Opioid Epidemic Leads To Staggering Increase In Organ Donations
Now, as the opioid crisis ravages America, one out of every 11 organ donors is a drug-overdose victim, according to government data.
The Washington Post:
‘Salvaging Some Good’: The Unexpected Side Effect Of The Tragic Opioid Epidemic
America's opioid epidemic has had far-reaching and generally devastating consequences. Now, the impact is being seen in organ donations. Coinciding with a rise in drug-related deaths, the number of organ donors who died of drug overdoses has sharply increased in recent years — "a silver lining to what is absolutely a tragedy," Alexandra K. Glazier, president of the New England Organ Bank, recently told U.S. News & World Report. Last year, 848 organ donors died of drug intoxication, according to Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network data. And while such organ donors have become more common over the decades, the recent numbers show a staggering jump. (Izadi, 5/9)
Media outlets offer coverage of the crisis out of the states —
The Columbus Dispatch:
Tiberi Joins Recovering Addicts For Event Before House Vote
This week, the House will vote on 15 bills related to opioid addiction, including one that will require the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to provide educational materials to teenagers and adolescents injured while playing sports. The bills — which were introduced over several months — are being grouped together in response to the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act, co-sponsored by Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, which passed the Senate last month. The Senate bill offers grant programs that focus on both prevention of and recovery from opioid addiction. (Perkins, 5/10)
New Hampshire Public Radio:
Concord's First Addiction Recovery Center Opens Its Doors
The center, located a half mile from the State House in Concord, does not provide treatment but rather recovery coaches to help connect people to addiction services. The non-profit has three recovery coaches on staff and expects to serve 20 to 30 people a week. Soon after Monday's ribbon-cutting ceremony, three people lined up to get help. (Sutherland, 5/9)
The Seattle Times:
Snohomish County Voters To Decide On Sales-Tax Hike To Fight Heroin Epidemic
The Snohomish County Council on Monday voted to send a 0.2 percent sales-tax increase to voters in August to address what leaders called “an unprecedented heroin epidemic.” (Thompson, 5/9)
