Officials Crack Down On Those Involved Fatal Overdoses As Opioid Crisis Grips State
Prosecutors say having law enforcement investigate such crimes as homicides has made a significant difference in securing convictions.
Ventura County Star:
Authorities Extend Reach In Drug Deaths
As fatal overdoses linked to heroin and other drugs climb throughout the country, local authorities say they are continuing efforts to arrest and charge suspects allegedly involved "up and down the chain." While the pursuit to charge people connected to overdose deaths is nothing new, changing attitudes in law enforcement to investigate such crimes as homicides has made a significant difference in securing convictions, prosecutors said. Local defense attorneys and public defenders, however, said fatal overdoses should be viewed as a public health crisis and not an opportunity to extend more serious criminal allegations. (Hernandez, 1/23)
In other public health news —
Los Angeles Times:
Addicted To Facebook? Your Genes May Be To Blame
In a paper published Monday in PLOS One, researchers explain that genetic influences have already been shown to play a role in nearly all psychological traits. Therefore it makes sense that our genes are also influencing how much time we spend on our computers. (Netburn, 1/23)
KPBS:
Program Focuses On Tracking Air Pollution At US-Mexico Border
The California Department of Health says asthma afflicts more than 400,000 San Diego County residents. That’s more than one in 10 people, and the rates are higher in congested urban neighborhoods like San Ysidro. “The doctors told us if we could get it under control now, it wouldn’t be a permanent condition. And that’s when we really wanted to see what can we do to help control it,” Rudy Lopez said. Exposure to smoking and air pollution are two primary causes of asthma. (Anderson, 1/23)
KPCC:
LA County Measles Outbreak Said To Spread Among Jewish Day Schools
The measles outbreak that has sickened 20 people in Southern California started circulating in the Jewish community and struck at least two Jewish day schools in Los Angeles County, according to the head of a Jewish health care organization. Dr. Jeffrey Gunzenhauser, interim health officer for the L.A. County Department of Public Health, would only say that most of those who got sick are teenagers or young adults from one social group living in L.A. County's 3rd supervisorial district, which stretches from the ocean to Los Feliz and from Venice to San Fernando. (Plevin, 1/23)
KPBS:
First Person: Encinitas Woman Uses Tibetan Bowls To Heal Others
Encinitas resident Diáne Mandle uses sound to help others reduce their pain and stress. She is a sound healer and creates percussive sounds by playing Tibetan bowls. The bowls are made out of a seven-metal alloy: gold, silver, mercury, tin, lead, copper and iron. (Burke, 1/23)