreed to pay $315 million to resolve Justice Department claims that it illegally filled opioid prescriptions and billed federal health programs from 2013 to 2025.

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.

Weirton will vote Tuesday on $75,000 in opioid settlement funds for a children's grief and peer-support program, out of $1.08 million the city has disbursed so far.

Hamilton County, Tennessee recorded 89 overdose deaths through September with fentanyl in six of ten, as recovery advocates took naloxone outreach to Chattanooga.

Earl Rison's wrongful death suit alleges Addiction Recovery Care failed to monitor his brother Mike, 56, before he died at its Pikeville facility.

Michigan's Recovery Housing Investment Program awarded $3.4 million to 18 agencies to buy or lease 24 recovery residences, adding 205 beds across 14 counties.

The Avoyelles Parish Police Jury has $102,000 in opioid settlement money for local groups, with proposals due Oct. 16 after $670,000 in awards since 2023.

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.

Construction is well underway on a 60-bed detox and residential treatment center in Henrico County, Virginia, proposed in 2020 as an alternative to a third jail.

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.

Washington Township told New Jersey it spent $170,446.70 in opioid settlement funds on drug education. Bill lists show two police SUVs and 15 Flock cameras.

Van Ingram will leave Kentucky's Office of Drug Control Policy at the end of 2026, and recovery advocate Tara Hyde, in recovery since 2011, will succeed him.

Viatris agreed to pay $36.50 a share for Pacira BioSciences, adding the non-opioid pain drugs Exparel and Zilretta as opioid-sparing alternatives gain ground.

HRSA's Rural Communities Opioid Response Program awarded $1.05 million to a Pendleton nonprofit serving four Oregon and Washington counties.

OneOhio Recovery Foundation's second regional grant cycle awarded $960,158 to four Stark County agencies for harm reduction, youth prevention and recovery services.

South Tucson and Pima County launched RISE, an opioid-settlement-funded program that sends behavioral health specialists on crisis calls.

An Arkansas appeals court affirmed that AIG units and dozens of excess insurers owe Walmart a defense in more than 2,400 opioid lawsuits.

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.

Pasquotank County's new recovery court held its first session Oct. 6, offering treatment instead of prison with funding from North Carolina's opioid settlement.

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.

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.

Osceola County schools will install vape detectors at 19 campuses with $191,885 in opioid settlement funds, aiming to cut vaping referrals by 25%.

The Pennsylvania House voted unanimously for House Bill 2657, which would register kratom sellers, bar sales to minors and ban synthetic 7-OH products.

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.

Oklahoma's attorney general opened a new round of opioid abatement grants for public schools, technology centers and colleges, worth $105,000 to $900,000 each.

Federal and local agencies launch an overdose task force in San Antonio, where police respond to about 150 overdose calls a month, and announce the first charges.

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.

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes filed a consumer fraud lawsuit accusing Express Scripts and Optum of steering opioid prescriptions for profit.

Spending reports released Thursday show New Jersey towns used opioid settlement money on concerts, bounce houses and a muscle car, prompting an oversight bill.

A federal complaint accuses an Oxford, Mississippi, vape shop clerk and his son of selling a kratom product tied to the death of Ole Miss student Aidan Hamilton.

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.

A JAMA Internal Medicine study of two Philadelphia hospitals finds severe withdrawal needing an ICU sedative rose from under 6% to about 32% as medetomidine spread.

HRSA awarded $89.3 million through its Rural Communities Opioid Response Program, including $62.7 million for integrated treatment and recovery services.

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.

The VA will require signed consent before combined opioid and benzodiazepine prescriptions and before antidepressants for veterans under 30, starting in 2027.

Packaged kratom was found at the scenes of two University of Mississippi student deaths, prompting arrests, a mayoral warning, and renewed state ban efforts.

Philadelphia's first mobile methadone van, operated by Merakey in Kensington, has connected 567 people to treatment since its October 2025 soft launch.

SAMHSA awards $247.9 million in grants for opioid treatment medications, overdose reversal training, school mental health and recovery support.

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.

Urban Institute analysis: Medicaid-covered buprenorphine fills rose from 936,000 in 2010 to 8.2 million in 2025, gains now threatened by federal Medicaid cuts.

Bipartisan bill from Senators Hassan and Scott would create one centralized application for federal addiction prevention, treatment and recovery grants.

HHS awards Alabama, Kansas and West Virginia $500,000 each in supplemental SAMHSA grants to build faith-based substance use prevention partnerships for youth.

