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Opioid Epidemic

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Spike In Overdoses Reported In This CT County Spike In Overdoses Reported In This CT County
Spike In Overdoses Reported In This CT County A Connecticut county is reporting a spike alert in overdoses associated with the supply of available drugs in the area. Litchfield County County officials reported that from Tuesday, June 28 to Tuesday, July 5, there were dozens of overdoses, with two of them fatal, according to Fox61. A spike alert is triggered when there have been more than three overdoses in a 24-hour period, officials said. When an alert is issued, the county's Opiate Task Force responds with messaging to make sure that drug users are aware and also offers information on where and how to get help. Some of the resource…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
CT To Receive $95M From Purdue Settlement, Create Opioid Survivors Trust, AG Says CT To Receive $95M From Purdue Settlement, Create Opioid Survivors Trust, AG Says
CT To Receive $95M From Purdue Settlement, Create Opioid Survivors Trust, AG Says Connecticut has big plans for its share of the $6 billion Purdue Pharma settlement after being one of nine agencies to appeal a previous settlement with the Sackler family. As part of the multi-billion dollar settlement, Connecticut is set to receive approximately $95 million, which is approximately 40 percent more than the previously vacated settlement that was appealed by state officials. Earlier story - Purdue Pharma Reaches $6B Settlement With US States Over Thousands Of Opioid-Related Lawsuits Connecticut Attorney General William Tong said that the money the state will receive as part…

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by Zak Failla
News
Stuck At Home: Addiction Experts Say Watch For Signs Of Alcohol, Drugs Stuck At Home: Addiction Experts Say Watch For Signs Of Alcohol, Drugs
Stuck At Home: Addiction Experts Say Watch For Signs Of Alcohol, Drugs It may seem counterintuitive but teens and tweens at home, possibly even under the watchful eye of remotely working parents, could be using or abusing drugs and/or alcohol as much as before. Addiction experts and someone in recovery from drug addiction suggest moms and dads pay attention to the signs especially now when stress is at its height. Jade (not her real name), 33, of Fairfield County, has been in recovery since 2007 from an addiction to prescription pills and heroin, a drug habit that began when she was just 12. "I broke my ankle and was in so much pain the doctor prescribed me O…

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by Donna Christopher
News
Five Fatal Fentanyl Overdoses In One Day Leads To Unrest For CT Police, Officials Five Fatal Fentanyl Overdoses In One Day Leads To Unrest For CT Police, Officials
Five Fatal Fentanyl Overdoses In One Day Leads To Unrest For CT Police, Officials Elected and police officials in Connecticut are expressing concerns after there was a spike in overdose deaths - including five in 15 hours - involving fentanyl and other drugs. Officers from the Hartford Police Department reported that between approximately 7 p.m. on Monday, June 3 through 10 a.m. on Tuesday, June 4, officers were dispatched to five fatal fentanyl overdoses in specific areas of the city. The five deaths make it 39 deaths related to drugs this year. There have also been nearly a dozen police rescues using Narcan. Last year, 1,017 people died of drug overdoses in Connec…

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by Zak Failla
Politics
Fairfield County-Based Purdue Pharma Sued For Alleged Illegal Conduct Fairfield County-Based Purdue Pharma Sued For Alleged Illegal Conduct
Fairfield County-Based Purdue Pharma Sued For Alleged Illegal Conduct A lawsuit has been filed against a prominent pharmaceutical company that allegedly misrepresented its products - including OxyContin - as being more benign than they are for decades. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Attorney General Barbara Underwood announced a lawsuit against Stamford-based Purdue Pharma L.P., Purdue Pharma Inc., and Purdue Fredrick Company, Inc. on Tuesday.  The company allegedly took part in a “decades-long and continuing pattern of persistent deceptive and illegal conduct, whereby Purdue's misled prescribers and patients about the risks of its opioids, including OxyConti…

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by Zak Failla
News
Norwalk Doctor Admits To Painkiller Drug Distribution, Health Care Fraud Norwalk Doctor Admits To Painkiller Drug Distribution, Health Care Fraud
Norwalk Doctor Admits To Painkiller Drug Distribution, Health Care Fraud A 71-year-old doctor from Connecticut pleaded guilty on Monday, June 25 to federal narcotics distribution and health care fraud charges. Bharat Patel of Milford entered his plea in U.S. District Court in New Haven, according to John H. Durham, U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) for New England. In pleading guilty, Patel admitted that he wrote hundreds of medically unnecessary prescriptions for oxycodone and hydrocodone, and received nearly $159,000 as a result, according to Durham. Accordin…

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by Jon Craig
Business
Walmart, Sam's Club To Limit Opioid Prescriptions Walmart, Sam's Club To Limit Opioid Prescriptions
Walmart, Sam's Club To Limit Opioid Prescriptions With the country in the midst of an opioid epidemic, Walmart is taking efforts to curtail drug abuse by its customers. Officials announced Walmart and Sam’s Club pharmacies around the country will fill all opioid prescriptions with no more than a seven-day supply, capping daily dosages at 50 morphine milligram equivalents. The new policy is in line with guidelines provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regarding opioid use and abuse. The new policy is expected to be implemented nationwide within two months. Walmart employees are expected to get additional training and ed…

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by Zak Failla
News
Blumenthal Seeks Stronger Fight Against Fatal Opioid Epidemic Blumenthal Seeks Stronger Fight Against Fatal Opioid Epidemic
Blumenthal Seeks Stronger Fight Against Fatal Opioid Epidemic U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat, urged the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Committee to allocate robust federal funding to fight the opioid epidemic in Connecticut, which now ranks 11th among the national drug overdose mortality rate.  On average, nearly three Connecticut residents die each day from drug overdoses, resulting in a record-setting 1,000 overdose deaths in 2017. The recently-passed Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 authorizes $6 billion over two years to address the opioid crisis. Senate appropriators are currently reviewing requests for…

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by Jon Craig