In Westmoreland County, overdose from both prescription and illegal drugs is the leading cause of death among accidents and suicides. And this is true since 2008.1 The need for medication-assisted treatment is urgent to save lives. Medication-assisted treatment is highly successful because addicts can bypass the worst part of withdrawal. The body transitions off of the illegal drugs to methadone, ...
Warnings About Oxycodone in Harford County
Recently the Baltimore Sun published a piece about counterfeit oxycodone in Harford County Maryland. This counterfeit-cocktail is linked to an increasing number of deaths in that area. In May 2016, three people overdosed in one weekend. The counterfeit pills are so dangerous because they contain fentanyl, heroin, and caffeine instead of the pure oxycodone that is expected. Those at risk must be ...
Fentanyl Drug Misuse: It’s Fun Till You Die
Who doesn’t like a good party, right? That’s why drugs like fentanyl are known on the streets by exciting names like Dance Fever, Goodfella, TNT—Tango and Cash—and even China Girl. It’s a medication that lends itself easily to opiate drug misuse because it’s marketed as a transdermal pain patch, most commonly known as Duragesic. Fentanyl came into use in the 1980s, hailed as the next greatest ...
Cost of Heroin in Fresno: Police Deputy’s Honor
Who can accurately say what the cost of heroin in Fresno is? For Fresno deputy police chief Keith Foster, arrested in March 2015 for distribution and possession of drugs, the cost of heroin is his freedom, the respect of his peers and the community, and ultimately, if he is proven guilty, it will cost him his career. Foster and four others were arrested after an investigation conducted by a field ...