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Tag: Overdose

  • What’s driving down US overdose deaths?

    The public health numbers were cause for celebration: U.S. overdose deaths fell for a second year in a row.

    After two decades of rising deaths, fatal overdoses killed 21.4% fewer people from August 2024 to 2025 than the year prior, the U.S. government reported in January. 

    White House spokesperson Anna Kelly attributed the decline to President Donald Trump’s policies at the southern border, military strikes on alleged drug vessels in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean, and Trump’s work to stop chemicals used to make fentanyl from being imported from China. 

    A year prior, the Biden administration gave different reasons for the start of the overdose deaths decline, describing its work to distribute more of the opioid-overdose reversing drug naloxone, increase access to addiction treatment medications and support of harm reduction programs. 

    The short answer for why drug overdose deaths are falling nationally: It’s a lot of reasons.

    Experts on overdoses and drug markets told us that no single intervention can fully explain the significant drop. It might have more to do with the drug supply than public health interventions meant to reduce overdoses.

    Rising overdose deaths are “a complex societal problem requiring a multitude of solutions,” said Regina LaBelle, a Georgetown University professor of addiction policy. It can also be hard to pin down what works when research on the solutions is sometimes hindered by stigma about drug use, she said. 

    Here are what some of the researchers say is likely contributing to the measured declines.

    Lummi Nation crisis outreach supervisor Evelyn Jefferson looks down at her shirt as she stands at the grave of her son, who died due to an overdose of street drugs containing the synthetic opioid carfentanil, at the Lummi Nation cemetery on tribal reservation lands, Feb. 8, 2024, near Bellingham, Wash. Jefferson had to wait a week to bury her son due to several other overdose deaths in the community. (AP)

    There’s less fentanyl in the U.S. drug supply

    Fentanyl became less available in the U.S. in 2023, researchers wrote in the journal Science in January. 

    The synthetic opioid is a leading cause of overdose deaths in both the U.S. and Canada. Experts on illicit drug markets say that illegal fentanyl in both countries stems from precursor chemicals imported from China.

    Although the Chinese government often obscures its actions, its official statements show that in late 2023 China began taking action against manufacturers of fentanyl precursor chemicals, the Science study said. The crackdown partly followed Biden administration pressure to take action against fentanyl.  

    Peter Reuter, a University of Maryland public policy and criminology professor and one of the study’s authors, said the purity of fentanyl seized by the Drug Enforcement Administration began to decrease around the same time as overdose deaths started to decline in the U.S. and Canada in 2023.

    “It’s very likely that (the change in purity) has something to do with precursor supply, because that’s what the two markets share,” Reuter said. 

    David Guthrie, a senior research chemist at the Drug Enforcement Administration, stands near chemical precursors that can be used in the manufacture of fentanyl at a DEA research laboratory on Tuesday, April 29, 2025, in Northern Virginia. (AP)

    The pool of people at risk of overdosing may have gotten smaller

    Several factors might help explain why fewer people are at risk of overdosing.

    These factors include the fact that more people are aware of opioids’ risks, CDC overdose prevention researchers wrote. 

    Additionally, many people who were once at the highest risk for overdose have already died of overdoses, CDC researchers said. 

    Opioid sales and prescriptions are also declining, which means fewer people are misusing opioids or developing opioid use disorder. 

    A JAMA Psychiatry study also pointed out that even though public health interventions meant to prevent overdose deaths are uneven, overdose deaths decreased nationally. 

    Jonathan Dumke, a senior forensic chemist with the Drug Enforcement Administration, holds vials of fentanyl pills at a DEA research laboratory on Tuesday, April 29, 2025, in Northern Virginia. (AP)

    Overdose-reversing naloxone is increasingly available

    Experts on drug use and addiction policy also attributed the decline in overdose deaths to the increased availability of naloxone, also known as Narcan. 

    April Rovero, National Coalition Against Prescription Drug Abuse founder and executive director, said her organization provides education on prescription drug safety and simultaneously distributes naloxone kits that include fentanyl test strips. 

    “When we train (people), we say, ‘Okay, if you save a life with this kit, you need to let us know,’” Rovero said. “We’ve had a number of those call backs or email messages letting us know that our kit saved literally a life.”

    Joe Solomon, co-director of Charleston-based Solutions Oriented Addiction Response, holds a dose of the opioid overdose reversal drug Narcan in Charleston, W.Va., on Sept. 6, 2022. (AP)

    From 2014 to 2024, the number of naloxone products dispensed from pharmacies jumped from about 6,000 to 1.97 million, according to the American Medical Association. Naloxone became available over-the-counter in 2023, but some research showed limited sales.

    The National Harm Reduction Coalition’s executive director Laura Guzman emphasized the importance of sending naloxone where it is most beneficial. California’s Naloxone Distribution Project says its kits have reversed more than 407,000 overdoses. 

    Organizations that used naloxone kits as one aspect of their overall harm reduction programs — programs based around safer drug use, management and abstinence strategies — credited those kits as being responsible for nearly 221,000 California overdose reversals, or about 54%.

    Naloxone can also give people more time to consider or pursue addiction treatment.

    William Perry, founder of This Must Be The Place, right, gives free naloxone medication to concert goers at the Governors Ball Music Festival on Sunday, June 9, 2025, at Flushing Meadows Corona Park in the Queens borough of New York. (AP) 

    Access to treatment has improved

    Increased treatment availability is another factor experts cited for declines in overdose deaths. 

    Starting on a medication such as buprenorphine or methadone that treats opioid use disorder can protect people from overdoses. 

    Several studies show that medication treatments, sometimes referred to as opioid agonist treatment, increase the likelihood a person with opioid use disorder will remain in treatment and reduce their risk of overdose. 

    Guzman said the availability and access to treatment when someone voluntarily seeks it out is crucial. 

    “Forcing or mandating treatment will not have the same results,” she said.

    Data shows that people forced into treatment involuntarily — such as through a drug court — are more likely to die of an opioid-related overdose or a substance use-related cause than those who entered treatment voluntarily. 

    “People go in and out of treatment a lot,” Rovero said. Sometimes people relapse after being sober for many years. She said she encourages people to consider addiction “a chronic illness that can be treated successfully.”

    Experts said that despite signs of progress, it’s too soon to say if overdose deaths will continue to decline. The federal numbers run through August 2025, because the government shutdown delayed the data. Other available data shows some slight regional overdose rate increases in early 2025. 

    Ultimately, they recommend a multi-faceted approach toward reducing drug overdose deaths — one that includes public health interventions, overdose education, addiction treatment and efforts to reduce the drug supply.

