addiction

No Funding Yet for Pilot to Divert "Frequent Fliers" From ER

Kristin Gourlay — Fri, 24 May 2013 20:03:34 +0000

Perhaps you remember hearing or reading about a plan to divert so-called "frequent fliers" - meaning frequently intoxicated emergency room users - from ERs to some kind of sobering center?

Drug Overdose Deaths; Tracking Opioid Prescribers

Kristin Gourlay — Mon, 13 May 2013 20:03:36 +0000

Opioids are narcotic painkillers, and they include popular drugs with brand names like OxyContin, Vicodin, and Demerol. Heroin is another. And while the former have eased the pain of many, all of these drugs are potential killers. They're incredibly addictive. And prescription drug overdose deaths, according to what many health care providers and experts tell me, have reached epidemic status in Rhode Island.

The Silver Boom: Senior Substance Abuse Grows, Resources Lag

Kristin Gourlay — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 09:00:00 +0000

In less than 20 years, a quarter of the state’s population will be older than 60. In a series we call “The Silver Boom: Aging in Rhode Island,” we’re looking this week at how the state will take care of this expanding older population, and how it can benefit from it. Here’s an in-depth look at the growing problem of substance abuse and addiction among seniors, beginning at a community recovery center in Pawtucket.

Sam Bynum wasn’t born an alcoholic. But, like many alcoholics will tell you, the signs were there early on.

House Considers Banning Fake Marijuana, Bath Salts

Kristin Gourlay — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 10:00:00 +0000

The General Assembly is scheduled to hear testimony today on legislation banning drugs like synthetic marijuana and bath salts. The proposed legislation comes from Rhode Island's Attorney General.

Marijuana, Addiction Hot Topics on Smith Hill

Kristin Gourlay — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 21:22:49 +0000

There's lots going on, legislatively speaking, in the world of addiction and especially marijuana (including the fake kind). At stake: whether marijuana will be legalized (it's already approved for medical use in the state) and whether fake marijuana will be banned.

Mass. docs want tighter controls on medical marijuana

Kristin Gourlay — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 19:58:54 +0000

In Rhode Island, medical marijuana is already legal, through people who are so-called “caregivers” selling to patients. The state has established three “compassion centers” that haven’t opened yet. In Massachusetts, regulators are still considering how to implement the law. Doctors there want tighter controls.

New program pairs addiction recovery and exercise

Kristin Gourlay — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 17:54:23 +0000

A new partnership between The Providence Center and the Greater Providence YMCA launches today to help people recovering from drug addiction lead healthier lives. The second Anchor Recovery Community Center is now open for business.

Interview: RI Hospital ER chief: “There has to be a better way.”

Kristin Gourlay — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 15:42:10 +0000

This week, I’ve been covering Rhode Island’s efforts to change the way we deal with substance abusers who frequent the emergency room (part 1, part 2). I talked to emergency dispatchers, firefighters, addiction treatment specialists, public officials, and more.

Recovery news round-up

Kristin Gourlay — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 04:00:00 +0000

Addiction is a debilitating disease. It’s progressive, chronic, and can kill you.

But it’s also treatable. And there’s been increasingly good news on that front. So, I thought it might be a good time to share a handful of recent stories I’ve come across. Plus, September is Recovery Month, sponsored by the US Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.