News

Get timely information about the opioid epidemic in Oregon and elsewhere.

Oregon News

• WARNING: Heroin on Market is Increasing Overdoses
  Jackson County has seen another spike in drug overdoses — but this time people are surviving because they are being given an overdose antidote in time. (September 28, 2018)
• Jackson County Issues Public Health Alert for Rising Illegal Opioid Overdoses
  Health authorities have issued a ‘yellow alert’ for a rash of non-fatal opioid overdoses reported by Jackson County hospitals. (September 27, 2018)

National News

• Surgeon General Releases Updated Opioids Report
  The spotlight report, jointly developed by the surgeon general’s office and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), recaps the latest data on the prevalence of substance use, opioid misuse, opioid use disorders (OUDs) and opioid overdoses. (Oct. 2, 2018)
• The House Just Passed a Bipartisan Bill to Confront the Opioid Epidemic
  Congress is doing something about the opioid epidemic. But experts say it’s not enough. (September 28, 2018)
• Mom Who Lost 2 Sons in 1 Day to Opioids: Give Kids a Life-saving Exit Strategy
  Rebecca Savage had the discussion about drugs with her sons. They had the discussion about alcohol. They didn’t have the discussion about prescription drugs. (September 26, 2018)
• Opioid Crisis Driving Decline in U.S. Life Expectancy
  Life expectancy in the United States has declined for two years in a row, fueled by increasing death rates from opioid drug overdoses, suicides and chronic liver disease, a new government report shows. (September 20, 2018)
• Instagram Displays a Pop-up about Opioid Addiction Support if You Search for Certain Hashtags
  When Instagram users search for certain hashtags, like “opioid,” the social media platform will display a pop-up that’ll provide viewers with drug addiction resources. (September 12, 2018)

• Nearly 30% of All Opioid Prescriptions Lack Medical Explanation
  “For these visits, it is unclear why a physician chose to prescribe an opioid or whether opioid therapy is justified,” said Dr. Tisamarie B. Sherry, lead author of the study and an associate physician policy researcher at RAND. (September 10, 2018)

News Features

• Meet 60 Minutes’ DEA Whistle Blower
  A high-ranking whistle blower from the DEA explains how the drug industry—and Congress—fueled an epidemic.
• PBS Newshour: America Addicted
  This fascinating feature details opioid’s addictive impact on the brain, the ramifications on society, and the history of opioid addiction itself.