Methadone Treatment Does Help Curb Fentanyl, Heroin Use, Study Shows

• Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• May 11, 2023
• Full Page

When people receive methadone treatment for opioid use disorder, their use of the dangerous drugs heroin and fentanyl significantly declines, a new study shows.

But decreases in cocaine or methamphetamine use were not seen in a year of treatment, researchers report.

Wider Supply of Opioid Antidote Naloxone Won't Encourage Heroin Use: Study

• Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• March 8, 2023
• Full Page

Contrary to concerns, wider availability of naloxone treatment is not increasing heroin use among U.S. teens, new research finds.

Naloxone (Narcan) quickly reverses an overdose from opioids like heroin, fentanyl, morphine and oxycodone (OxyContin). There had been some wo...

U.S. Deaths Involving Meth Are Skyrocketing, Fentanyl a Big Factor

• Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
• February 21, 2023
• Full Page

Deaths from methamphetamine among Americans increased 50-fold between 1999 and 2021, a chilling new study reports.

Most of these deaths also involved heroin or fentanyl, according to researchers.

"The staggering increase in methamphetamine-related deaths in the Uni...

U.S. Justice Dept. Might Allow Safe Injection Sites to Curb Opioid Deaths

• February 8, 2022
• Full Page

There are indications the U.S. Justice Department may be open to the idea of allowing safe injection sites, a year after it won a court battle against them.

The department told the Associated Press that it is "evaluating" safe injection sites and speaking with r...

Opioid Addiction Treatment in Jail Could Change Lives

• Robert Preidt
• January 19, 2022
• Full Page

No magic bullet exists for ending the U.S. opioid crisis, but there's hopeful news for one high-risk population: Providing addiction medication in jails reduces the odds of addicts being re-arrested after their release, new research shows.

"Studies like this provide much...