opioid epidemic
-
El Paso and Teller counties to see $66 million in grants to address opioid epidemic
—
by
El Paso and Teller counties are expected to receive $66 million through 2038 to address the opioid epidemic, a scourge that has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives nationally. A regional council awarded the first round of that funding, about $3.8 million, in April. The council left about $1.1 million in reserve to fund additional…
-
‘Life over abstinence’: Colorado legislators again pursue supervised drug use centers
—
by
When Maggie Seldeen’s mother died from a heroin overdose, no one called 911. At only 15 years old, overdoses were almost commonplace in Seldeen’s world, surrounded by addiction, drug dealing and domestic violence in the Roaring Fork Valley. Seldeen, an injection drug user herself at the time, did not know about naloxone, or Narcan, which…
-
Drug overdose deaths across Colorado drop for the first time in years
—
by
Drug overdose deaths across Colorado eased slightly in 2018 for the first time in years, led by a drop in prescription painkiller deaths that have been a root cause of the opioid epidemic. Across the state, 974 people died from drug overdoses last year – a 38-person drop from the state’s record death toll set…
-
Help Denver win its war against the opioid epidemic
—
by
As we all read in news reports, the opioid crisis in the United States is getting worse. Of the estimated 72,000 overdose deaths last year – over 1,000 in Colorado alone – opioids are still the biggest culprit. And there are many reasons to be concerned. Fentanyl is the fastest growing cause of overdose deaths,…
-
OUT WEST ROUNDUP | Oklahoma fast-tracks medical marijuana, faces pushback
—
by
Oklahoma Oklahoma fast-tracking medical marijuana, but with pushback OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma pushed ahead last week with emergency rules aimed at fast-tracking operations of the medical marijuana industry, but not before concerned health officials tacked on requirements that cannabis advocates say will only slow things down. The state Board of Health narrowly voted to prohibit…
-
Denver study illustrates scope of city’s opioid epidemic
—
by
What does the opioid crisis look like in Denver – from the point of view of the people trapped in it? A new Denver study paints a picture of opioid abuse in the city through interviews with dozens of users. The Denver Needs Assessment on Opioid Use, conducted by the Denver Department of Public Health, interviewed…
-
Gubernatorial candidates talk mental health, substance abuse at bipartisan forum
—
by
DENVER – A stage full of gubernatorial candidates agreed on the importance of addressing issues surrounding mental health and substance abuse, but some differed sharply on their approaches at a bipartisan forum devoted to the topics on Friday in Denver. “This issue is literally a matter of life and death,” said Andrew Romanoff, president of…
-
Pueblo Democrat Leroy Garcia launches reelection bid in Senate District 3
—
by
Assistant Senate Minority Leader Leroy Garcia, the Pueblo Democrat who took back one of the Senate seats lost to Republicans in Colorado’s 2013 recall elections, formally launched his campaign this week for a second term representing Senate District 3. Garcia, a paramedic, community college instructor and Marine Corps veteran, said in a statement he wants…
-
Local officials throw support behind Democrat Phil Weiser’s attorney general bid
—
by
Touting his commitment to issues important to rural Colorado, five current and former county commissioners and the mayor of Telluride on Wednesday endorsed Democratic attorney general candidate Phil Weiser, his campaign said. “Phil Weiser is a nationwide leader on broadband and worked under President Obama on a successful bipartisan initiative to encourage wireless broadband and…
-
Republican gubernatorial candidate Doug Robinson releases legislative priorities as session starts
—
by
Republican Doug Robinson, one of nine candidates in a primary for governor, on Tuesday released his legislative priorities as Colorado lawmakers were set to kick off the General Assembly’s 2018 regular session. On the retired investment advisor’s list: long-term funding for roads, adequate career training for students, solutions to the opioid epidemic and long-term stability…
