Gov. Greg Abbott launches $10 million effort to combat fentanyl crisis, sends overdose-reversing meds to all 254 counties
The “One Pill Kills” campaign is funded with the help of a federal grant, and the statewide Narcan distribution is being paid for with funds from Texas’ settlement agreement with opioid manufacturers and pharmaceutical companies.
‘I don’t want anyone to go through what I’ve gone through’: Montgomery County teen warns after fentanyl overdose
A Montgomery County teenager who spent two nights in the hospital earlier this year after overdosing on a pill she didn’t know was laced with fentanyl is warning others about the dangers and spreading the message that it’s not worth it.
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Overdose deaths far outpace COVID-19 deaths in San Francisco
FILE - In this April 26, 2018, file photo, a man lies on the sidewalk beside a recyclable trash bin in San Francisco. A record 621 people died of drug overdoses in San Francisco so far this year, a staggering number that far outpaces the 173 deaths from COVID-19 the city has seen thus far. (AP Photo/Ben Margot, File)SAN FRANCISCO – A record 621 people died of drug overdoses in San Francisco so far this year, a staggering number that far outpaces the 173 deaths from COVID-19 the city has seen thus far. The crisis fueled by the powerful painkiller fentanyl could have been far worse if it wasn't for the nearly 3,000 times Narcan was used from January to the beginning of November to save someone from the brink of death, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Saturday. The data reflects the number of times people report using Narcan to the Drug Overdose Prevention and Education Project, a city-funded program that coordinates San Francisco’s response to overdose, or return to refill their supply.
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A growing problem: New grant aims to help Houston first responders prevent more opioid deaths with use of Narcan
HOUSTON September is National Recovery Month and while the focus has been on fighting the spread of coronavirus in Houston, officials said the city is also working to address the worsening opioid addiction crisis. According to a news release, Houston first responders have reported a 17% increase in overdoses in the months of April, May and June compared to last year. According to the release, Narcan has already been used over 1,000 times in 2020 alone. Now, more than ever, the entire Houston community needs to be aware that opioid misuse is a growing problem that could touch the lives of anyone including their own, said Dr. David Persse with the Houston Health Department. Anyone can legally possess and administer naloxone if they or someone they know is at risk of an opioid overdose.