Probuphine for Opioid Addiction

Probuphine is a new drug recently developed and released by Braeburn Pharmaceuticals. The drug is FDA-approved and is a time-released version of buprenorphine (the active ingredient in Suboxone that staves off opioid withdrawal symtoms). Probuphine must be implanted beneath the patient’s skin (typically in the arm) where it gradually distributes medication for 6 months. The
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Controversial Proposal to Allow Heroin In Ithaca, New York

CNN has posted a story about the mayor of Ithaca, New York proposing that the city host a program which would allow addicts to legally inject heroin at a designated safe place. The approach is a harm reduction strategy that has been reportedly tried in Europe, Australia, and Canada. Ithaca’s mayor, Svante Myrick, is quoted
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Heroin Help Cards in High Point

The High Point Police Department has been a steadfast supporter of addiction treatment and in assisting people with addiction problems find the help that they need. Their most recent effort is the use of Heroin Help Cards. WFMY News2 aired a segment highlighting this new initiative in which High Point Police Officers will hand out
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$30 Million Proposed For NC Substance Use and Mental Health Disorders

The NC Council of Community Programs just published its bi-monthly newsletter. In it, Governor McCrory proposed that $30 million dollars be allocated for Substance Use Disorders, Mental Health, and Developmental Disabilities. Included in the allocation is a standing order which allows naloxone to be dispensed to anyone who requests it. Approximately 2500 lives were saved
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Lethal Overdose Map of the United States

Using CDC statistics from 2002 – 2014, TIME has produced a coded map of fatal overdoses in the United States. In the graphic below, red areas are geographical locations with the highest concentration of fatal overdoses per capita. The study has a disclaimer however which states that small counties are not represented as accurately on
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Funding For Drug Treatment Services (Opinion)

I began counseling in a North Carolina outpatient substance abuse treatment center in 1988. For the next 12 years, there seemed to be a sufficient level of state funding for detox, and inpatient and outpatient drug treatment services. Facilities were staffed well, clinical teams were typically well-trained, and substance abuse treatment programs were equipped to
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Touching Stories – Heroin Lives Here

North Carolina Health News published a thought-provoking article profiling the heroin problem in rural North Carolina. The piece is titled “Heroin Lives Here” and documents how heroin began to infiltrate NC communities leading to unexpected overdose deaths from an unprecedented influx of heroin from Mexico. Taylor Sisk is the article author. “Heroin Lives Here” focuses
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High Rates of Opioid Addiction Stressing Hospital Emergency Rooms

A March 2016 Medscape article profiles the rising problem that U.S hospitals are facing as larger numbers of opioid addicted people seek emergency room help. Hospital professionals are witnessing that many who present for help are just not ready to stop opioid misuse. In regard to injecting water-soluble drugs, Dr. Theisen-Toupal of the VA Medical
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PBS Frontline Highlights America’s Heroin Epidemic

ADS Board Member, Stacy Smith, recently notified ADS staff of a powerful documentary she viewed which just aired on PBS. The film is titled Chasing Heroin. It is an expertly produced piece on the resurgence of heroin addiction in America. Chasing Heroin profiles a number of individuals and families who are struggling with heroin/opioid addiction.
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The Stigma of Addiction

People who face addiction also deal with the social stigma attached to having an alcohol or drug problem. Addiction is a powerful disease that changes people and often leads to a life of repeated disappointments and failed restarts. These failures are frequently visible to friends, family, and employers. As family and others watch on, often
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