opioids

The U.S. opioid epidemic is claiming lives at a breakneck pace. More than 52,000 Americans died of drug overdoses in 2015, according to the CDC – an average of 1 death every 10 minutes. Nearly 33,000 of those deaths involved opioids, including prescription painkillers and heroin. Now we know how the crisis began unfurling: a 101-word letter written by Boston University Medical Center researchers, published in the New England Journal of Medicine. [1] [2]

In a report published December 8, 2016, the CDC said that in 2015, heroin deaths spiked by more than 2,000 cases since 2014, resulting in a sad milestone: There were more heroin-related deaths that year than gun homicides. As recently as 2007, gun homicides outnumbered heroin deaths by more than 5 to 1. [1]
Source: The Washington Post

President Trump’s opioid commission has urged him to declare a national state of emergency over America’s burgeoning opioid crisis. The recommendation comes from a preliminary draft of the commission’s report. [2]
By declaring an emergency, Trump’s cabinet would be able to take action, and Congress would be forced to fund potential solutions to the epidemic.

A study published online in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report says that fewer people are dying from 3 of the 5 leading causes of death in the United States – heart disease, cancer, and stroke. [1] [2]

In a letter to the NFL Players Association (NFLPA), the NFL offered to team up to study the potential of marijuana as a pain management tool for players. Marijuana use, for any purpose, is currently prohibited by the league. [1]
The NFLPA is in the midst of conducting its own marijuana study, and reportedly has yet to respond to the NFL’s offer.
Joe Lockhart, the NFL’s executive vice president of communications, said:

“We look forward to working with the Players Association on all issues involving the health and safety of our players.”

In a report, the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) is calling on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to review the safety and effectiveness of opioid painkillers. The panel of experts says monumental changes are needed to the way in which physicians treat pain, their patients cope with pain, and government and private insurers support individuals’ treatment for chronic pain. [1]

Los Angeles Police officers assist Drug Enforcement Agency, DEA agents serving a federal warrant to shut down a Marijuana dispensary operating in the Chinatown area of Los Angeles.
For the first time in U.S. History, more Americans died in 2016 of drug overdoses than were killed in the Vietnam War. Let that sink in.

In mid-May of 2017, fans of grunge music were shocked and heartbroken to hear of the death of Soundgarden and Audioslave frontman Chris Cornell. His death was ruled a suicide, but Chris’ family says he never would have intentionally taken his life, and are blaming his use of the common anxiety drug, Ativan, for his state of mind at the time. [1]
Source: The Mercury News

A recent survey by Yahoo News and The Marist Poll reveals, among other things, that people – regardless of whether they have children or not – are more concerned about kids smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol than they are about kids using marijuana. [1]
For the survey, 1,122 adults age 18 and older were polled from March 1 through March 7, 2017.

(ANTIMEDIA) President Trump’s promise to “drain the swamp” seems to nearly have been all but forgotten.