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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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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New England Journal of Medicine on Opioid Abuse

A February 4 article in The New England Journal of Medicine addresses the epidemic of opioid abuse that has become the #1 leading cause of injury-related death in the United States now even surpassing vehicle accidents. The Journal reports that approximately 100 million U.S. citizens suffer pain in the course of a year and that
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New NIDA Study on Increase in Heroin Use

A National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIH) article highlights findings recently published in The New England Journal of Medicine. The study determined that new opioid prescription policies which more carefully regulate the prescribing of opioids have not directly led to a rise in heroin use over the last few years. Researchers found that an individual’s
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Thinking About The Meaning of Recovery

The word Recovery is a powerful symbol of hope for people who deal with addiction. Before alcohol and drug addiction were so readily addressed in society, the medical community used recovery as a reference to that period of time when a person was recuperating from a surgery or extended illness. So-and-so has had a full
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Methamphetamines and Methadone Are Not The Same

Monday, November 30th is the official start date of “National Meth Awareness Week” which is an initiative to educate the public on the dangers of methamphetamine abuse. This is a coordinated prevention program by the Partnership For Drug-Free Kids. It is important to note that some people occasionally confuse “Meth” (a slang abbreviation for methamphetamine)
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Celebrate Recovery

Each September, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) sponsors National Recovery Month, a national observance that educates Americans on the fact that addiction treatment and mental health services can enable those with a mental and/or substance use disorder to live a healthy and rewarding life. Recovery Month spreads the positive message that
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Public Perception of Methadone

Methadone is the prescribed medication which ADS uses to assist opioid-addicted people in their effort to become free of heroin and other deadly opiates. Methadone has been proven a highly effective treatment intervention for individuals struggling with daily opioid withdrawal. Methadone is FDA-approved and is presently being prescribed to many thousands of opioid-addicted people throughout
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