    “Public health research focuses on interventions while criminal justice focuses on disrupting the drug supply and criminalizing drug use,” said Lori Ann Post, a Northwestern University emergency medicine professor who studies overdose deaths. “The solution is somewhere in the middle.” 

    PolitiFact Researcher Caryn Baird contributed to this report.

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    RELATED: Misinformation about fentanyl exposure threatens to undermine overdose response

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  • Tommy Lee Jones Breaks Silence After Death Of Daughter Victoria – Perez Hilton

    Tommy Lee Jones is speaking out after the sudden death of his daughter.

    On Friday night, Page Six obtained a statement from the Jones family addressing the shocking news of Victoria Jones’ death at 34 years old:

    “We appreciate all of the kind words, thoughts, and prayers. Please respect our privacy during this difficult time. Thank you.”

    Related: How Jake & Romy Reiner’s ‘Strong Bond’ Is Helping Through ‘Nightmare’ Of Parents’ Murders

    The statement was signed:

    “The Family of Victoria Kafka Jones.”

    As we reported, Victoria was found dead in her Fairmont San Francisco hotel early in the morning of New Year’s Day. As of now, her cause of death is unclear, but a 911 call suggests it could have been due to a possible drug overdose.

    Our hearts are with the Jones in this devastating time. Rest in peace, Victoria.

    [Images via Avalon/FayesVision/WENN]

    Perez Hilton

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  • Fatal overdoses involving stimulants have spiked. Local health officials are responding.

    Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have developed a way to help identify people at risk of overdosing on stimulants, including cocaine and methamphetamine.

    “We wanted a tool that would help us predict people at high risk in order to be able to provide them with the services and interventions and supports,” said Dr. Rebecca Arden Harris, who specializes in addiction medicine and research at Penn.

    MORE: Even smoking a few cigarettes a day drastically increases risk of heart disease

    Harris and colleagues used data from more than 70 million Medicaid recipients to track emergency department visits related to stimulant overdoses. Then the team identified key risk factors, including diagnosis of substance use disorders, prior overdoses, higher poverty rates, crowded housing and being male.

    The motivation for the research is a spike in overdose deaths involving stimulants, Harris said.

    Nationwide, fatal overdoses linked to stimulant use jumped from 4,681 in 2011 to 29,449 in 2023 nationwide. Nearly 60% of fatal overdoses between 2021 and 2024 involved stimulants, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

    And while opioids, fentanyl in particular, remain the primary cause of fatal overdoses in Philadelphia, 70% of people who died from opioid overdoses in 2023 had cocaine, meth or other stimulants in their systems. About one-quarter of illicit opioid samples between January and June also contained cocaine or crack, according to the city’s drug-checking program.

    The findings reflect how the make up of Philly’s dope supply increasingly is becoming poly-chemical, and in addition to stimulants, drugs are heavy with animal sedatives, mainly medetomidine, that can reduce heart rate and cause severe withdrawal symptoms.

    People who think they are buying dope on the street may be getting bags with stimulants mixed in. Also, people who use opioids, which are sedatives, sometimes also use stimulants, or uppers, to combat the drowsiness, according to the Philadelphia Department of Public Health.

    City addressing cardiovascular dangers

    In reaction to the spike in overdose deaths involving cocaine and meth, Philadelphia recently started a campaign to educate people about the links among stimulant use, heart disease and overdose risk.

    Cocaine and other stimulants increase heart rate and blood pressure and cause vasoconstriction and vasospasm – so people who use them have heightened risks of stroke, heart failure, sudden cardiac death and other cardiovascular problems.

    Stimulant use poses other serious health problems, including the potential of meth-induced psychosis and permanent brain damage.

    Philadelphia’s outreach focuses on the heart health risks of stimulant use. It also aims to reduce barriers to primary care and help people learn how to talk to providers about stimulants, said Fatimah Maiga, a spokesperson for the health department’s Substance Use Prevention and Harm Reduction Division.

    “We really want people to be able to have an open conversation with their provider, make sure that they’re reporting their drug history, any symptoms and signs that they’ve experienced that might be related to heart disease, and then talk to their doctor about next steps, what they hope to accomplish from that visit, or continued visits with that provider,” Maiga said.

    The campaign’s website lists walk-in primary care clinics around the city. It also has a guide for how to talk to health care providers about substance use and tools for clinicians for assessing people who use stimulants.

    Limited of treatment options

    Part of the challenge of helping people who use stimulants is that no medication exists to reduce cravings or to help prevent and reverse overdoses.

    For people who use opioids, there are medications, like methadone and buprenorphine, which help reduce cravings and dependency. Narcan, the brand name for naloxone, reverses opioid overdoses by temporarily blocking their effects.

    Although research is ongoing, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not approved such medications for cocaine or meth addiction. In the meantime, contingency management – which offers monetary or other tangible rewards for people who reach specific goals for reducing or stopping cocaine or meth use – is considered the most effective treatment for people addicted to stimulants.

    The health department wants providers to consider a harm-reduction approach, advising that “reduction in stimulant use is often more achievable than total abstinence” and that “reduced use improves health outcomes” and “should be considered a valid, positive outcome for patients who use stimulants.”

    Prediction as means to help prevention

    Penn’s Dr. Harris hopes the stimulant overdose prediction model she and her colleagues developed will assist in efforts to address the dangers of using cocaine, meth and other stimulants.

    Limitations of the study include the fact that it was confined to people with Medicaid and only looked at overdoses that resulted in emergency department visits. While more research is needed, Harris said the tool has potential for integration into public health surveillance systems. It could help identify not just individuals at risk of stimulant overdoses, but also neighborhoods that could benefit from targeted interventions, she said.

    “Part of prevention is being able to match the intervention and resources to the individuals who would most benefit from it,” Harris said.

    Courtenay Harris Bond

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  • Florida Republican files bill to decriminalize drug testing tools



    Florida Rep. Michelle Salzman, a Republican from Pensacola, has filed a bill for consideration in 2026 that would aim to help curb drug overdose deaths by decriminalizing drug-checking equipment.

    Drug-checking or testing equipment, such as test strips, can be used to help detect the presence of potentially dangerous substances in a batch of drugs. Under Florida law, however, most testing equipment technically falls under the definition of “drug paraphernalia,” which is unlawful to use or possess with the intent to use. 

    Salzman’s bill, filed Wednesday, would build on a law passed by Florida lawmakers in 2023 that decriminalized the use of fentanyl test strips only. Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid roughly 50 times more potent than heroin, has driven a surge in drug overdose deaths in recent years, both alone and in combination with other drugs. According to the CDC, fentanyl was involved in nearly 50,000 overdose deaths nationwide in 2024, down from 76,282 deaths in 2023.

