Amid rising gun violence in Virginia, some legislators have asserted that gun violence is a mental health issue and proposed more resources as a solution. Mental health advocates welcome the support but warn conflating gun violence and mental illness can perpetuate harmful stigmas.
Texas may soon join other states with legalized fentanyl test strips, used by those with drug addictions to detect the presence of the often lethal opioid known as fentanyl. Support for more harm-reduction measures appears to have bipartisan support ahead of the 2023 legislative session, which begins this week. Right now, the strips are still classified as drug paraphernalia, making it a crime to possess them. .
West Virginians could soon be able to purchase naloxone, brand name Narcan, without a prescription. Earlier this month the Food and Drug Administration fast-tracked the application for an over-the-counter spray version of the overdose reversal medication submitted by Maryland-based Emergent BioSolutions. Advocacy groups said they are balking at the price, which has skyrocketed over the past few years. .
Boston s Mass and Cass area, with its large homeless population and open-air drug market, remains a trouble spot for city officials, but staff at the nearby Engagement Center say they are making inroads and helping drug-overdose survivors get the help they need. Researchers interviewed 59 overdose survivors, more than half of whom were living on the street, to find out what was preventing them from getting treatment. Jeff Desmarais, research and evaluation scientist at Institute for Community Health, said a lack of basic amenities, such as housing and access to a cell phone or proper ID, made a big difference, but that it also came down to a personal touch. .
RICHMOND — A new tool is calculating the financial impact of the opioid crisis in Virginia. The opioid cost calculator developed by the Virginia Department of…