Latest news with #Narcan
CBS News
19 hours ago
- CBS News
Southgate man injured after a pickup hit a highway wall, police say
A Southgate man got emergency medical aid on site and was taken to the hospital after a Ford F-150 he was driving struck a highway wall Thursday in Metro Detroit. Several 911 calls had been made to the Detroit Regional Communication Center about the situation that was noticed about 6:40 p.m. Thursday on Westbound I-94 near Miller Road, the Michigan State Police reported. Some of the calls indicated that the driver appeared to be in convulsions. Another witness was trying to get into the vehicle to provide first aid. When police arrived, the 55-year-old man was still in the car and unresponsive. "Signs of potential drug use were also found in the vehicle," the state police report said. Troopers and Dearborn Police officers attempted CPR and Narcan until Dearborn EMS crews arrived and took over. The man's pulse returned while medics were tending to him. After he was taken to a hospital, he regained consciousness and was alert. "Great work by troopers and officers in using their training to stabilize this driver prior to EMS arriving," F/Lt Mike Shaw said about the incident. "Once the investigation is completed, troopers will forward an investigators report to the prosecutor for review."
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Springfield debates stricter laws to stop drug dealing near parks, schools following shutdown of trafficking operation
SPRINGFIELD — With a continuing increase in overdoses, a never-ending problem of used needles littering parks and a May bust that shut down a major drug trafficking operation, the city is looking at trying to bring back a law that charged dealers for peddling drugs near schools and parks. The City Council's Health and Human Service and Public Safety committees are teaming up to try to find a way to restore a law that made it illegal to sell drugs within 1,000 feet of a school. The charge came with a two-year mandatory minimum sentence, said City Councilor Brian Santaniello, chairman of the health and human service committee. 'I'm not here to give drug dealers business hours,' City Councilor Lavar Click-Bruce said. 'It seems like this rule benefits the people who are committing the crimes and we wonder why we have stuff like this happening through the city.' The law was changed in 2012 to reduce the zone to 300 feet for schools and 100 feet for parks and it cut the time it could be in effect to between 5 a.m. and midnight. Three years later, it further limited arrests to dealers who threatened to or used violence with a weapon, said Springfield Lt. Jamie Bruno. 'We are going to go out and get information and find out what other cities have done,' he said. Once the research is completed, Santaniello said he expects the City Council will try to change the law or create an ordinance. It will likely do so through the home rule petition process, which will need approval from the state legislature. In Springfield, the number of reported overdoses continue to rise although the number of fatalities have decreased because of the widespread availability of naloxone, the drug which reverses opioid overdoses, said Helen Caulton-Harris, health and human services commissioner. 'Fentanyl is the number one challenge … it is a huge problem for the city of Springfield and the commonwealth,' she said. Not only is heroin being cut with the drug, now tests are finding it in cocaine and even black market marijuana. Also concerning is the increasing discovery of xylazine, a horse tranquilizer and a powerful sedative, being used to cut heroin and other drugs, Caulton-Harris said. 'Narcan (the brand name of naxalone) will work on fentanyl but it will have no effect on zylazine and other additives,' she said. But it isn't just overdoses. It is the needles people discard after using drugs that are found littered throughout parks and even on school playgrounds. 'They are everywhere … You can fill a truck with it,' said Thomas Ashe, director of parks, buildings and recreation management. The amount of needles and other drug paraphernalia staff find and pick up early in the morning is 'alarming' and that is a time when the parks are used by runners, walkers and families who bring their children, he said. It is especially problematic in the Metro Center area, Ashe said. Click-Bruck, the Ward 5 councilor who is also a coach at Duggan Academy, said some of his students have found needles. The issue came to the forefront last month after a two-year, multi-pronged investigation into drug trafficking between here and New York City netted 52 arrests, 45 seized guns, more than 12,000 grams of cocaine and 350 grams of fentanyl. During an announcement of the law enforcement actions, Hampden District Anthony D. Gulluni said the investigation identified two local businesses, Garcia Market, 344 Orange St., and the neighboring Angel's Used Appliances, on White Street, as a front for the drug trafficking operation. 'It could cause quite a significant amount of overdoses,' Bruno said. 'What is also alarming is when you get a large amount of cocaine with the fentanyl you can cross contaminate both illegal substances … which can cause an overdose and accidental death.' Mayor Domenic J. Sarno and members of the committee have called for the shutdown of the two businesses. 'We have decided to leave it to the mayor and the law department,' Santaniello said. Read the original article on MassLive.