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.

Nature Communications publishes breakthrough wireless microneedle device that delivers electrical stimulation for pain relief, offering non-opioid alternative for chronic pain management.

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.

Attorney General J.B. McCuskey redirects future opioid settlement dollars away from the WV First Foundation to state legislature and local governments for more direct distribution.

DOJ's inspector general opens a nationwide review of DEA wiretap investigations in which agents let fentanyl shipments reach the streets.

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.

Washington D.C. plans to use $7.8 million in opioid settlement funds for Medicaid and existing programs, prompting protests from advocates who say this violates 'supplement not supplant' law.

2025 NSDUH data shows only 16% of people with substance use disorders received treatment, with the most common barrier being the belief they could handle it on their own.

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.

A UGA survey of 1,600 people in 13 Southern states finds mental health workers hold more stigmatizing views of opioid addiction than the general public.

Washington, D.C.'s fiscal 2027 budget shifts millions in opioid settlement funds to Medicaid and existing treatment programs, prompting supplantation accusations.

First buprenorphine prescriptions for opioid use disorder abandoned before dispensing rose from 19% in 2020 to 37% in 2024, CDC researchers report.

Sublocade maker Indivior will merge with Supernus Pharmaceuticals in an all-stock deal creating a $2.2 billion CNS biopharmaceutical company.

Vancouver, Wash., approved a five-year, $4.94 million contract for the Cowlitz Indian Tribe to operate the city's mobile opioid treatment program.

North Dakota banned kratom under a public health emergency order, with a Sept. 2 special legislative session set to make the prohibition permanent.

DOJ secures $16.2M judgment against Addiction Recovery Care, Kentucky's largest rehab chain, for years of false Medicaid billing.

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.

Phase 2 RECLAIM trial shows pemvidutide significantly reduces heavy drinking days in alcohol use disorder patients, offering hope for 28 million Americans.

Maryland will receive more than $13 million from seven generic opioid manufacturers under a nationwide settlement that imposes new marketing restrictions and monitoring requirements.

Governor Hochul directs nearly $6 million to 12 Recovery Community and Outreach Centers across New York, expanding addiction services for young people ages 12 to 17.

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.

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. convenes health care stakeholders to sign first-of-its-kind pledge advancing evidence-based mental health and addiction treatment nationwide.

House lawmakers introduce MOTAA 2.0 to allow pharmacy-based methadone prescribing, expanding access to the 80% of U.S. counties without opioid treatment programs.

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.

Democratic lawmakers say Attorney General Brenna Bird has failed to distribute settlement dollars more than a year after legislation authorized spending, leaving millions sitting unused.

WVU Health System settles for $4.1 million after years of unreported employee painkiller thefts, exposing systemic failures in controlled substance oversight.

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.

A $325,000 state needs assessment says South Dakota should direct more of its opioid settlement money to addiction care for people in the justice system.

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.

California says 97.7% of licensed retailers now comply with its kratom and 7-OH ban, pulling 6,960 products from shelves as the DEA moves to schedule the compounds.

New Mexico reports 900 overdose deaths in 2025, a 21% increase while national fatalities drop 14%. Fentanyl drives crisis in Rio Arriba, Santa Fe, and Taos counties with 65%+ spikes.

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.

Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman unveils new online dashboard developed with University of Kentucky RADOR team to provide public transparency on opioid settlement fund investments.

Shasta County Jail partners with Mediko to launch medication-assisted treatment for substance use disorders and prepares for California's CalAIM reentry initiative.

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.

SAMHSA announces over $281 million in funding opportunities across 15 grant programs to expand medication-assisted treatment, overdose prevention, and mental health services nationwide.

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.

Governor Mike Kehoe vetoes $1 million in opioid settlement funds for teen prevention programs, cutting school-based early intervention services as Missouri faces rising overdose risks.

North Carolina's new 2026-2027 state budget allocates $80 million to the Opioid Abatement Fund for addiction treatment, prevention, and recovery services across all 100 counties.

Foundation for Opioid Response Efforts awards grant to Kachemak Bay Recovery Connection as part of $3.7 million nationwide investment in community-based addiction treatment infrastructure.

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.

DEA files intent to temporarily place 7-hydroxymitragynine and three synthetic derivatives into Schedule I, targeting enhanced kratom products HHS says fuel addiction and pose public health risks.

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.

