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SpanishAccording to a new CDC report, the U.S. has set a record for overdose deaths during the COVID pandemic. Nationally, there has been a 30% increase, while the state of California experienced a 45% increase. The tragedy of the situation is not just seen on city streets but also in suburbs, like in Contra Costa County. April Rovero from the National Coalition Against Prescription Drug Abuse (NCAPDA) talks about how the pandemic has impacted youths and the larger Contra Costa community and the stigma that prevents people suffering from substance use disorder from seeking help. Go to story.
Other News
Dr. Laura Berman, a
relationship therapist, is warning parents of the dangers of social media in connection to her son’s overdose death. Berman’s son, Sammy, connected with a drug dealer on Snapchat and was sold Xanax or Percocet laced with fentanyl. He overdosed in his room while sheltering at home during the pandemic. Now, Dr. Laura Berman has taken to social media to educate parents on how teenagers use emojis to talk to one another about drugs. Go to story.
John Oliver tackled America’s opioid crisis on Last Week Tonight on Sunday. He started his reporting with a dog who overdosed after someone threw a bag of heroin over the fence of a doggy daycare center. (See below for Oliver’s impression of a stoned dog.) “Rampant heroin abuse near a doggy daycare is the first case that McGruff the Crime Dog is actually qualified to solve,” Oliver noted. Go to story.
With Californians now leading the nation in opioid-related deaths, a Bay Area mother and son are courageously putting a face on this terrible addiction. To get the word out, they opened their home and hearts in hopes others can heed their warnings. Go to Story.
Check out the trailer for American Greed’s program airing on 3/13/17 focused on Dr. Lisa Tseng who put $5M before the health of her patients with devastating consequences.