Tag: drug abuse
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Smoking marijuana isn’t the biggest concern for your doctor, unless perhaps he or she is a Republican
Marijuana use is not among your doctor’s major worries, but that might depend on his or her politics, according to a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy...
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Anthem Blue Cross touts its program to help curb opioid abuse, limiting high-risk members to one pharmacy
The opioid epidemic seems to be focused on heroin, but that’s only part of the picture, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield President Deb Moessner writes in an op-ed for...
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Bevin administration says syringe exchanges funded by state grants must be one-for-one after initial supply to a user
By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News image: lexingtonhealthdepartment.org The administration of Republican Gov. Matt Bevin is requiring syringe exchanges funded by state grants to be limited to one-for-one trading of...
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U.S. attorney general hears from Central Ky. families of overdose victims, who offer suggestions on what needs to be done
U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch attended events in Lexington and Richmond this week as part of the first national Prescription Opioid and Heroin Epidemic Awareness Week, Bill Estep reports for...
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Super-powerful narcotics threaten even more fatal drug overdoses in region; six in Danville area spur community action
“If you’re putting a needle in your arm, you’re playing Russian roulette,” because so many super-powerful narcotics such as fentanyl are in the illegal drug trade, Dr. Eric Guerrant, emergency...
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Sept. 23 is deadline to apply for grants that can be used for syringe exchanges; 17 approved, but few in high-risk counties
By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News The state Office of Drug Control Policy is offering competitive grants to local boards of the Agency for Substance Abuse Policy for them to use toward...
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New health chief says drug crisis takes up most of his time; wants to guide kids to make better choices about tobacco, drugs, alcohol
Dr. Hiram Polk By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News One of new Public Health Commissioner Hiram Polk’s top priorities is to create an early-childhood education program to help Kentucky’s children...
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State health officials warn of looming ‘public health crisis from dangerous drugs,’ including heroin laced with potent Fentanyl
Kentucky health officials are warning that a “public health crisis involving dangerous drugs” looms over the state, and could hit this weekend, the Department for Public Health said in a...
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Woodford County explores a syringe exchange; county attorney says local heroin problem is ‘only going to get worse’
By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News VERSAILLES — The Woodford County Board of Health is educating itself about syringe-exchange programs, with plans to begin the process of creating a plan for...
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Heroin arrests and treatment are up in Appalachia, enlarging threat of HIV and hepatitis C outbreaks from unclean needles
Partly because it’s much cheaper than pain pills, heroin is “quickly making inroads in Southern and Eastern Kentucky,” the head of an anti-drug organization told Laura Ungar of The Courier-Journal....