Opioid Death Rate In Ventura Slows, But Still Vastly Outpaces Rest Of State
Ventura officials could only speculate on why the problem is so bad in their area.
Ventura County Star:
Ventura County's Opioid Deaths Exceed State Rate
Deaths involving powerful painkillers and other opioids declined over two years in Ventura County but still outpaced the opioid overdose mortality rate across California by nearly 50 percent in 2014, according to data from several state agencies. The numbers, displayed on a website unveiled this month, also show prescriptions for opioids and emergency room visits for a drug category that ranges from prescription oxycodone to morphine occurred at a higher rate in Ventura County than across California. (Kisken, 10/13)
In other news on the opioid crisis —
The New York Times:
Opioids May Interfere With Parenting Instincts, Study Finds
Some of the most troubling images of the opioid crisis involve parents buying or using drugs with their children in tow. Now new research offers a glimpse into the addicted brain, finding that the drugs appear to blunt a person’s natural parenting instincts. Researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania scanned the brains of 47 men and women before and after they underwent treatment for opioid dependence. (de la Cruz, 10/13)