    “The Legislature recognizes that drug-testing products, including test strips, reagent kits, and related products, are evidence-based harm reduction strategies that do not encourage drug use, but, instead, prevent overdose and death by allowing individuals and communities to identify the presence of dangerous controlled substances and adulterants,” Salzman’s bill reads.

    While overdose deaths, including fentanyl-involved deaths, declined in Florida and nationwide last year, other risky substances such as xylazine — a non-opioid tranquilizer also known as “tranq” — have also entered the illicit drug market. As a central nervous system depressant, xylazine can exacerbate the life-threatening effects of other depressants, such as fentanyl.

    A U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration report notes that xylazine has been involved in a growing number of drug overdose deaths, and is most often found laced (unbeknownst to the user) into drugs sold as fentanyl, cocaine and heroin. Xylazine use has also been linked to effects such as dizziness, low heart rate and necrotic skin wounds severe enough to require amputation.

    Under Florida law, only drug testing equipment capable of detecting fentanyl is currently lawful to possess, distribute and use. That is, the decriminalization of fentanyl test strips by lawmakers in 2023 didn’t apply to drug-checking tools capable of detecting non-fentanyl substances like xylazine. 

    Salzman’s proposal would amend Florida law to change that by clarifying that unlawful “drug paraphernalia” does not apply to “test strips, reagent kits, or any other narcotic-drug-testing products” used solely to detect whether a drug contains fentanyl, fentanyl analogues (e.g. carfentanil), xylazine, cocaine, amphetamines, cathinones, “or any other controlled substance or adulterant.”

    If approved, Florida would join at least 30 states that have already legalized the possession of drug-checking equipment broadly, according to the Network for Public Health Law. An additional 11 states, including Florida, explicitly allow for the use of fentanyl drug-checking equipment only.

    Under Florida law, the possession or advertisement of drug paraphernalia is a first-degree misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $1,000. Giving drug paraphernalia to a minor under 18 is a second-degree felony, punishable by up to 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $10,000 or both.

    Why was this unlawful in the first place?

    Almost as a default, most states passed anti-drug paraphernalia laws decades ago based on a model created by the DEA in 1979. That model included drug testing equipment in its definition of unlawful drug paraphernalia.

    A growing number of states, however, have moved to amend those paraphernalia laws in recent years in response to the U.S. overdose crisis and a recognition that the use of drug-checking equipment can be a safe and cost-effective way to save lives.

    What’s next

    The bill from Salzman — a pro-gun Republican who has demonstrated markedly less concern for deaths by firearm or those caused by Israeli troops overseas — has been filed for consideration by the Florida Legislature during the 2026 state legislative session. Next year’s legislative session begins Jan. 13, 2026, and is scheduled to last 60 days, through March 13.

    The bill will have to be approved by a majority of members in smaller legislative committees, then receive majority approval from both the Florida House and Senate. The bill would take effect July 1, 2026, if approved.

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    Carfentanil, a powerful and potentially deadly tranquilizer, is often mixed into cocaine, meth, or counterfeit pills, says prevention nonprofit

    Project leaders plan to distribute test strips at bars downtown and during events deemed high-risk, like music festivals





    McKenna Schueler
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  • Project Overdose warns of highly potent opioid in local drug supply ahead of EDC Orlando



    An overdose prevention nonprofit is warning visitors to Orlando this weekend to remain vigilant about their use of party drugs, especially at the three-day Electrical Daisy Carnival, following the detection of a highly-potent tranquilizer in the local street drug supply.

    According to Project Overdose, the powerful synthetic opioid carfentanil has been detected in a range of counterfeit pills and powders throughout Orange and Seminole counties. 

    Considered roughly 100 times more potent than the synthetic opioid fentanyl, carfentanil has been implicated in a rising number of overdose deaths in recent years. It’s a powerful central nervous system depressant, originally manufactured as an elephant tranquilizer, that can be deadly for humans if even a small amount is ingested.

    “Even by fentanyl standards, carfentanil is extraordinarily lethal,” said Andrae Bailey, founder and CEO of Project Overdose. “The data show it’s circulating again in the Orlando area, and it’s probably not confined to opioids.”  

    Although it’s unclear which drugs carfentanil is specifically being mixed into, Bailey told Orlando Weekly that it’s most likely to be mixed into cocaine, meth, or counterfeit pills and powders sold to partygoers as MDMA or prescription painkillers. According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, just 0.2 milligrams of carfentanil can be lethal. “A single dose can end a life in seconds,” Bailey warned.

    Although drug overdose deaths last year declined in Florida and across the U.S., powerful fentanyl analogs like carfentanil have remained at the center of the nation’s overdose crisis.

    According to provisional data, Florida saw 5,364 overdose deaths in 2024, down from 8,227 fatal overdoses in 2020. Nationwide, more than 82,000 people died of fatal drug overdose last year, down from over 107,000 U.S. overdose deaths in 2022.

    “We are all about harm reduction and trying to keep people safe,” said Bailey, adding, “We’re kidding ourselves if we think that there’s not going to be drugs at EDC.”

    Nonetheless, he said, “We think they [EDC attendees] should know that there’s a wave just recently of incredibly dangerous carfentanil, and that people need to be more alert than ever.” If you’re taking drugs and you’re not sure what’s in them, “you could be risking your life.”

    “People need to be more alert than ever”

    Andrae Bailey, CEO and founder of Project Overdose

    Dr. Kendall Cortelyou, a global health management professor at the University of Central Florida and national data director for Project Overdose, said prevention and preparedness “could save lives this weekend.”

    Orlando’s three-day EDC, running from Nov. 7 to Nov. 9, is expected to welcome an anticipated 300,000 attendees at Tinker Field outside Camping World Stadium. The electronic music festival is known for its party culture, and although it has a stated zero-tolerance policy for drug use or paraphernalia, there’s little doubt in Bailey’s mind that drugs will be present.

    Orange County’s Emergency Medical Services, in collaboration with law enforcement agencies and the fire department, says first responders are “fully prepared” to attend to urgent medical needs this weekend, in light of prospective dangers.

    “This event is something we’re ready for every year,” Dr. Christian Zuver, medical director for Orange County’s EMS System, said in a statement. “OMD and the city of Orlando works closely with our local hospital systems to maintain consistent communication and functionality, ensuring all first responders and medical professionals are ready for any situation.”

    A county spokesperson confirmed that several vendors at EDC will have Narcan, an opioid overdose reversal medication, to hand out to attendees. There will also be educational materials available to demonstrate how to administer Narcan (a brand name for naloxone, an opioid antagonist) in the event of a suspected overdose.

