A New Experiment: California Pays People To Test Their Drugs For Fentanyl
In more news on the national epidemic: inspectors struggle to catch opioids smuggled in small amounts through the mail or delivery services; drugged driving deaths spike; and a USC medical school dean's hard drug usage is probed.
Los Angeles Times:
California Is Now Paying For People To Test Their Drugs For Fentanyl
As the death toll from the nation’s opioid crisis swells, California officials have launched an experiment: paying for people to test their drugs for fentanyl. Fentanyl, an opioid that is up to 50 times stronger than heroin, is responsible for a growing number of overdose deaths each year. Typically manufactured as a white powder, it can be mixed into other drugs such as heroin and cocaine without the user knowing, but with extreme consequences. (Karlamangla, 5/31)
The New York Times:
U.S. Struggles To Stop Smuggling Of Mail-Order Opioids
Federal agents are struggling to stop opioid smugglers who are reaping vast profits, according to interviews and documents, as the number of Americans dying from drug overdoses continues to rise. Officials at the Department of Homeland Security say the drugs are shipped in such minute amounts that detecting them among cargo in a tractor-trailer is close to impossible. That the drugs increasingly are bought online and shipped directly to buyers — either through the Postal Service or commercial couriers like FedEx and UPS — makes inspections all the more difficult. (Nixon, 5/30)
Stateline:
Drugged Driving Deaths Spike With Spread Of Legal Marijuana, Opioid Abuse
As legal marijuana spreads and the opioid epidemic rages on, the number of drugged drivers killed in car crashes is rising dramatically, according to a report released today. Forty-four percent of fatally injured drivers tested for drugs had positive results in 2016, the Governors Highway Safety Association found, up more than 50 percent compared with a decade ago. More than half the drivers tested positive for marijuana, opioids or a combination of the two. (Bergal, 5/31)
Los Angeles Times:
Former USC Medical School Dean Used Hard Drugs While Employed At University, Attorney Says
An attorney representing former USC medical school dean Carmen Puliafito acknowledged at a state medical board hearing Wednesday that the physician used hard drugs while employed by the university, but argued that the doctor has been in recovery for months and should be allowed to practice medicine. The hearing marked the first time Puliafito’s version of events has been aired publicly since The Times detailed his double life of using drugs and partying with criminals, causing upheaval at USC and prompting the medical board to investigate the Harvard-trained ophthalmologist. (Elamahrek and Pringle, 5/30)