We are grateful to have Miss Tennessee, Caty Davis, as our goodwill ambassador. Caty helps share our message of the importance of counting pills, locking them up, and dropping unused or expired medicines. Caty is no stranger to opioid abuse – several of her family members struggled with addiction. Because of her personal experience, she […]
Opioid painkiller prescriptions may run in families
December 11, 2017 Lisa Rapaport When one person in a household gets prescribed opioids, the other people who live with them are more likely to get their own prescriptions for these narcotic painkillers, a U.S. study suggests. Researchers examined data on about 12.6 million people living in a household where someone was prescribed opioids and […]
This Holiday Season: Share a Meal, Not Your Meds
If you’re like me, you’ll spend this holiday season visiting family and loved ones and welcoming them into your home. The holidays are a time to gather, celebrate and share with the people closest to us. While sharing gifts this holiday season, please don’t accidentally share your prescription medications. While you’re busy making sure your […]
Sen. Alexander kicks off series of Capitol Hill hearings addressing opioid crisis
October 6, 2017 Elizabeth Fite Members of the U.S. Senate Health Committee heard Thursday that more research will be needed if they are to combat the nation’s opioid addiction crisis. “Addiction is a powerful force, driven by the powerful ways in which opioids literally can rewire the brain,” said National Institutes of Health Director Dr. […]
How One Artist Fought Addiction With Music
Opioid addiction affects people of all ages and backgrounds. Music artist Tin Tenn’s addiction started when he was just 13 years old. The Memphis, Tenn., native had several ways of feeding his addiction. At first, he was prescribed pain medication from doctors. He later moved on to stealing from his mother’s medicine cabinet, as well […]
Number of babies born drug dependent in East TN down 18%
July 12, 2017 Kendall Morris The fight against opioids is making an impact in East Tennessee as data shows the number of babies born with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) has dropped in the region. Comparing 2015 to 2016 data, the number of babies born with NAS in Knox County decreased by 18 percent. During the […]
Patients With Mental Disorders Get Half Of All Opioid Prescriptions
June 27, 2017 Vickie Connor Adults with a mental illness receive more than 50 percent of the 115 million opioid prescriptions in the United States annually, according to a study released Monday. The results prompted researchers to suggest that improving pain management for people with mental health problems “is critical to reduce national dependency on opioids.” […]
Worse pain outcomes after knee replacement for patients who took opioids before surgery
May 18, 2017 Six months after knee replacement surgery, pain outcomes were not as good for patients who previously took prescription opioids, according to a study in the May 17 issue of The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery. “Our results should be viewed as a warning that using opioids during the preoperative period may […]
Don’t become an accidental drug dealer
Dec. 17, 2016 Christina Merino Christina Merino: Make sure to count, lock and drop pain killers and keep them from being abused by others. I’ve heard a lot of addiction stories over the years, and most start out with “I had no idea she was taking pills” or “I wish I’d counted my pills and […]