    Signs of an overdose involving carfentanil can include slowed or stopped breathing, loss of consciousness, gurgling noises, clammy skin, pinpoint pupils, and disorientation.

    Fentanyl test strips, a tool recently legalized in Florida that can be used for detecting the synthetic opioid fentanyl in drugs, can “sometimes” detect its stronger analog carfentanil, too, said Bailey. However, “Fentanyl test strips are very hit or miss,” he admitted, especially if you’re trying to test a pill rather than a powdered substance.

    Carfentanil has reportedly been detected in at least 37 states, according to the DEA, although Bailey said the drug “has been pretty rare over the years in Central Florida.” To see it moving back into the community is “definitely” cause for alarm, he said.

    The drug was specifically detected by Project Overdose through a new drug tracking system the nonprofit launched last week, powered by artificial intelligence. The system gathers information about drugs in the community, down to the zip code, through anonymized urine tests (i.e. there’s no personal, identifiable information attached).

    “This isn’t just speculation. It’s based on real laboratory data,” said Dr. Cortelyou.

    Dr. Zuver, with Orange County EMS, said that since the event is within city of Orlando limits, firefighters, EMTs and paramedics with the Orlando Fire Department “will be on site to provide immediate medical care.”

    “The event promoter will staff a field emergency department with advanced capabilities, and OMD physicians will be present throughout the weekend with access to additional medications and advanced airway management tools,” he added.

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    Get your soundproof bunker ready, fragile Nextdoor users





    McKenna Schueler
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  • NY Fentanyl Ring Charged in Deaths of Robert De Niro’s Grandson

    Federal prosecutors say five men ran a New York drug network that sold counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl to teens; including Robert De Niro’s grandson and Blondie co-founder Chris Stein’s daughter, killing both within weeks

    LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 05: Brad Pitt and Robert De Niro attend the Netflix 2020 Golden Globes After Party on January 05, 2020 in Los Angeles, California.

    Credit: Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Netflix

    Federal authorities in the Southern District of New York announced the arrest of five men in connection with a deadly counterfeit pill distribution network that resulted in 9 overdoses and claimed the lives of at least two teens. The teens were 19-year-old Leandro De Niro‑Rodriguez, a grandson of actor Robert De Niro, and 19-year-old Akira Stein, daughter of Blondie co-founder Chris Stein in 2023.

    According to the indictment, unsealed in federal court, defendants Grant McIver, Bruce Epperson, Eddie Barreto, John Nicolas and Roy Nicolas operated a network that distributed thousands of counterfeit prescription pills laced with fentanyl and other illicit drugs to teens and young adults in New York City. The indictment links the group’s counterfeit “Perc 30” and “M-30” pills to at least nine overdoses, including those of the two 19-year-old victims.

    Prosecutors say Leandro De Niro Rodriguez died on July 2, 2023, after ingesting a pill that contained fentanyl, bromazolam, alprazolam, 7-aminoclonazepam, ketamine and cocaine. His death was ruled accidental by the New York City Medical Examiner. 

    Akira Stein died six weeks earlier, on May 30, 2023, after reportedly warning one of the dealers that a batch of pills was “extra strong” just hours prior to her overdose. Despite the warning, the same batch was sold again to Leandro De Niro Rodriguez weeks later, who died from the same mix, per the indictment.

    The arrests follow earlier charges in 2023 against Sofia H. Marks, known in media reports as the “Percocet Princess,” who allegedly supplied pills to Leandro. 

    Federal agents say the pill-trafficking crew shockingly marketed their product on social media platforms, including Snapchat, Instagram, Telegram and TikTok. They used emojis like 💊💙 or code phrases (“blues,” “bars,” “pressies”) to disguise fentanyl laced products. The indictment also outlines a “referral system” where buyers could earn discounts by recruiting other users; including high-school and college-aged customers. Text messages quoted in the filing include lines like “Send 2 more kids my way and your next blues free.” Prosecutors call this “one of the most cynical fentanyl marketing operations” seen in the city.

    Scroll to continue reading

    Young buyers were told the pills were “Percocets,” but lab testing later showed they contained deadly quantities of fentanyl and designer tranquilizers such as bromazolam. They specifically targeted teenagers. The “network” reportedly dates back to at least 2019. The investigation remains active with additional suspects and overdose deaths under review.

    Lauren Conlin

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  • Jade Janks and the Secret Photos

    A woman discovers explicit photos of herself on her stepfather’s computer. Soon after, he’s found dead. Jade is a likely suspect, but did she do it? “48 Hours” correspondent Tracy Smith reports.

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  • Minneapolis author aiming to help people battling drug addiction with new book

    The number of opioid-involved drug overdose deaths in 2023 decreased for the first time in five years. 

    Minnesota health officials say 54 people have died from suspected drug overdoses in just the month of August. That’s nearly two people per day.

    The leading cause of those deaths was opioids like fentanyl, which killed an average of 1,000 people per year from 2021 to 2023.

    A Minneapolis author hopes his personal story resonates with those battling an addiction that has silenced them. 

    That’s why he founded Generation Hope, a licensed peer recovery support organization that provides help to overcome addiction. 

    Abdirahman Warsame once felt alone in his fentanyl addiction. Fast forward six years, and he’s now using his voice through his new book, “Who Would You Be Without the Fear of Judgment?”

    On Friday evening, in a packed room, he celebrated his book launch. 

    The book is part raw journal, part self-help guide. It’s for people not ready to walk into treatment, who are still scared and silent.

    “It challenges the reader to envision a world where they weren’t afraid of what people thought of them,” Warsame said. 

    He doesn’t want the book to come off as preaching but to just reach the person who is ready to take an honest look at themselves, maybe for the first time.

    “People look at addiction as the problem, but rather, there are a lot of underlying issues there,” Warsame said.

    Warsame hopes that by opening this book, people will feel less alone and can take the step in their own recovery journey.

    “I hope everybody watching this can take this as a testimony that your life can change tomorrow,” Warsame smiled. 

    Click here to learn more about Warsame.

    Ubah Ali

    Ubah Ali joined WCCO-TV in September 2023. She makes history in Minnesota as the first Somali-American TV reporter in the Twin Cities.

    Ubah Ali

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  • Trail of Truth: Thousands of tombstones on National Mall mark drug deaths – WTOP News

    Nearly 4,000 hand-painted tombstones were placed on the National Mall in D.C. this weekend, stretching from 7th St. SW to 12th Street SW.

