In California, Where Opioid Crisis Hasn’t Hit As Hard, What Does Trump’s Declaration Mean?
It's unlikely the state or its counties will see any increased funding.
KPCC:
Is SoCal's Diversity One Reason The Opioid Epidemic Is Less Acute Here?
President Trump brought renewed attention to the opioid epidemic Thursday when he declared it a national public health emergency, but experts say it won't likely lead to increased funding to fight the problem in Southern California. That's because the problem is not as acute as it is elsewhere in the country; a public health official says ethnic diversity may be one reason why. (Faust, 10/26)
The Mercury News:
How Does California Fit Into The Opioid Crisis?
While states like West Virginia, Ohio and New Hampshire have carved out unenviable reputations in the headlines as bastions of prescription painkiller abuse, California has hardly been spared the ravages of this public-health crisis: more than 183,000 deaths in the state from 1999 through 2015 have been attributed to the epidemic. ... So how does California compare? From the California Department of Public Health and its Opioid Overdose Surveillance Dashboard, here are some numbers that paint a troubling picture for the state as the president declares war on the crisis. (May, 10/26)
The Bakersfield Californian:
What Does A National Public Health Emergency Mean Locally? Health Officials Aren't Sure
Kern County health officials say they’re not sure what to expect locally from President Donald J. Trump’s announcement Thursday that he intends to authorize a robust fight against the devastating opioid epidemic spreading throughout the country. ...Hardly a community has been left untouched. Kern County ranked ninth statewide in opioid overdose deaths in 2016. Fifty-one people died last year, ranging in age from 15 to 85. Twenty-four of those who died, however, were between 55 and 74, data show.Kern’s death rate of 5.7 per 100,000 people hovers above the state average of roughly 4.6 per 100,000. (Pierce, 10/26)
The Mercury News:
Milpitas Police To Collect Unwanted Prescription Drugs This Saturday
The Milpitas Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration will co-host an unwanted prescription drug take-back event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at police headquarters, 1275 N. Milpitas Blvd. The event gives the public the opportunity to turn in potentially dangerous, expired, unused or unwanted prescription drugs to prevent pill abuse and theft. (Bauer, 10/26)