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Articles on Opioid crisis

Displaying 61 - 80 of 83 articles

Paramedics and firefighters in Cincinnati respond to a possible opioid overdose at a hotel on Nov. 2, 2017. John Minchillo/AP Photo

Suicide nation: What’s behind the need to numb and to seek a final escape?

Deaths from opioid overdose and suicide are at an all-time high. One in 10 adult Americans uses marijuana. And only 1 in 3 Americans self-describes as ‘happy.’ A public health expert asks, what’s going on?
‘Confessions of an English Opium-Eater’ was the first modern drug memoir and set the tone for opium use for decades. Here: Papaver somniferum (Opium poppy), a group of deep red flowers, buds and seed pods. Opium is extracted from the latex of the unripe seed pods. Ripe seeds are innocuous and widely used in baking. (Rowan McOnegal/Wellcome Collection)

The 19th century book that spawned the opioid crisis

‘Confessions of an English Opium-Eater’ is considered the first modern drug memoir. Many believe it is responsible for our romantic ideas of opium-based drug use today.
Naloxone is often used to revive people overdosing from opioids. REUTERS/Brian Snyder

Why genetics makes some people more vulnerable to opioid addiction – and protects others

Scientists are just starting to understand how your parents’ genes and experiences might shape your own susceptibility to dangerous drugs. Could that help to stop addictions before they start?
Pain lets us know when there is something wrong, but sometimes our brains can trick us. Mai Lam/The Conversation NY-BD-CC

Trust Me I’m An Expert: The science of pain

Trust Me I’m An Expert: The science of pain The Conversation58.7 MB (download)
Our podcast Trust Me, I'm An Expert, goes beyond the headlines and asks researchers to explain the evidence on issues making news. Today, we're talking pain and what science says about managing it.
When should you ask your doctor for opioids? Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock.com

Is it wrong to ask your doctor for opioids?

A scholar explains why there is no one answer. Some pain is devastating, and sometimes such pain responds well to opioids. On the other hand, there is evidence that some physicians overprescribe.
Needles used for shooting heroin and other opioids litter the ground of a Philadelphia park. REUTERS/Charles Mostoller

Scaling back Obamacare will make the opioid crisis worse

By undermining the ACA, Republicans may be taking away one of the health care system’s best tools for improving the lives of those with addiction.
President Donald Trump displays a presidential memorandum he signed, declaring the opioid crisis a public health emergency in the East Room of the White House, Oct. 26, 2017, in Washington. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Why Canada should declare a national opioid emergency too

Opioids kill an average of eight people every day in Canada. The federal government must officially declare this a ‘public welfare emergency’ and invest the funds critical to a humane response.
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Anthill 19: Pain

Pain is something everyone experiences. This episode of The Anthill podcast explores how and why it works in our brains, what kinds of drugs are being developed to reduce pain, and whether or not robots of the future should be built so that they experience pain.
As North America’s opioid crisis worsens, schools across Canada are purchasing naloxone anti-overdose kits. Research suggests that risks of opioid addiction could also be addressed through attention to children’s nutrition. (Shutterstock)

Sugar in the diet may increase risks of opioid addiction

High fructose corn syrup in food and drinks has long been linked to rising rates of child and teen obesity. New evidence suggests it increases the risks of opioid addiction and overdose too.
Michelle Holley holds a photograph of her daughter Jaime Holley, 19, who died of a heroin overdose in November 2016. Lynne Sladky/AP Photo

The opioid epidemic in 6 charts

Your guide to a public health crisis that’s likely to get worse.
Talk it out. Iakov Filimonov/shutterstock.com

How to talk to your kids about opioids

While talking about drugs with young people isn’t always comfortable, research has shown that it’s critical for prevention.

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