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    Drug deaths remembered at Trail of Truth

    Nearly 4,000 hand-painted tombstones were placed on the National Mall, stretching from 7th St. SW to 12th Street SW this weekend.

    The tombstones featured the names, pictures and stories of those who had lost their battle with drug addiction.

    Trail of Truth is the grassroots organization behind the display that it calls a “national cemetery for substance use related deaths.”

    The organization was started by Alexis Pleus, who lost her son to an overdose 10 years ago. The goal of Trail of Truth is to change policies regarding access to treatment, reduce stigma and distribute opioid settlement funds in ways to reduce preventable deaths.

    “The other part of that is just having community and just being together, because everyone who’s here understands exactly how that feels,” said Kathy Staples, who is with Trail of Truth.

    On Saturday there was a ceremony featuring singing, speeches and fellowship among people who all shared one thing in common, they lost someone they loved to an overdose.

    Last year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported over 70,000 people died due to drug related issues, which is down compared to the last several years. The epidemic affects young, old, rich, poor and every race and region of the country.

    As someone who has lost a brother to an overdose, the sight of thousands of tombstones with messages on them, such as a 66-year-old man’s saying, “he loved his kids and grandbabies so much” or a 24-year-old’s message that read, “wanted everyone to be happy,” can be almost overwhelming.

    Each state is grouped together, and Northern Virginia resident Trip Ward was looking in the California section.

    “Coming to see my son represented in this sea of tombstones,” said Ward. It 2019, his son Ryan Giglio died at the age of 26.

    Ward said if he could speak to him again, he would tell his son: “Still love you, still proud of you.”

    His advice for the parents of someone who is battling drug addiction: “We dealt with it for about 10 years. Just never give up. It’s a brutal path for them. And yeah, just never give up. We never did.”

    One family traveled from Long Island, New York, to honor the memory of their beloved family member.

    “I came here to represent my son, who passed a year ago, in August,” said Anna Rossi. “‘Jaden Morales’ is his name, he’s forever 25.”

    Rossi said that being here, among people that have been in her shoes brings her comfort.

    As Rossi spoke, she was holding a poster board with her late son’s picture on it, standing alongside her daughter, father and Jaden’s twin brother Jesse.

    “Honestly, this is a big cloud that I can’t get away from, and it’s hard, it’s hard to get through life without him here,” said Jesse.

    Jesse told WTOP that if he could have one more conversation with his brother, he would say, “I miss him and I love him, and I wish he was here.”

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    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    Jimmy Alexander

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  • Their son died of an overdose. Now, this Fairfax Co. family is warning others to prevent similar tragedies – WTOP News

    Cayden Foster, Sean and Afrodita’s only child, died of a fentanyl overdose in early 2023. Now, the parents are working with schools and police to prevent similar tragedies.

    This story is Part 2 of WTOP’s four-part series, “Fighting Fentanyl” which explores how the drug is impacting students, families and schools in the D.C. area.

    When Sean and Afrodita Foster prepare to speak to Loudoun County Public Schools students about the dangers of fentanyl, the kids anticipate “another boring assembly.”

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    Va. couple who lost their son is raising awareness to make sure nobody has to feel their pain

    But instead, students share.

    “This is exactly what we needed to hear. We had no idea that these pills were as dangerous as they were,” Sean Foster said.

    There’s one student, though, who didn’t get that message in time.

    Cayden Foster, Sean and Afrodita’s only child, died of a fentanyl overdose in early 2023 at 18 years old. Afrodita found him dead in his bed one morning when he should have been getting ready for school.

    Sean said his son’s death had left him and his wife without purpose, but now, their mission is to make sure other parents don’t have to feel their pain.

    “We don’t want this to happen to anybody else,” Afrodita said. “I want to believe that if there would have been more awareness at the time, around the time when this happened with Cayden, our son, that it might have not happened.”

    Sharing their stories to other students

    She and her husband have spoken to thousands of Loudoun County Public School students, as part of programming that brings community members into schools. They also communicate with college students and stay in touch with the Fairfax County Police Department’s overdose task force.

    Sometimes, after a presentation, school officials follow up with small group classroom discussions to debrief. The feedback from students has been positive, and many kids have opened up about their experiences with drugs.

    One student had heard about fake blue Percocet pills, which were found in Cayden’s wallet at the time of his death, but shared that’s the reason they take Xanax. It gave Sean the opportunity to explain that if pills aren’t from a prescription bottle, they’re likely fake.

    In other cases, the assembly has led students to approach school counselors with concerns about their friends.

    “We stress that, in Cayden’s case, if one person would have said something to us that he was hanging out with these people, or that night, it was preventable,” Afrodita said. “But nobody said anything.”

    ‘You’ve got an obligation to say something’

    Cayden Foster’s parents, Sean and Afrodita, stand in front of posters and flowers given to them by Cayden’s peers following his death. (WTOP/Scott Gelman)

    The Fosters remain in touch with Cayden’s friends, who are now in college. When they come back to their hometowns for breaks, the Fosters continue to warn them about fentanyl. Some of the students describe seeing cocaine use on college campuses across the country.

    “We keep on stressing that you don’t know where that deadly amount of fentanyl is,” Afrodita said. “You can be first, you can be last. It can be your first time, your third time, but it can get you. Just don’t trust anybody with your life.”

    They also rely on Fairfax County police’s overdose task force to learn about the latest trends. Officials told them that, along with pills, powder is getting mixed into substances, such as cocaine and marijuana. They’ve testified before state lawmakers too.

    After learning new information about Cayden’s death about a year ago, the couple has tweaked their messaging. They found out Cayden was on FaceTime with someone when he started going into respiratory distress, and that person looped in another friend.

    “They essentially watched him die and didn’t do anything. Even more so in our messaging is, you’ve got an obligation to say something to your friend, who thinks you’re their friend,” Sean said.

    Cayden’s parking spot at Centreville High School has been retired, so nobody else can park there. Last year, students painted on it. The Fosters placed a binder there with Cayden’s story inside, as one last reminder.

    “We just try to speak to as many students and adults — so that they can speak to their children — as we can,” Afrodita said. “That’s the only thing we can do.”

    In Part 3 of WTOP’s “Fighting Fentanyl” series, schools and community groups warn about emerging substances. 

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    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    Scott Gelman

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  • Kiss of Death and the Google Exec



    Kiss of Death and the Google Exec – CBS News










































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    The mysterious death of a Google executive and his last night with an exotic beauty captured on video — now a court decides her fate. “48 Hours” correspondent Maureen Maher reports.

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  • ​Who’s to blame in Google exec’s overdose death?

