LA Considers Implementing San Diego’s Successful Letter-Writing Campaign To Curb Opioid Overprescribing
The San Diego Medical Examiner's Office started an initiative of writing letters to the doctors of the people who came in to the morgue for fatal overdoses. Although the results were modest, doctors who received the letters did change their habits.
KPCC:
Adopting The San Diego Method When It Comes To Opioid Prescriptions, Ojai May Initiate Dark Skies, Westlake Gets Affordable Housing
After the San Diego Medical Examiner's Office sent letters to doctors whose patients overdosed from opioids, Los Angeles considers a similar program. Plus, Westlake is getting pushback for a plan to replace rent-controlled bungalows with affordable housing. (Martinez, 8/15)
In other news on the crisis —
Los Angeles Times:
Newport To Sue In Effort To Stop State-Approved Needle Exchange
Newport Beach plans to file its own lawsuit against the state to block a planned mobile needle-exchange service that recently received state approval to operate in nearby Costa Mesa and three other Orange County cities. Newport will be joining a wave of local resistance that includes legal action by Costa Mesa, Orange County, the Orange County Flood Control District, Anaheim and the city of Orange against the California Department of Public Health and the Orange County Needle Exchange Program. (Davis, 8/15)