I was watching a crime drama on TV the other day. The cops were able to identify a drug user because she kept sniffing when they interviewed her. But then I did a little digging. And as it turns out, drug use causes far more damage than a case of the sniffles. It can really …

69,710. That’s the number of people who died from opioid overdose in the U.S. in 2020. That’s up nearly 30 percent from the year before. And many expect those numbers to continue rising. And why wouldn’t they? As we see more and more drugs laced with deadly doses of fentanyl, overdoses are becoming more and …

Getting help for a loved one who’s struggling with addiction isn’t easy. You may be worried about their alcohol or drug use — or suffering from the consequences of their use — but you’re unsure what to do next. This is where an intervention can be helpful, but here’s the question: Do you need professional …

Setting up an intervention for a loved one is no easy task. You may be incredibly worried about their well-being and coming from a place of love, while also questioning if you’re making the right choice. You may also be asking yourself if an intervention might push them away from seeking treatment and deeper into …

The Attorney General in Alabama has designated a good chunk of its opioid crisis settlement money go towards an impressive cause.  In a series of attempts to right the wrongs that opioids caused the state, Alabama will allocate $1.5 million of their McKinsey & Company settlement to the Department of Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention. …

A recent Biden administration proposal to crack down on opioids is causing quite a stir among criminal and civil justice reform groups. The administration’s new drug policy proposal aims to reduce the supply and availability of illicitly manufactured fentanyl and related substances. However, civil rights groups warn this could have a significant impact on people …

Picture it: There are 100 people standing in front of you. All of them have a substance abuse disorder. You ask them to raise their hand if they started using drugs before the age of 18. 90 hands go up. What does the show of hands prove? Age matters. In fact, it’s a staggering statistic. …

“I just need a way out of my head. I’ll do anything for a way out of my head.” These are the lyrics from Mac Miller’s platinum track “Come Back To Earth.” The song’s album, Swimming, achieved platinum status in February of 2021 – two and a half years after the rapper’s death. It was …

Darknet fentanyl. A 10-month investigation across three continents. Dozens of law enforcement agencies. This was no small operation. And it paid off. After careful coordination among nine countries, operation “Dark HunTor” took 500 pounds of illicit drugs off the market – along with $32 million in cash and 45 firearms. The far-reaching drug enforcement operation …

When does drug use become drug abuse? What does it look like to cross the line from medication to dependency? How can you tell if you or a loved one needs help with opioid addiction? How about we take the guesswork out of it? Mental health professionals look to the DSM-5 for guidance, and we …