    “48 Hours” consultant and Daily Beast reporter Michael Daly covered the case of Alix Tichelman, who pleaded guilty in May 2015 to prostitution and to involuntary manslaughter in Google executive’s heroin overdose death. Forrest Hayes was 51 when he was found dead on his yacht in Santa Cruz, Calif., in November 2013, after a meeting with Tichelman arranged through an upscale dating website.

    The following commentary by Daly reflects his personal views. It does not necessarily reflect the opinion of CBS News. The article was previously posted

    SANTA CRUZ, Calif. — The serendipity of smack could have just as easily made Alix Tichelman the one to overdose on Forrest Hayes’ yacht. And in recent days, long after the story was filed, I have begun to wonder what would have happened to Forrest if he had been the one who did nothing to help while somebody died.

    He certainly would have faced some tough questioning by the police. But he was a family man with a big job at Google and so much to lose.

    I am not at all sure he would have ended up in jail charged with manslaughter, as Alix was.



    Who is Alix Tichelman?

    19 photos

    In thinking back over the events aboard the yacht Escape, I have also wondered why Alix was the first to shoot up. I do not imagine that Forrest Hayes was being chivalrous, the way a gentleman might be on an elevator, insisting that ladies go first.

    A gentleman would not have paid for sex with a woman who was around the age of his oldest daughter.

    My guess is that Forrest was nervous and wanted Alix to show it was safe. Actually, she was lucky she went first. She might have found herself accused of murder if she had given him a fatal injection without initially subjecting herself to the same danger.

    In the aftermath, Santa Cruz Police Chief Steve Clark told me that surveillance video from inside the yacht show Alix stepping over Forrest’s body with a wine glass in her hand.

    “Glacial,” Clark called her.

    Clark did not describe the extent to which Alix had first sought to revive Forrest. He also did not indicate that she stepped over him because that was the only way she could leave the cabin as she fled in a panic.

    That news came from Alix after she changed her plea to guilty and received a sentence that will likely mean two years in jail beyond what she has already served while on remand.

    Yes, Alix broke the law by working as a prostitute and by using and providing heroin. Forrest also broke the law by patronizing a prostitute and asking her to shoot him up. An image that keeps coming back to me is Forrest reportedly using the light of his cellphone to show Alix where to inject him.

    As has been widely reported, Alix’s boyfriend had also died of a heroin overdose some time before Forrest’s death. In that case, she had called 911 and she had not been held criminally responsible for his death.

    The same might have been true if she had just dialed those three numbers after Forrest’s overdose. She had not even reached for a phone.

    Yet, when I think of Alix still sitting behind bars, I cannot help but feel that holding her responsible for Forrest’s death means giving him a pass for having created the situation in the first place.

    He arranged for her to come to his yacht. He invited her to shoot him up. He did not die solely because of Alix’s indifference. At the very least, he contributed to his own demise.

    This story has become that rare one where the more I reported and the more I knew, the less sure I was about the essential questions of blame and accountability.

    Ultimately, I think the answers reside not in forensics, but ethics.

    And that makes it your call.

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  • Friend shares texts from Alix Tichelman sent days before her arrest

    Todd, one of Tichelman’ s closest friends, reveals never-before-made-public text messages between the two. He tells “48 Hours” why Tichelman arranged to meet another “sugar daddy” on an online dating site and why that meeting did not go as she planned.

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  • Fentanyl: Facts and myths on the drug driving OD deaths

    When federal agencies recognize an “awareness day” for something, that’s code for: “Take this seriously. Please.”

    Deaths from fentanyl — the synthetic, often deadly opioid frequently present in illicit street drugs — have contributed to the United States’ soaring opioid overdose deaths in the last decade. 

    In 2022, the advocacy group Facing Fentanyl designated Aug. 21 “National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day,” to honor the people who have died from fentanyl and to increase public awareness of its toll. Today, a number of federal agencies mark the day as well.

    Fentanyl overdose deaths have recently dropped. From April 2024 to March 2025, the CDC reported 43,000 synthetic opioid deaths, most of which are from fentanyl, down from nearly 70,000 in the previous similar period.

    You probably already know this part: Even tiny amounts of fentanyl can be lethal. But we’ve come across a fair number of myths about fentanyl over the years. Knowing the facts about this potent drug can help save lives. Here’s some quick must-knows and common myths. 

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    Two milligrams of fentanyl can be deadly: The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration says that ingesting as little as 2 milligrams of fentanyl can be deadly for an adult. The drug is similar to morphine, but up to 100 times more potent, which is what makes it so lethal.

    Photo shows how a potentially lethal 2-milligram dose of fentanyl compares in size to a penny. (U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration)

    Different people can tolerate different doses, but it’s hard to know how much is in a pill: A dose’s lethality can vary based on height, weight and tolerance from past exposure. So a frequent opioid user may tolerate a higher dose than a first time user. A DEA analysis found dosages can vary widely from one pill to another. 

    Fentanyl can be added to other illicit drugs such as heroin and cocaine: Because of its potency and low cost, fentanyl is frequently used to “cut” other illicit drugs, including heroin, cocaine and methamphetamines. As a result, people may unknowingly take a drug that contains fentanyl in potentially lethal amounts. 

    Medical fentanyl can be prescribed by a doctor: A pharmaceutical form of fentanyl can be safely prescribed by doctors to treat severe pain after surgery or in the late stages of cancer. It is used similarly to morphine but in smaller doses. It can be administered through a shot, a patch on the skin or a lozenge. 

    Street fentanyl is not the same as medical fentanyl: Illicit fentanyl, the kind sold illegally on the street, is not regulated like the kind that doctors give. It is made in clandestine labs and the exact dosage is not always reliable. Illicit fentanyl is most closely associated with overdose deaths. According to the DEA, illicit fentanyl can be sold as a powder, pill or nasal spray.

    Fentanyl test strips can show if a drug has been laced: But they cannot tell you how much of the opioid is present. Read about how to use fentanyl test strips here. 

    Naloxone or Narcan can reverse an opioid overdose: Naloxone, also known by the brand name Narcan, is administered via nasal spray or injection and can be bought over the counter. Friends, family members and bystanders can give a person naloxone in the case of an overdose, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Sometimes multiple doses are needed, depending on the strength of the opioid.

    People who use Narcan should still go to the hospital: Naloxone reverses an opioid overdose for 30 to 90 minutes, so it is possible overdose symptoms can return once the treatment wears off. 

