Fatal Overdoses Soar In Kentucky In 2021, Most Of Them Involving Fentanyl

AP: Kentucky Shatters Its Fatal Overdose Record; Fentanyl Blamed
Fatal drug overdoses rose nearly 15% in Kentucky last year, surpassing 2,000 deaths as the increased use of fentanyl — a powerful synthetic opioid — resulted in a record death toll in the state, according to a report released Monday. The report showed that 2,250 Kentuckians died from drug overdoses in 2021 — an ongoing scourge plaguing rural counties and the state’s largest cities alike. It was the first time the Bluegrass State surpassed 2,000 drug overdose deaths in a single year, said Van Ingram, executive director of the state Office of Drug Control Policy. (Schreiner, 6/13)

In other news on the drug crisis —

The Boston Globe: Advocates For Safe Consumption Sites In Mass. Find Hope In Shifting Political Winds As Overdose Deaths Soar 
People who use drugs can find a lot of helpful services at Fenway Health’s needle exchange program, known as Access — medical care for hepatitis C and other infections, links to addiction treatments, and clean syringes and other sterile supplies to prevent the spread of disease. But when they want to take illicit substances, clients must leave the Cambridge facility. They head to the streets and public restrooms, often with drugs that are contaminated with deadly fentanyl. And often they die of overdoses as a result. (Freyer, 6/13)

KHN: As Biden Fights Overdoses, Harm Reduction Groups Face Local Opposition
Casey Malish had just pulled into an intersection in the 2nd Ward when a woman with tattoos and pinkish hair unexpectedly hopped into the back seat of his gray Mazda. He handles outreach for the Houston Harm Reduction Alliance, a nonprofit that helps drug users like her stay alive. The woman, Desiree Hess, had arranged to meet with him, but Malish, as usual, wasn’t sure what to expect on this recent afternoon. Hess told Malish to take her to near the Value Village thrift store before she explained why she was so frantic. (Rayasam, 6/14)

And more health news from across the U.S. —

AP: Maine Gov Creates 'Cabinet On Aging' To Prepare For Changes 
The governor of the oldest state in the nation created a “Cabinet on Aging” on Monday with a hope of preparing for demographic changes that will impact health care and the workforce. Maine has the nation’s oldest median age. Democratic Gov. Janet Mills said that means tens of thousands of residents will retire in the coming years in the state. (6/13)

North Carolina Health News: Should North Carolina Operate Its Medicaid Oral Health Program As Fee-For-Service Or Transition To Managed Care?
As lawmakers ponder whether to expand Medicaid to add some 600,000 more people to the rolls, the North Carolina Oral Health Collaborative is looking at a different aspect of the federal- and state-sponsored insurance program. Nearly a year ago, North Carolina transformed its Medicaid program from a fee-for-service-based plan to a system managed by private insurers. (Blythe, 6/14)

AP: Compounding Pharmacy Agrees To Stop Distributing Some Drugs 
A Vermont compounding pharmacy has agreed to stop producing adulterated and misbranded drugs, the U.S. Justice Department said Monday. Edge Pharma of Colchester and its owners and operators signed a consent decree with the Justice Department on Friday that requires Edge Pharma Inc. of Colchester to take specific remedial measures to ensure its products are safe and demonstrate to the Food and Drug Administration that they will comply with federal law. (6/13)

Stat: Study: Enrollment In Medical Cannabis Programs Saw Four-Fold Increase
Enrollment in medical cannabis programs across the U.S. jumped by over four times between 2016 and 2020, according to a new study that also examined the qualifying conditions patients list on their licensing forms. Researchers found increasing enrollment was clustered in states with medical-only cannabis programs, while enrollment in states that also permit recreational use declined or stagnated between 2016 and 2020. The researchers identified chronic pain as the most commonly listed condition specified on medical license applications. (Welle, 6/13)