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Opioid Addiction Linked to Hidden Fungal Infection Risk
San Francisco now holds one of the most sobering distinctions in the country when it comes to opioid addiction. New federal data shows the city has the second-highest fatal overdose rate of any large jurisdiction in the United States, trailing only Baltimore in a crisis that has proven far harder to reverse on the West …
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Orphines Are a New Opioid Threat Stronger Than Fentanyl
A dangerous new class of synthetic opioids is spreading through the illicit drug supply, and for people living with opioid addiction, the stakes just got higher. Since last fall, synthetic opioids called orphines have begun appearing in street drugs, far more potent than fentanyl and undetectable by standard toxicology tests. The Opioid Crisis by the …
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Animal Sedative Fuels New York Opioid Crisis
A dangerous new adulterant is quietly reshaping the opioid supply in New York, and it doesn’t respond to naloxone. For anyone navigating opioid addiction, this development changes what an overdose looks like and what it takes to survive one. New York has done a remarkable job in battling the opioid crisis. The Knickerbocker State offers …
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Cuts to Naloxone Funding Spark Opioid Overdose Debate in Missouri
A Missouri state budget decision cuts the funding for naloxone, an opioid overdose reversal medication, by more than half. The decision sets off a heated debate between fiscal conservatives focused on long-term solvency and public health advocates who warn the reduced funds will cost lives. The outcome is still being negotiated in the state Senate …
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GLP-1 Drugs Show Promise for Pain Management and Opioid Addiction
A new class of diabetes and weight-loss drugs is drawing attention from researchers, and the early data on opioid addiction may be the most compelling signal yet. GLP-1 receptor agonists, the drug class that includes semaglutide (sold as Ozempic and Wegovy), appear to reduce cravings, lower overdose risk and decrease substance use disorder diagnoses in …
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Mindfulness Yoga Cuts Relapse Risk in Narcotic Addiction Study
A peer-reviewed clinical trial offers new evidence that mindfulness yoga can meaningfully reduce relapse risk in narcotic addiction. It works not through a prescription pad, but through breath, movement and awareness practiced three times a week over six months. The findings arrive as researchers continue searching for affordable and doable non-pharmacological tools to support people …
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New Opioid DFNZ Offers Hope for Chronic Pain Without Addiction Risk
For millions of Americans managing chronic pain, the choice has long felt impossible: live with debilitating pain or risk opioid addiction. A new compound identified by researchers offers a potential third option: DFNZ. But the road from the lab to the medicine cabinet is long, and people are suffering now. The Impossible Choice for Chronic …
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Narcan Expansion Drives Opioid Death Decline in Central Texas
For the first time in nearly a decade, opioid deaths are falling in Travis County, and public health officials say expanded access to naloxone (Narcan) is the primary reason. Drug-related deaths in the county dropped 22% from 2023 to 2024, and fatalities involving fentanyl fell by 36%. Travis County is home to a wide range …
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Arkansas Schools Get $1.4M for Opioid Prevention and Recovery
Arkansas is putting opioid settlement money directly into classrooms. The Arkansas Opioid Recovery Partnership (ARORP) has awarded $1.4 million in opioid prevention funding to four school districts. This targeted move is intended to stop the opioid crisis in The Natural State before it starts among young people. ARORP deployed the funding to hire Prevention Recovery …
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Idaho Clinicians Get Opioid Use Disorder Training to Save Lives
The University of Idaho is working to close a critical gap in opioid addiction care that has already cost hundreds of lives in the state. A program is training Idaho clinicians on treating opioid use disorder. The goal is to equip frontline providers with the updated knowledge as fentanyl, xylazine, and other substances continue to …
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