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The Drug Enforcement Administration reported seizing more than 115,000 pounds of methamphetamine in 2020, marking a 55% surge compared with 2018. (Gorodenkoff/Adobe Stock)

Uncovering America's methamphetamine history

Missouri may, at one time, have had a reputation as the "meth-lab capital of the country" - but a five-part podcast uncovers its true history…

Sen. Holly Thompson, R-Scott City, sponsored legislation to decriminalize fentanyl testing strips, which used to be considered drug paraphernalia. (luchschenF/Adobe Stock)

Newly legal fentanyl testing strips help fight overdose deaths in MO

The rise in deaths involving synthetic opioids or fentanyl have overdose-prevention advocates looking for solutions across the nation. Gov. Mike …

The 340B Drug Pricing Program, a part of the 1992 Public Health Service Act, provides outpatient drugs at deep discounts to safety net providers. (Gorodenkoff/Adobe Stock)

Missouri community healthcare centers face 340B uncertainty

While large hospitals and pharmaceutical manufacturers battle over drug costs, Missouri community health centers see themselves as collateral damage…

According to the National Survey on Drug Use conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration, 16.5% of construction workers reported

Peer Support Helps St. Louis Construction Workers Battling Addiction

Construction workers are more likely to die by suicide or of a drug overdose than workers in almost any other field, and a St. Louis-based peer …

Data from a national survey of adults found that excessive drinking increased 21% during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Adobe Stock)

Sober October Highlights Health Benefits, Raising Money for Charity

Missourians who want a new health challenge can participate in Sober October. In addition to the sobriety pledge, it offers the chance to raise money …

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has announced a new drug-impaired driving enforcement campaig called

Campaign Discourages Driving While Under Influence of Drugs

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — While law enforcement dealt with the influx of cannabis use throughout the weekend because of the close association of April …

More than 75 percent of heroin users were first introduced to opioids through prescription drugs. (Emilian Danaila/Pixabay)

Missouri Gets Mixed Grades for Its Approach to Opioid Epidemic

ST. LOUIS – The numbers are staggering – about 60,000 Americans died of drug overdoses in 2016, more than 600 in the St. Louis area…

The National Council for Behavioral Health believes cuts to Medicaid will result in increased costs for police departments, jails and hospital emergency rooms. (paulbr75/Pixabay)

Mental-Health Experts on Senate Healthcare Bill: 'Worse Than We Feared'

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – It rips the rug out from under Missourians who struggle with addictions and mental illnesses. That's what behavioral health …

Missouri has almost 100,000 kids growing up with a parent in prison. (jacksoncountymo.gov)

Kids of Incarcerated Parents Travel a Rough Road

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - There are 98,000 kids in Missouri who have, or have had, a parent in jail or prison. A new report by the Annie E. Casey …

States are grappling with the issues of increased medical care needed as prison populations age and prisons that aren't equipped for the elderly. (Virginia Carter)

Missouri Takes Steps to Address the "Graying" of Prison Population

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The number of older Americans serving prison sentences is on the rise, and those facilities weren't originally designed to …

A new report says Missouri residents need to make a few lifestyle changes to stay healthy for the next generation. (Lorie Gelwick Tuter)

Report Shows Health Improvements Needed for MO Counties

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - St. Charles County is first in Missouri for length and quality of life, while Pemiscot County comes in last, according to a new …

December is one of the prime months when youth experiment with alcohol, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health. (verbaska/morguefile)

Think Before Letting Kids Have a New Year's Drink

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo - Before uncorking the champagne this New Year's Eve, researchers urge parents to think about the role they play in preventing …

The CDC says too many teens get less sleep than they need, due in part to the early start times of middle and high schools. Credit: Charlie Wrenn/Morguefile.

Report: Missouri Students Need More Zs

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Getting more sleep will likely help Missouri middle- and high-school students do better in school, be healthier and make …

Teens are turning to e-cigarettes in large numbers, which doctors say is problematic on many fronts. Credit: www.vaping360.com

Doctors Raise Red Flag About Teens and E-Cigarettes

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – As summer winds down and kids return to their classes and friends, health experts want to make sure parents make children …

PHOTO: The adult smoking rate in Missouri is 22 percent, well above the U.S. average of around 18 percent. The state's teen smoking rate of 15 percent is on par with national numbers. Photo credit: cherylholt/morguefile.com.

Missouri "Worst in Nation" for Tobacco-Prevention Spending

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - The latest report on how well states are funding tobacco prevention and cessation efforts has Missouri ranked worst in the …

GRAPHIC: The new CDC National Youth Risk Behavior Survey shows 41 percent of teens admit to texting or e-mailing while driving. CREDIT: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

CDC: Risky Teen Behavior Shifts

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Less cigarette smoking, soda drinking and physical fighting, but more time at computers and other tech devices. That's the …

PHOTO: The Denver Broncos will take on the Seattle Seahawks this weekend in Super Bowl XLVIII, and doctors are urging parents to let the aggression play out on the field, and not in their homes. Photo courtesy of Microsoft Images.

Super Bowl Time Brings Spike in Child Abuse Consults

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Super Bowl Sunday is just days away and as excitement builds, doctors at one Missouri hospital are urging parents to find a …

PHOTO: As picturesque as the freshly fallen snow may be, doctors encourage Missourians to enjoy the view from inside because the extreme cold poses serious potential health risks. Photo courtesy of Mona Shand

Extreme Cold, Snow Pose Health Risks for Missourians

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - With much of the state enduring a blast of Arctic air and wind chills dipping far below zero, doctors warn that this is no …

PHOTO: Mothers Against Drunk Driving says high visibility law enforcement campaigns are a proven deterrent against drunk driving. The 'Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over' campaign runs through Labor Day Weekend. Photo credit: MADD

MADD 'Glad' About More Sobriety Checkpoints

ST. LOUIS, Mo. - You might think an organization called "MADD" would not have much to be glad about, but having more police on the streets through …

GRAPHIC: The National Institutes of Health finds 12th graders abusing prescription and over-the counter medications Courtesy of: NIH

Docs Urge Missourians to Keep Meds Away from Toddlers, Teens

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - As prescriptions for adults' aches, pains and chronic illnesses increase, so do incidents of accidental poisonings of children…

IMAGE: Time is vital when it comes to treating stroke, as brain damage mounts with each passing minutes and there is just a small window of time where clot busting drugs can be administered. CREDIT: AHA

Think it Might Be a Stroke? FAST is best

ST. LOUIS – May is National Stroke Awareness Month, and one of the key points in the event of a stroke is fast action. Cardiologist Dr…

Where are Missouri Kids on the Campaign Trail?

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Advocates for children in Missouri and across the country say the youngest Americans are being ignored so far in the presidential …

Environmental Health Risks: Not Just Cancer

WASHINGTON, D.C. - A recent report delivered to President Obama by a special panel appointed by President Bush warned that the risk of cancer from …

Study: Teens Divulge In Risky Behavior on Social Networking Sites

Kansas City, MO - Parents naturally worry that social networking sites might put youngsters' private lives in a fishbowl, and new research now shows …

Helping Missouri Children Overcome the Consequences of Violence

Springfield, MO - Childcare providers in Missouri will learn new research this week about the suspected link between violence and brain development …

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