JUNEAU—On Wednesday, Governor Bill Walker has declared a public health crisis in order to combat the state’s opioid epidemic. The disaster declaration establishes a statewide Overdose Response Program under Alaska’s Chief Medical Officer and enables wide distribution of the life-saving drug, naloxone. “This disaster declaration is an important first step in addressing our public health […]
ATLANTA AND WASHINGTON — For decades, U.S. life expectancy has been rising. In 1950, most Americans could expect to celebrate their 68th birthday. In 2014, most Americans could expect to celebrate their 78th, and live at least another 10 months beyond that. But in 2015 life expectancy dipped by a month, according to data from the […]
In response to Alaska’s heroin epidemic and communities’ call for action heard across the state, the Advisory Board on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority, and Alaska Department of Health and Social Services are convening the Alaska Opioid Policy Task Force. This task force of Alaskan experts will work collaboratively with stakeholders […]
August 14, 2014 – More than 40 percent of Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) recipients take opioid pain relievers, while the prevalence of chronic opioid use is over 20 percent and rising, reports a study in the September issue of Medical Care. The journal is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a part of Wolters Kluwer Health. The […]