Drugs 📍

📽️ Videos

Drugmaker Behind Vivitrol Tries To Cash In On The Opioid Epidemic, One State Law At A Time

|

Drugmaker Behind Vivitrol Tries To Cash In On The Opioid Epidemic, One State Law At A Time

"Two years ago, a mental health advocate named Steve McCaffrey stood at a lectern in the Indiana statehouse, testifying in favor of an addiction treatment bill. After years of rising overdose rates, lawmakers in the health committee were taking action to combat the opioid epidemic. And they often turned to McCaffrey, who leads Mental Health America of Indiana, to advise them.

His brief testimony appeared straightforward. "We rise in support, urge your adoption," said McCaffrey. He said the legislation would move the state "toward evidence-based treatment."

But the bill wouldn't do that. Instead, it would cement rules making it harder to access certain addiction medications — medications that many patients rely on. The goal was to steer doctors toward a specific brand-name drug: Vivitrol.

The drug is a monthly shot used to treat alcohol and opioid addiction and one of a handful of FDA-approved treatments for addiction to opioids such as pain relievers, heroin and fentanyl."

A Look at Heroin Abuse in Our State

|

Over the past few months I’ve posted several graphics and charts about heroin abuse in our state. I thought it would be good to put together a brief synopsis, of the various graphs and maps I’ve done.

Heroin abuse doesn’t effect all counties equally, indeed some counties are particularly hard hit.

Overall in the past decade, heroin deaths are up dramatically across the state.

[nycchart id=”81526″]

Indeed, heroin is the fastest growing reason people are checking themselves into drug rehab facilties in our state.

[nycchart id=”81994″]

The growth of heroin has displaced the abuse of cocaine and crack in our state.

[nycchart id=”83365″]

Despite common myth, drug possession arrests nationally follow closely the racial breakdown, at least in 2015.

[nycchart id=”84169″]