In October 2017, Tom Petty, beloved musician and official heartbreaker, passed away from an accidental opioid overdose. In the last few years of his life, Petty suffered from a series of illnesses, including emphysema, knee problems and a fractured hip. Petty was determined not to let his fans down and continued to perform, not allowing […]
Tennessee overdose deaths jump 12% in 2016, as opioid crisis rages
September 18, 2017 Holly Fletcher The number of Tennesseans who died from drug overdoses spiked 12 percent from 2015 to 2016, largely due to growing use of opioid fentanyl. There were at least 1,631 Tennesseans who died in 2016 — up from 1,451 in 2015, according to the Tennessee Department of Health. The number of […]
CDC Report: Local opioid prescriptions dip, overdose deaths still surging
July 22, 2017 Zach Vance Local health officials appear to be making headway against the flood of opioids prescribed in Northeast Tennessee. But in a deadly twist, overdose fatalities are rising in area counties, due in part to addicts turning from prescription medication to heroin and fentanyl. Released in early July, a Centers for Disease Control […]
Drug exposure poses risk for first responders
Don Green May 21, 2017 The rash of overdoses related to opioid use is skyrocketing. Not only are individuals caught in the grips of addiction at risk, but innocent victims who may come into contact with these substances can be affected. Most recently, an Ohio police officer was inadvertently exposed to fentanyl during a traffic […]
Heroin use rising faster than any other drug in Tennessee
March 16, 2017 Julie Edwards NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) – Abuse of prescription opioids, like hydrocodone, has been widespread in Tennessee over the past ten years. While it continues be problem state-wide, officials have taken steps to curb the problem. “We’ve done a really good job in the state of Tennessee with our General Assembly and […]
1,451 Tennesseans die of drug overdoses in 2015
Last year, 1,451 people died of drug overdoses in Tennessee — the highest annual number of overdose deaths in state history. The new data, released Tuesday from the Tennessee Department of Health, brings the five-year total of overdose deaths, statewide, to 6,036 — the same, the state said, as if every person on 40 mid-size […]