Michigan awards $3.75 million in opioid settlement grants to 12 organizations focused on youth substance use prevention, targeting early intervention to reduce lifetime addiction risk.

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.

Idaho Behavioral Health Council recommends directing opioid settlement funds toward rural areas, first responder support, and workforce development as state considers 46 project proposals.

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 Hampshire Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan reintroduce landmark legislation that would authorize over $65 billion in federal funding over ten years to expand addiction treatment, prevention programs, and workforce development nationwide.

New AI screening and multi-layer approval process creates unprecedented backlog affecting opioid treatment, suicide prevention, and disease surveillance programs nationwide.

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.

USF researchers collaborate with Pasco County's Opioid Abatement Task Force to conduct comprehensive behavioral health system analysis and develop data-informed roadmap for strategic settlement fund allocation.

Attorney General Kris Mayes allocates opioid settlement money to five rural counties for programs helping formerly incarcerated individuals find stability after release.

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.

Overdoses accounted for a quarter of 46 in-custody deaths in 2025 as medication-assisted treatment waitlists leave hundreds of inmates without care, despite $8 million in opioid settlement funds earmarked for jail programs.

Hundreds of addiction and mental health service providers received termination notices Tuesday night, only to have funding restored Wednesday after swift advocacy response.

University of Colorado researchers develop comprehensive tracking system to measure how opioid settlement funds reduce overdose deaths and improve addiction treatment across the state.

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.

Secretary Kennedy unveils $96 million STREETS program and $612 million in additional grants targeting substance use disorders, mental health crises, and homelessness under the Great American Recovery Initiative.

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.

Eight new grant programs target addiction prevention, child trauma, suicide prevention, and mental illness as part of federal behavioral health investment.

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.

Baltimore County unveils interactive dashboard allowing residents to monitor how $90 million in opioid settlement funds are spent, following Maryland's statewide transparency initiative.

A new Federal Register notice invites patients, providers, and researchers to tell HHS which addiction treatment programs deserve federal support — with a July 5 deadline and a clear policy direction already visible between the lines.

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.

Republican Representative Jaime Green proposes using Michigan's opioid settlement dollars to fund clinical trials of ibogaine, a psychedelic compound showing promise for treating PTSD and addiction in veterans.

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.

Louisiana's Jefferson Parish plans to use $65 million in opioid settlement funds for a new drug court, raising questions about whether law enforcement or treatment providers should control addiction crisis resources.

Maryland unveils interactive dashboard tracking $747 million in opioid settlement funds, setting new standard for pharmaceutical litigation accountability and public oversight.

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.

Attorney General Kris Mayes weighs legal action against Arizona counties allegedly misusing opioid settlement funds, highlighting growing tensions over pharmaceutical settlement accountability.

Machine learning models analyzing electronic health records can identify patients at high risk of fatal overdose up to 12 months before the event, offering a new tool for preventive intervention.

A landmark NIH-funded clinical trial finds that treating babies with neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome based on their symptoms rather than fixed schedules reduces hospital stays and medication exposure.

Xylazine, a veterinary tranquilizer increasingly mixed with fentanyl, is creating unprecedented challenges for overdose reversal and wound care across the United States.

Bipartisan legislation would establish dedicated federal funding stream for multi-jurisdictional drug task forces, with 40% of resources directed to tribal and local law enforcement

Governor Josh Stein announces sharpest single-year drop in overdose mortality since 2019, highlighting how opioid settlement investments are expanding access to medication-assisted treatment and recovery services across the state.

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.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel unveils a groundbreaking transparency dashboard to track every dollar of opioid settlement funds, setting a new national standard for accountability in addiction crisis response.

Wisconsin will receive more than $80 million from the $7.4 billion Purdue Pharma and Sackler family settlement, with 70% directed to county and local governments for addiction treatment and prevention programs.

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

Investigation reveals Indiana municipalities spent over $300,000 of opioid settlement funds on bodycams, vape sensors, and solar eclipse meals instead of addiction treatment.

New Jonesboro facility addresses critical treatment gap in one of Georgia's most underserved regions, offering medically supervised detox and residential care amid rising overdose rates.

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.

Mississippi secures $40.9 million from $7.4 billion Purdue-Sackler settlement, bringing total opioid recovery to over $400 million for addiction treatment and prevention programs.

Mayor Mamdani directs opioid settlement funds to create 500 peer specialist positions, expanding community-based addiction treatment and outreach across all five boroughs.

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.