    You can’t overdose by touching an item containing fentanyl. In 2017, the American College of Medical Toxicology and the American Academy of Clinical Toxicology released a joint statement saying “it is very unlikely” that skin exposure to fentanyl powder or tablets “would cause significant opioid toxicity.” Fentanyl isn’t absorbed well by the skin; for fentanyl to have a physical effect on the body, it must enter the bloodstream. Some medical fentanyl is delivered through skin patches, but it is absorbed slowly over the course of hours. These patches can’t quickly deliver a high dose of fentanyl.

    Breathing air in a room with fentanyl can’t make you sick. Medical experts said fentanyl isn’t volatile, meaning it doesn’t easily become a vapor, which means you’re not going to become sick from breathing near it. Experts said fentanyl doesn’t just float up into the air and unintentionally expose people nearby.

    Fentanyl does not smell like popcorn when it burns. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that fentanyl is odorless and tasteless, and there is no visible way of knowing if or how much fentanyl a pill contains. But those low-cost test strips can determine whether a drug contains traces of fentanyl.

    RELATED: It’s physically impossible to overdose from touching a dollar bill laced with fentanyl 

    RELATED: Following your nose won’t find fentanyl, experts say, but using test strips will 

    RELATED: Misinformation about fentanyl exposure threatens to undermine overdose response

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  • ‘Ketamine Queen’ Accused Of Selling Fatal Dose To Matthew Perry Agrees To Plead Guilty – KXL

    LOS ANGELES (AP) — A woman known as the “Ketamine Queen,” charged with selling Matthew Perry the drug that killed him, agreed to plead guilty Monday.

    Jasveen Sangha becomes the fifth and final defendant charged in the overdose death of the “Friends” star to strike a plea agreement with federal prosecutors. Having initially pleaded not guilty, her change of plea means she’ll avoid a trial that had been planned for August.

    Prosecutors had cast Sangha as a prolific drug dealer who was known to her customers as the “Ketamine Queen,” using the term often in press releases and court documents and even including it in the official name of the case.

    A federal indictment charged Sangha with one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine, one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute ketamine and five counts of distribution of ketamine.

    Sangha will officially change her plea to guilty at an upcoming hearing, where sentencing will be scheduled, prosecutors said. She could get up to 45 years in prison. An email sent to Sangha’s lawyers seeking comment was not immediately answered.

    She and Dr. Salvador Plasencia, who signed his own plea deal June 16, had been the primary targets of the investigation. Three other defendants — Dr. Mark Chavez, Kenneth Iwamasa and Erik Fleming — agreed to plead guilty last year in exchange for their cooperation, which included statements implicating Sangha and Plasencia.

    Perry was found dead in his Los Angeles home by Iwamasa, his assistant, on Oct. 28, 2023. The medical examiner ruled that ketamine, typically used as a surgical anesthetic, was the primary cause of death.

    The actor had been using the drug through his regular doctor as a legal, but off-label, treatment for depression, which has become increasingly common. Perry, 54, sought more ketamine than his doctor would give him. He began getting it from Plasencia about a month before his death, then started getting still more from Sangha about two weeks before his death, prosecutors said.

    Perry and Iwamasa found Sangha through Perry’s friend Fleming. In their plea agreements, both men described the subsequent deals in detail.

    Fleming messaged Iwamasa saying Sangha’s ketamine was “unmarked but it’s amazing,” according to court documents. Fleming texted Iwamasa that she only deals “with high end and celebs. If it were not great stuff she’d lose her business.”

    With the two men acting as middlemen, Perry bought large amounts of ketamine from Sangha, including 25 vials for $6,000 in cash four days before his death. That purchase included the doses that killed Perry, prosecutors said.

    On the day of Perry’s death, Sangha told Fleming they should delete all the messages they had sent each other, according to her indictment.

    Her home in North Hollywood, California, was raided in March 2024 by Drug Enforcement Administration agents who found large amounts of methamphetamines and ketamine, according to an affidavit from an agent. She was indicted that June, arrested that August and has been held in jail since.

    None of the defendants has yet been sentenced.

    Perry struggled with addiction for years, dating back to his time on “Friends,” when he became one of the biggest stars of his generation as Chandler Bing. He starred alongside Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer for 10 seasons from 1994 to 2004 on NBC’s megahit series.

    Jordan Vawter

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  • Minnesota prison guard describes dangerous encounters with drug smuggling: “It’s scary for everyone”

    Minnesota prison guard describes dangerous encounters with drug smuggling: “It’s scary for everyone”

    BAYPORT, Minn. — Sgt. Staci Stone had just begun her shift on a Thursday morning at Minnesota Correctional Facility-Stillwater when a nurse called for Narcan, the antidote to a drug overdose.

    Stone, a veteran corrections officer for more than 15 years, explained the Narcan was actually for a colleague, another CO who had just caught an inmate smoking a synthetic narcotic.

    “It was just in the air. Whatever he smoked, he blew it out,” Stone said. “And from being out in the air is where we started exhibiting symptoms.”

    Starting in June, staff at Stillwater, Rush City and Faribault correctional facilities began screening, scanning and reprinting mail after investigators discovered pieces of legal and personal mail stained and contaminated with synthetic narcotics.  

    This incident at Stillwater, however, happened in September and led to a two-day lockdown. Nine staff members, including Stone, were hospitalized.  

    WCCO


    “We went and laid down in health services and then all of a sudden it was just vomiting. The nausea and vomiting were escalating our symptoms,” she said. “It’s scary for everybody.”

    So far this year, the Minnesota Department of Corrections says there have been at least 70 cases of suspected overdoses in state prisons, with most leading to lockdowns that frustrate inmates, staff and their families.

    The DOC has stressed that its Office of Special Investigations will continue its investigation into the Stillwater incident, as well as crackdown on drug smuggling. 

    “At what point do you say enough is enough and try something else? I guess don’t know what the answer will end up being, but I’m open to everything,” Stone said. 

    Also last month, a former correctional officer at Faribault — 43-year-old Lindsey Adams of Farmington — was arrested and charged with third-degree possession of methamphetamine and introducing contraband into a state correctional facility, the Rice County Attorney’s Office said.

    According to prosecutors, authorities saw the inmate and guard making an exchange on live video.

    Jonah Kaplan


    jonah-kaplan.png

    Jonah Kaplan is WCCO and CBS News Minnesota’s investigative reporter and has built a strong reputation for his balanced and in-depth coverage of high-impact issues including the economy, immigration, education, public safety, and the military, among others.

