Judge Jodi Thomas presides over HART, which stands for "Helping Achieve Recovery Together." It’s an opioid-specific program, and one of two drug recovery court dockets in Franklin County, which includes Columbus.
It’s common for teenagers to experiment with drugs and alcohol, but that can lead to dependency. A new high school in Columbus Ohio helps teens learn while they get sober.
Binge drinkers are twice as likely to misuse opioids compared to non-drinkers, according to new research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Looking at data from 2012 to 2014, researchers found alcohol was involved in 1 in 5 deaths involving prescription opioids.
The new state budget awaiting Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker’s signature includes what advocates say is a much-needed $80 million increase in funding for mental health and addiction treatment.
Buprenorphine is one of just three federally approved medications to treat opioid addiction. It’s possible to misuse it because it’s an opioid itself — people snort or inject the medication to get high. And patients with prescriptions can sell or give it away, which is known as diversion. But addiction treatment professionals argue the problem of buprenorphine diversion is often misunderstood. The black market exists, in part, because addiction treatment can be hard to find, and the availability of the drug on the street can be helpful, they say.