White House releases ambitious 195-page drug control strategy calling for easier treatment access, but administration's funding cuts and policy shifts threaten implementation.

Maryland's highest court rejects 'public nuisance' theory in opioid litigation, forcing Baltimore to dismiss case against McKesson and Cencora while keeping $400 million in earlier settlements.

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.

New Hampshire will receive nearly $30 million from the $7.4 billion Purdue Pharma and Sackler family settlement as the historic deal takes effect.

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.

New data shows medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder reached 69% among Medicaid beneficiaries by 2023, yet 180-day treatment retention declined from 62.6% to 57.7%.

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.

Arizona secures $108 million from the $7.4 billion Purdue-Sackler settlement, bringing the state's total opioid recovery to $1.2 billion amid rising overdose deaths.

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.

Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday announces $200 million state allocation from $7.4 billion Purdue-Sackler settlement, bringing state's total opioid recovery past $2 billion milestone

Attorney General Jeff Jackson announces North Carolina's share of $7.4 billion national settlement, bringing state's total opioid recovery funds to $1.6 billion for addiction treatment and prevention.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announces $286.5 million state allocation as $7.4 billion Purdue Pharma settlement takes effect, bringing Texas opioid recoveries past $3 billion milestone

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.

Nevada expects $57.9 million over 15 years from the $7.4 billion Purdue Pharma and Sackler family settlement, bringing the state's total opioid settlement recovery to over $1.2 billion.

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.

South Carolina to receive $72.8 million over 15 years as $7.4 billion Purdue Pharma and Sackler family settlement takes effect, bringing total state recovery to over $750 million.

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.

The historic $7.4 billion Purdue Pharma and Sackler family settlement becomes legally effective May 1, 2026, with states beginning to receive funds for addiction treatment and prevention programs.

Trump administration proposes national wastewater monitoring and artificial intelligence to track drug use patterns, alongside faith-based treatment expansion and integrated addiction care.

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.

Nebraska will require Medicaid expansion enrollees to work 80 hours monthly, raising concerns about addiction treatment access for vulnerable populations.

Federal court sentences OxyContin maker to historic penalties, clearing path for bankruptcy settlement that includes $865 million for victims—but many will be shut out under tightened eligibility rules.

Researchers analyze 569,000 TikTok comments to demonstrate social media data can forecast synthetic opioid mortality with 37% greater accuracy than traditional surveillance methods.

Eden Village uses $140,000 in opioid settlement grants to provide permanent supportive housing and peer counseling for chronically homeless individuals recovering from addiction.

Georgia's Opioid Crisis Abatement Trust opens applications for Year 3 funding, allocating $20 million to address addiction and overdose across the state.

Local governments in South Dakota struggle to deploy opioid settlement dollars while the state moves faster with grants and programs, highlighting challenges rural areas face in addressing the addiction crisis.

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.

New JAMA Network Open study shows MOUD access among Medicaid beneficiaries rose from 60% to 69% between 2019-2023, with 45 states seeing increases.

In a region flooded with 17 million prescription opioids, proposed Medicaid work requirements and funding cuts threaten to dismantle the safety net that has helped hundreds achieve recovery from addiction.

Albertsons and Safeway parent company agrees to $773 million national settlement, with Oregon receiving up to $38.2 million over nine years to expand addiction and recovery services.

JAMA research letter reveals 24.3% decline in long-term opioid therapy from 2015-2023, even as co-prescribing with gabapentinoids rises sharply, raising new safety concerns for chronic pain patients.

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.

The Trump administration abruptly canceled hundreds of SAMHSA grants funding overdose prevention, naloxone distribution, and peer recovery support, putting addiction services at risk nationwide.

Twenty Kentucky counties join forces through the KACo Opioid Solutions Network to share best practices and strategically deploy nearly $1 billion in settlement funds

White House budget request would slash drug prevention grants, consolidate SAMHSA into new agency, and merge NIDA with alcohol institute while cutting $200 million from research.

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

Iowa Department of Health and Human Services opens applications for up to $10 million in opioid settlement funds to expand behavioral health services and strengthen recovery systems across the state

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.

Michigan's MDHHS accepting applications through April 30 for loan repayment up to $30,000 to SUD providers as state confronts workforce shortage limiting treatment access for 1.3 million residents.

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.

Northwestern University researchers debunk 2025 drug overdose surge reported by CDC, finding the apparent spike was a modeling error caused by rapid epidemic shifts, not data manipulation or political interference.