Truth Farm educates public on the importance of Narcan following student overdose
The Dryden Central School District released a letter to the public stating that a student overdosed on fentanyl after using what they believed was a marijuana vape. After collapsing in the hallway, the student was administered multiple doses of Narcan. The vape was not purchased at a licensed dispensary but at an independent convenience store that was not permitted to sell marijuana products.
Executive Director of Truth Pharm Alexis Pleus commended Dryden for their approach to the incident. She encourages schools to carry Narcan and train their staff because it could save a life. Pleus says it's important to use non stigmatizing language when discussing substance use, especially with children.
'Students are going to dabble and try. This is an age old thing, it's been going on for decades. What parents need to do when they have conversations with their kids is make sure that they're aware of the potential risks and dangers but recognize we can't control our kids once they leave the house. Most likely they're going to do things that we don't approve of. Their judgment center isn't fully developed. And what can they do to stay as safe as possible? Have Narcan on hand,' Pleus said.
Truth Pharm offers free Narcan kits and fentanyl testing strips as well as Narcan training, education sessions, and support services. Several Naloxboxes are installed around the community for quick access to the lifesaving medication.
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Newsweek
5 hours ago
- Newsweek
Medicaid Turns 60 Today. America Needs It Now More Than Ever
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In the past 60 years, Medicaid has significantly expanded access to health care, including basic doctor's appointments and check ups, prescription drugs, and long-term care. The proposed cuts threaten to rip coverage away from millions. Studies show that when Medicaid shrinks, more people delay care, more hospitals go bankrupt, and preventable deaths rise. The Affordable Care Act, passed in 2010, built on the existing Medicaid system. That expansion has saved nearly 30,000 lives. In states that expanded Medicaid, premature deaths fell. In states that didn't, they rose. Instead of building on that success, Republicans have taken a chainsaw to the program, and millions will lose their coverage. Today, one in five Americans rely on Medicaid. Republicans paint a false picture of young men sitting on their couches, too lazy to get jobs, playing video games all day as the ones eating up Medicaid tax dollars. In reality, more than half of Medicaid spending goes toward the elderly and people with disabilities. The majority of adults on Medicaid are employed either full- or part-time. Nearly half of all U.S. births are covered by Medicaid. About two-thirds of nursing home residents depend on it. Medicaid serves people in every corner of this country, from inner cities to small rural towns, Democrats to Republicans. In fact, about 20 million Medicaid beneficiaries lean Republican. According to the Congressional Budget Office, nearly 17 million more Americans will become uninsured by 2034 due to the bill's changes. Republicans insist they didn't change Medicaid eligibility rules. While that's true, it ignores the fact that the bureaucratic barriers of extra forms, tighter deadlines, and poor communication will ultimately cause mass disenrollment. Here's what that means in practice: People won't know they've lost coverage until they show up in the ER. Parents will skip pediatric checkups. 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The government won't track you down to keep you covered. Second, if you lose coverage, act quickly: you'll have a limited window to enroll through the ACA marketplace, your employer, or another public option. Visit or contact a Medicaid navigator for help. Many hospitals and local officials also have staff who can walk you through next steps. Cutting Medicaid will not make America healthier. It will do the opposite: create health care deserts, saddle hospitals with unpaid bills, and force taxpayers to absorb higher costs elsewhere. Sixty years ago today, Medicaid was born. Today, we see the entire system at risk. If we truly want to make America a healthier, more resilient nation, we must protect Medicaid—not as charity, but as infrastructure. Dr. Anahita Dua is a vascular surgeon, Associate Professor of Surgery at Harvard Medical School, and the Founder and Chair of Healthcare for Action. The views expressed in this article are the writer's own.
Fox News
9 hours ago
- Fox News
Ex-Planned Parenthood director celebrates closure of Houston facilities: 'Not shocking'
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FEDERAL JUDGE BLOCKS TRUMP ADMINISTRATION FROM DEFUNDING SOME PLANNED PARENTHOOD FACILITIES CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP "I think Texas, Louisiana, the southern states, we could have a unique opportunity here because we don't have abortion," she said. "We don't have legal abortion here in the state and we don't have state and federal money pouring into these facilities." She also noted that places, like California, allowing access to surgical abortion are completely overrun with patients who travel for the procedure since it is banned in GOP-led states. Johnson emphasized that despite the victory in Houston, the pro-life movement still has a lot of work to do, pointing to data showing that abortion numbers in Texas have remained about the same since the state banned surgical abortions. "Even though abortion is technically illegal in the state of Texas, women are having abortions at the same exact rate as it was when it was legal," she said. "These women are going online, they're getting abortions from online abortion providers." Abortion pills are "very easy to obtain," she highlighted. Print Close URL
Washington Post
13 hours ago
- Washington Post
Vocal FDA critic who became top agency vaccine regulator abruptly departs
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