Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
The Associated Press: Georgia Governor Signs Limits On Drug Treatment Centers
Georgia is increasing regulation of addiction treatment centers, prompted by complaints from northwest Georgia lawmakers and residents that a cluster of programs there largely treat people traveling from other states. Gov. Nathan Deal signed the legislation on Thursday. (5/4)
The Associated Press: 'Gray Death' Is The Latest Opioid Street Mix Causing Worry
It’s being called “gray death” — a new and dangerous opioid combo that underscores the ever-changing nature of the U.S. addiction crisis. Investigators who nicknamed the street mixture have detected it or recorded overdoses blamed on it in Alabama, Georgia and Ohio. The drug looks like concrete mix and varies in consistency from a hard, chunky material to a fine powder. The substance is a combination of several opioids blamed for thousands of fatal overdoses nationally, including heroin, fentanyl, carfentanil — sometimes used to tranquilize large animals like elephants — and a synthetic opioid called U-47700. (Welsh-Huggins, 5/4)
NPR: Measuring Drug Impairment In Drivers Easier Said Than Done
Drug-impaired driving is a growing concern for highway safety officials. But, as a recent report makes clear, its actual impact is still difficult to measure. The report from the Governors Highway Safety Association, a group of state highway safety offices, found that in 2015, among fatally injured drivers with a known test result, drugs were detected more frequently than alcohol. (Hobson, 5/5)
