More than 1,500 pending civil lawsuits, filed mostly by state and local governments, allege that deceptive marketing claims helped fuel a national epidemic of opioid addiction and thousands of overdose deaths.
addiction
In Lawsuit, Pam Bondi Accuses Pill Manufacturers of Causing Opioid Crisis
Bondi filed a civil suit accusing five of the nation’s largest opioid manufacturers and four distributors of causing the opioid crisis that is killing an average 15 Floridians daily.
Addiction Drug Vivitrol’s Side Effect: More Overdoses?
Researchers suggest people getting Vivitrol shots may be more susceptible to a fatal overdose if they halt the regimen early and resume using opiates.
The Last Weeks of Savannah Deangelis, 23, Who Died Monday From an Opioid Overdose
Savannah Deangelis of Palm Coast, a Matanzas High graduate, overdosed in late October after being expelled from a recovery program in dubious circumstances after the hurricane.
Christian Recovery House for Addicts Wins Legal Battle, Costing Bunnell $500,000
The settlement agreement after an 18-month fight clears the way for Open Door Ministry to run a 12-bed residential program for drug and alcohol addicts on East Booe Street in Bunnell.
Florida Teens’ Taste for E-Cigarettes Now More than Double That of Tobacco Sticks
Some 6.9 percent of Florida high-school students smoke cigarettes, but 15.8 percent use electronic cigarettes, which allow inhalation of vaporized nicotine.
Heroin Overdoses Spike After Florida
Cracks Down on Prescription Pill Abuse
Five years ago, Florida was the prescription drug capital of the U.S. Seven people died every day from overdoses. The state cracked down, but this year, heroin overdose deaths are expected to be double those number four years before.
Jane Carman, Wife of Sheriff’s Palm Coast Precinct Commander, Found Dead at Her Home
Jane Carman, the 56-year-old wife of Mark Carman, commander of the Flagler County Sheriff’s Palm Coast precinct, was found dead on a bedroom floor at her home Sunday morning. The cause of death was attributed to aspiration, or choking, according to a Flagler County Sheriff’s report.
Bunnell Planning Board Approves Ordinance Targeting Bible Half-Way House For Addicts
The Bunnell board’s unanimous decision, if ratified by the Bunnell City Commission, would likely prevent the half-way house from opening its doors, but the city and the targeted ministry are locked in a federal legal battle which the proposed ordinance could exacerbate.
No Money, No Director: Flagler Youth Coalition Struggles for Survival and Identity
Created to fight youth drug abuse, the Focus on Flagler Youth Coalition is out of money, has had no executive director since last year, and its non-profit status may be in jeopardy. Coalition board members are exploring survival options.