Welcome to This Week in Recovery, a weekly recap of the 5 biggest stories in the recovery industry.
Federal Data Shows Opioid Shipments Increased As Crisis Grew – Associated Press
Recently released federal data shows that drug manufacturers and distributors increased shipments of opioid painkillers across the United States as the opioid crisis spiked between 2006 and 2012. Data showed that companies distributed 8.4 billion hydrocodone and oxycodone pills to pharmacies in 2006 and 12.6 billion in 2012, a 50 percent increase.
Court Strikes Down State Law For ‘Criminalizing An Illness’ – Washington Post
A federal appeals court this week struck down a Virginia state law for “effectively criminalizing an illness” that targeted homeless alcoholics for buying and consuming or even having alcohol. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit invalidated the law, claiming it was “unconstitutionally vague” and did not provide a fair warning to would-be offenders.
The Overdose Epidemic Is Sending More and More Children to Foster Care – Mother Jones
As the opioid crisis rages on in the United States, it has had a devastating effect on children. According to research from JAMA Pediatrics, the number of kids in foster care because of parental drug use has more than doubled since 2000. The entries of foster care specifically because of parental drug use jumped from about 40,000 in 2000 to 100,000 in 2017.
Money That Has Helped States Progress on Opioids May Soon Be Gone – New York Times
While President Donald Trump and top health officials have claimed progress over the opioid epidemic, the Trump administration hasn’t talked publicly about extending the funding for opioid crisis grants that began in 2017 and are scheduled to run out by 2020. Many in the addiction field are worried that just as the opioid crisis may be starting to level off, the attention to treatment will disappear.
UN Votes To Investigate Killings In Philippines’ Drug War – TIME
The United Nations Human Rights Council voted on a measure, presented by Iceland, to investigate allegations of thousands of killings since Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte launched his anti-drug campaign against illegal drugs in 2016. The resolution urges the human rights office to prepare a report on the Philippines by next summer.
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The Dangers of Sleeping PILLS
Whether it’s insomnia, sleep apnea, or something else, many people around the country deal with sleep-related issues and turn to medication to help induce sleep. However, sometimes, these pills can have dangerous side effects. You can learn more about it in this week’s featured article.
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