Sunday, August 1, 2021

PNS Daily Newscast - July 30, 2021
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Educators' unions call for efforts to ensure in-person learning keeps students, teachers, families, and staff safe; and an update on hate crimes by state.

2021Talks - July 30, 2021
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Congress passes Capitol security funding; House Freedom Caucus members want Cheney, Kinzinger out of GOP conference; Schumer closes a deal to advance $3.5 trillion reconciliation package; and a new report says investor-owned utilities try to block rooftop solar.

Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention

Supporters say legalizing marijuana for recreational use would be an economic boon for Ohio, but opponents have concerns about health and safety. (Adobe Stock)
Supporters say legalizing marijuana for recreational use would be an economic boon for Ohio, but opponents have concerns about health and safety. (Adobe Stock)

Friday, July 30, 2021

Recreational Marijuana on the Table Again in Ohio

By Troy Pierson / Broadcast version by Mary Schuermann reporting for the Kent State-Ohio News Connection Collaboration. As marijuana becomes more …

An exhibit looking at the opioid crisis in Indiana features personal stories and art installations from people in the recovery community as well as medical professionals. (The Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites)
An exhibit looking at the opioid crisis in Indiana features personal stories and art installations from people in the recovery community as well as medical professionals. (The Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites)

Thursday, July 29, 2021

Exhibit Aimed at Reducing Opioid-Use Disorder Stigma Heads to Muncie

INDIANAPOLIS -- An exhibit at the Indiana State Museum, "FIX: Heartbreak and Hope Inside Our Opioid Crisis," is leaving Indianapolis Sunday and …

Nationwide, drug-overdose deaths increased by 30% between 2019 and 2020. (Andrey/Adobe Stock)
Nationwide, drug-overdose deaths increased by 30% between 2019 and 2020. (Andrey/Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, July 28, 2021

Medical Expert: Fake Prescription Pills May Contain Fentanyl

CHICAGO - Overdose deaths in Illinois rose by more than a quarter from 2019 to 2020, and medical experts are warning that pills not prescribed by a …

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, about one-in-six teens who start using marijuana become addicted to the drug. (fontonize/AdobeStock)
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, about one-in-six teens who start using marijuana become addicted to the drug. (fontonize/AdobeStock)
Marijuana, Mood Disorder and Self-Harm: A Troubling Connection

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Substance misuse prevention experts in Ohio are raising the alarm about the dangers associated with marijuana use among teens with …

Narcan, which is available at pharmacy chains in New Hampshire without a prescription, can be used to treat opioid overdoses in emergency situations. (Flickr)
Narcan, which is available at pharmacy chains in New Hampshire without a prescription, can be used to treat opioid overdoses in emergency situations. (Flickr)
Emergency Responders Urge Continued Focus on Opioid Crisis in NH

MANCHESTER, N.H. -- Some New Hampshire cities saw more drug overdoses in May than they have since before the pandemic, and advocates are urging …

Parents' poor mental health due to pandemic-related disruptions can be a contributing factor in negative mental-health outcomes for children. (Pixabay)
Parents' poor mental health due to pandemic-related disruptions can be a contributing factor in negative mental-health outcomes for children. (Pixabay)
Helping Children Navigate Through Trauma

DENVER, Colo. -- School closures, social isolation, gaps in health-care access and other pandemic-related disruptions have taken a toll on children's …

Studies show that needle exchanges save the lives of thousands of drug users each year, and slows the spread of HIV, hepatitis and other infectious diseases. (Wikimedia Commons)
Studies show that needle exchanges save the lives of thousands of drug users each year, and slows the spread of HIV, hepatitis and other infectious diseases. (Wikimedia Commons)
AZ Lawmakers Legalize Needle-Exchange Programs to Fight HIV, Opioids

PHOENIX -- Health-care advocates say Arizona's new needle exchange law could not only save millions of dollars in health care but also slow the spread…

Day One is the only Maine agency that provides an adolescent residential substance-use treatment program. (motortion/Adobe Stock)
Day One is the only Maine agency that provides an adolescent residential substance-use treatment program. (motortion/Adobe Stock)
Groups Decry Lack of Substance-Use Treatment for Young Mainers

AUGUSTA, Maine - As Maine's legislative session nears an end, groups are urging lawmakers to prioritize making mental health and substance-use …

A New London peer-navigator program could aid first responders in mental-health emergencies. Only 30% of New London police officers have crisis-intervention training, according to the city's Human Services Department. (Mario Beauregard/Adobe Stock)
A New London peer-navigator program could aid first responders in mental-health emergencies. Only 30% of New London police officers have crisis-intervention training, according to the city's Human Services Department. (Mario Beauregard/Adobe Stock)
One CT City Makes Emergency Mental-Health Calls a Priority

NEW LONDON, Conn. - A first-in-the-state pilot program could soon offer a different approach to how agencies in Connecticut respond to emergency …

An outbreak of vaping-related lung injury is under investigation by the CDC. (AdobeStock)
An outbreak of vaping-related lung injury is under investigation by the CDC. (AdobeStock)
Ohio Group Aims to Stem Surge of Marijuana Vaping Among Teens

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Groups working to prevent substance misuse said immediate action is needed to stem the surge of young people vaping marijuana…

In Sept. 2020, opioid deaths in parts of the United States were 25 to 50% higher than in 2019, according to a GAO report about the effects of the pandemic on the need for mental-health and substance-use care. (Adobe Stock)
In Sept. 2020, opioid deaths in parts of the United States were 25 to 50% higher than in 2019, according to a GAO report about the effects of the pandemic on the need for mental-health and substance-use care. (Adobe Stock)
State Health-care Workers in Middletown Seek End to Staffing Crisis

MIDDLETOWN, Conn. -- A new report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) revealed there has been greater demand for behavioral health …

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention surveys found that 38% of respondents reported symptoms of anxiety or depression from April 2020 through last February, up from 11% in 2019. (Pixabay)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention surveys found that 38% of respondents reported symptoms of anxiety or depression from April 2020 through last February, up from 11% in 2019. (Pixabay)
Need for Mental, Substance-Abuse Treatment Increased During COVID

FORT LUPTON, Colo. -- Suicide rates, overdoses and substance abuse all are on the rise since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, according to a …

 

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