Opioid Overprescribing Case Tossed, Supporting Supreme Court Decision

AP: Court Throws Out Wyoming Doctor's Pill Convictions 
A federal appeals court on Friday threw out the convictions of a doctor accused of overprescribing powerful pain medication and ordered a new trial for him. The Denver-based 10th Circuit Court of Appeals decision in the case of Shakeel Kahn, who worked in both Arizona and Wyoming, hinged on the instructions given to jurors during his trial and came after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of him and another doctor convicted in Alabama in a case stemming from the nation’s opioid addiction crisis. In June, the Supreme Court ruled that the government needed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that doctors accused of overprescribing medication intended to act without authorization and sent Kahn’s case back to the 10th Circuit, which previously had upheld his conviction. (2/3)

More on the opioid crisis —

CNN: American Pain: Twin Brothers Ran A Massive Painkiller Ring In Florida That Was Linked To Thousands Of Deaths, The FBI Says 
Throngs of people hang outside the American Pain clinic in Boca Raton, Florida, waiting their turn. Inside, a doctor greets them one by one and prescribes them pain medication, a handgun peeking out from under his white coat. American Pain is a one-stop shop, supplying both prescriptions and painkillers. At the door, a hulking bouncer warns people not to snort their pills in the parking lot. That would attract the kind of attention that the clinic’s owners, twin brothers Chris and Jeff George, are trying to avoid. (Karimi, 2/3)

AP: Maine Sets Another Record For Overdose Deaths, Report Says 
More than 700 people died from drug overdoses last year in Maine, setting the third straight record, officials said. A report by the attorney general’s office Thursday notes there were 716 suspected or confirmed drug overdose deaths in 2022, compared to 636 deaths the year before and 504 deaths in 2020. (2/3)

Anchorage Daily News: ‘It’s So Vital’: New Mat-Su Facility Adds Detox Beds In A State With Few Options For Residential Addiction Treatment
More than five years ago, on the day her son died of a heroin overdose, Karen Malcolm-Smith vowed to help create a place where Alaskans suffering from addiction could get help when they need it most — when they’re ready to embark on the often physically and emotionally grueling process of drug detoxification. (Berman, 2/5)

The Washington Post: To Curb Drug Deaths, Communities Turn To Reddit, Texts And Wastewater 
When New York City’s overdose prevention center detects an unusually potent bag of illegal fentanyl, it quickly sends out a “bad batch alert” on the “canary network” to warn other drug users of the urgent danger. Staffers walk drug user encampments in East Harlem, Washington Heights and the South Bronx to spread the news. Word goes out on social media. The city’s health department is notified, along with other organizations. ... OnPoint NYC’s approach is one of many attempts to warn large numbers of users about the imminent threat of fatal overdoses from the opioid fentanyl and other drugs laced with it. (Bernstein and Kornfield, 2/5)

The Boston Globe: Tackling The Opioid Crisis From Within The Construction Industry 
Accidental overdoses have been on the rise in Rhode Island, where data around the opioid epidemic has been trending in the wrong direction for the last several years. Andrew Cortés, the founder and executive director of Building Futures Rhode Island, sees the toll addictive opioids like carfentanil and fentanyl are taking on the construction industry. In fact, one of every five opioid-related deaths were found in construction workers. (Gagosz, 2/6)

WTOP: How To Rescue Loved Ones From A Deadly Opioid Overdose
In the case of an opioid overdose, one of the best emergency treatments you can get a hold of is naloxone, also known as Narcan. It is designed as an opioid antagonist, which means it can reverse and block the effects of other opioids in the victim’s body. The NIH says Narcan “should be given to any person who shows signs of an opioid overdose or when an overdose is suspected.” “It’s a very safe, very effective medication,” said Lovitt Atwood. “You can’t overdose on it. It’s not addictive, you can use it on adults and kids. It’s safer than Tylenol.” (Lukert, 2/5)

On Narcan in schools —

Politico: Teen Overdose Deaths Lead California Schools To Stock Reversal Drug 
With overdoses near record highs because of the prevalence of fentanyl, Gov. Gavin Newsom called in his recent budget proposal for $3.5 million to supply middle and high schools with naloxone — even as a potential deficit looms and some programs face cuts.“ ... The second-largest school district in the country isn’t waiting. Los Angeles Unified placed naloxone in each of its schools last fall. And Superintendent Alberto Carvalho announced this week that the district will allow students to carry the overdose antidote to stem the “devastating epidemic” brought on by fentanyl. (Jones, 2/5)

CBS News: New York City Public Schools Aren't Stocked With Narcan, Officials Say, Despite Spike In Youth Opioid Overdoses 
According to the New York City health department, 72 people ages 15-24 died from opioids in 2021, compared to 94 in 2020. Narcan is a prescription medication that is used to reverse an opioid overdose -- health officials say it can restore breathing -- but CBS2 News has learned New York City Public Schools, which has over 540 high schools, doesn't have Narcan in any of its buildings, nor is staff trained on how to use the life-saving tool should a child need it. A spokesperson told us, "Narcan is not stocked in schools, but staff is permitted to carry and administer the medication if they have training. In case of a suspected overdose, 911 is called." (Bisram, 2/6)