    Jonah Kaplan

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  • Free Narcan Vending Machines Are Coming to Dallas

    Free Narcan Vending Machines Are Coming to Dallas

    September is National Recovery Month, and to mark the occasion, nonprofit organizations Conscience Conduit, Livegy, Association of Persons Affected by Addiction, Regular People, Deep Ellum Foundation, Parkland Hospital and Foundation 45 have partnered to debut North Texas’ first free Narcan vending machines. The machines will provide Dallas locals with no-cost, easy access to the life-saving over-the-counter drug, also known as Naloxone, which has been proven 99% effective at rapidly reversing an opioid overdose if administered immediately…

    Vanessa Quilantan

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  • Key Differences Between Gummies And Joints

    Key Differences Between Gummies And Joints

    With the mainstreaming of marijuana, alcohol is taking a dip in use.  Gen Z are embracing the trend of California sober and all generations are taking a second look at cannabis. The American Medical Association and the College of Physicians have recognized cannabis has medical benefits, and a significant portion of users are using it for anxiety and sleep. Microdosing has become a thing to help people manage stress, focus, and more.

    RELATED: The Most Popular Marijuana Flavors

    But how people consume has evolved, so has how they have consumed.  Traditionally, people smoke a joint, or a bong or bowl.  Homemade edibles were popular, but not nearly as used as inhaling.  With with legal marijuana, come reliable, flavorful products which have captured the public’s eye – and wallet.  And gummies and vapes are discreet, on-the-go ways to consume with the added benefit of discretion.  In data collected from BDSA, a leading analytical firm who covers cannabis, shared 49% of those who have used marijuana have used a gummy.

    While both edibles and flower contain THC, the highs they produce are not exactly the same. Here are the key differences between gummies and joints.

    Photo by SageElyse/Getty Images

    THC

    THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, is the chemical responsible for most of marijuana’s psychological effects. It is one of many compounds found in the resin secreted by glands of the marijuana plant.  It acts much like the cannabinoid chemicals made naturally by the body, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).  Cannabinoid receptors are concentrated in certain areas of the brain associated with thinking, memory, pleasure, coordination and time perception. THC attaches to these receptors and activates them and affects a person’s memory, pleasure, movements, thinking, concentration, coordination, and sensory and time perception, according to NIDA.

    Terry Hacienda

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  • Orange County Adopts CDC Initiative to Reduce Fatal & Nonfatal Overdoses

    Orange County Adopts CDC Initiative to Reduce Fatal & Nonfatal Overdoses

    In order to address the increasing number of overdose deaths related to prescription opioids and illicit drugs, Orange County has engaged with the Centers for Disease Control and recently was awarded a grant funded by the CDC to implement its Stop Overdose campaigns locally.

    The series of campaigns focuses on four key areas: the dangers of illicitly manufactured fentanyl, the risks and consequences of mixing drugs (polysubstance use), the lifesaving power of naloxone, and the importance of reducing stigma around recovery and treatment options. The messaging highlights drug-use trends and encourages harm-reduction practices.

    “We worked with CDC staff to determine the best messages for our community, and they helped us identify our priorities,” explained Dr. Thomas Hall, director, Orange County Drug-Free Coalition. “The campaigns are based on best-practice marketing strategies, and the messages are simple and direct. Each message has an action associated with the information presented.”

    The connecting feature of the campaigns is the Stop Overdose website, which was launched as a resource library for people who use drugs and their loved ones. Each subpage on the website features campaign messaging, support data and resources for the intended audience – those who use drugs between the ages of 18-34.

    “There’s a big stigma attached to addiction, so we need to get specific messages out to people who use illicit drugs, including that the community offers access to free medicine that reverses opioid overdoses and free treatment,” asserted Megan Giddens, senior program manager, Orange County Drug-Free Office. “This campaign really helps get these messages to its intended audience.”

    Three hundred people die of a drug overdose every day in this country, and the availability of illicit fentanyl significantly increases the likelihood of opioid overdoses and overdose deaths. In our community and across the nation, deaths related to mixing fentanyl with other drugs, such as cocaine and methamphetamines, are most prominent.

    For more about local strategies, programs and resources, visit Orange County Responds.

    “The Drug Enforcement Administration reported 7 out of every 10 pills seized by the agency contain a lethal dose of fentanyl, yet drug users may not know the risk of fentanyl being present,” said Dr. Hall. “Raising awareness of these risks is a priority for Orange County, and the Drug-Free Coalition is committed to expanding harm reduction strategies to reduce drug-related deaths in our community.”

    Giddens agreed the priority is saving lives. “We have high overdose rates in this region, so Stop Overdose is a critical education piece,” she said. “We want to be proactive, and this represents an effective preventive measure.”

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  • A grieving Frederick Co. mother diagnosed with ‘broken heart syndrome’ after her daughter died from fentanyl overdose – WTOP News

    A grieving Frederick Co. mother diagnosed with ‘broken heart syndrome’ after her daughter died from fentanyl overdose – WTOP News

    A Frederick County, Maryland, mother says after her 22-year-old daughter died from a fentanyl overdose in March of 2022, she was diagnosed with “broken heart syndrome.”

    22-year-old Victoria Laster died from a fentanyl overdose in March of 2022. (Courtesy of Faith Laster)

    A Frederick County, Maryland, mother says after her 22-year-old daughter died from a fentanyl overdose in March of 2022, she was diagnosed with “broken heart syndrome.”

    “It ends up destroying your arteries,” said Victoria Laster’s mom, Faith. “Because you’re so stressed, the stress level is what causes the broken heart syndrome. And I ended up having a triple bypass because of it. I was in the hospital for over a month.”

    But Faith said she wasn’t the only one that was impacted by Victoria’s death. She said this loss shook her entire family.

    This weekend, Faith is hosting a vigil in Victoria’s honor and wants people to understand the broader impact this deadly drug has on families.

    A family friend also started a petition calling for harsher penalties for dealers of fentanyl, especially repeat offenders.

    “We believe that stricter penalties for fentanyl dealers can serve as a deterrent and help save lives,” wrote a friend of Faith’s in the petition. “By increasing the minimum sentence for those convicted of dealing fentanyl, we can send a strong message about our society’s stance against this lethal substance.”

    In Maryland, a bill was proposed last week that would adopt tougher laws on fentanyl sales in the state. Senate Bill 1075 and House Bill 1245 specify that the law would apply whether the drug is mixed or combined with any other compound after the sale of the drug. The bill also includes language that states that if the drug is transferred to more than one person, “each person who distributed or delivered the substance is considered to have violated the bill’s prohibition.”

    “I’ve got 49 signatures,” said Laster. “I’m trying to do something, because I promised her before they shut the casket, that I would make sure that I fought for her, the justice that she deserves. I just don’t think it’s fair that all these dealers are being put in jail, and then they’re getting a smack on the hand, and they’re repeat offenders.”

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    © 2024 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    Cheyenne Corin

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