CBS News
3 days ago
- Health
- CBS News
Colorado attorney general offering $3M grant to provide naloxone to nonprofits
Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser is awarding $3 million in grant funding to provide free naloxone to nonprofits across the state, in an effort to prevent deadly opioid overdoses. Naloxone, often referred to by its brand name, "Narcan," is a medication that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. One woman who credits the drug with saving her life said the funding could help others in similar situations. "The first two times were from a complete stranger who felt like I was worth saving," said Rica Rodriguez, who now works with Promotores de Esperanza, one of the nonprofits receiving the grant. "And then the third time was a cousin, who eventually ended up passing of an overdose himself." Rica Rodriguez, of Promotores de Esperanza, a nonprofit receiving grant money for naloxone, describes her experience being rescued by the medicine on several occasions. CBS The money comes from settlements with drug manufacturers held responsible for contributing to the opioid epidemic. Weiser, who's running for governor in 2026, says he's helped secure $132.6 million as part of these legal settlements and says he's using these funds to support prevention, treatment, recovery, and harm reduction strategies in Colorado.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
Former Ohio State quarterback in court on latest drug charge
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A former Ohio State quarterback indicted on felony drug charges after being found with crack pipes in his pants pocket has yet to officially enter a plea. Defense counsel for Art Schlichter, who played for the Buckeyes between 1978-81, is facing a drug possession charge, a fifth-degree felony, and was in Franklin County Court of Common Pleas Tuesday morning. Schlichter and his attorney were granted a seventh continuance in the case against him, which alleges that he gave an Ohio State Highway Patrol trooper two crack pipes during a traffic stop in North Linden on Feb. 2. After a probable cause search of his vehicle, small white rocks were found and Schlichter reportedly told the trooper they were 'crack rocks.' Ohio one of the worst states for lung health in America, according to recent analysis Body camera footage released last February by the OSHP showed over six minutes of the encounter. At the time of his arrest, Schlichter was serving one year of probation for another fifth-degree felony drug charge from a June 2022 incident. That charge came when he was found unresponsive and had to be revived with Narcan at a hotel outside of Columbus. Online court records showed that if Schlichter violated his probation, he would be subject to 11 months in prison. A status conference was scheduled for July 28, and he could face a trial if he does not plead guilty by August 25. His attorney, Sean Thivener, said Schlichter, in the midst of reported health issues, will review his options. 'I want the court to know that (Schlichter) would like to discuss this a little bit further with his family. But today we are not ready to enter any plea,' Thivener said. Schlichter, who was most recently indicted in August 2024, previously spent 10 years in prison for gambling related crimes and later served time in federal prison from a ticket scam in which he stole millions of dollars from victims. He was released from Trumbull Correctional Institution in Levittsburg, Ohio in 2021. Upon release from prison in 2006, Schlichter wrote a book about his addiction, 'Busted,' and became an anti-gambling crusader. But as he railed against casinos during church appearances, he continued to rack up new gambling debts. Schlichter became the program's all-time leader in offense during his tenure as a Buckeye. After college, Schlichter was drafted fourth overall by the Baltimore Colts in the 1982 NFL draft. He threw three touchdown passes in the NFL before moving over to arena football. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Newton County launches state's first free naloxone vending machine to combat opioid overdoses
The Brief Newton County has introduced the state's first vending machine dispensing free naloxone (Narcan) to combat opioid overdoses, accessible 24/7 at the detention center. The initiative is funded by a GNR Health grant, ensuring the availability of Narcan for at least two years, with plans to expand to other counties. Community leaders emphasize the importance of widespread access to Narcan, highlighting its role in saving lives and addressing the broader impact of opioid addiction. NEWTON COUNTY, Ga. - A new vending machine in Newton County is the first of its kind in the state. It is providing the overdose-reversing drug naloxone, also known as Narcan, to anyone in the community who needs it, free of charge. "Even if we just save one life, it would be more than enough," said Caitlin Jett of the Newton County Sheriff's Office. What we know The machine dispenses free naloxone using tokens provided by the Newton County Detention Center staff. The detention center is open 24/7, and anyone is allowed access to the machine. Through a GNR Health grant, this resource inside the detention center will supply overdose reversing Narcan for the next two years, at least. On the side of the machine is a QR code that can be scanned for instructions on how to use the Naloxone. "Pharmacies are selling it, but we understand that in today's time things are not cheap," said Jett. "People are struggling. So, to be able to provide this free to our community is a great blessing for us." Melissa Laney visited the detention center and was surprised to find out the vending machine provided Narcan for free. She said this should be in every community. "I would give a box of these to everybody I know because the sad truth is, this kind of lifestyle, this kind of addiction, nobody's immune to it," said Laney. By the numbers In the last year and a half, there were over 15,457 opioid overdose incidents in Georgia. One percent of those were in Newton County. Narcan was administered in 65% of the overdose cases in Newton County, making this vending machine extremely important, Jett said. "We really are encouraging loved ones, if they know someone who is struggling with addiction, to come get this," said Jett. "You need to have this on hand before an emergency happens." What they're saying Colleen Freeman runs a nearby recovery group at Eastridge Church and encourages everyone to carry Narcan. She said she knows firsthand: overdoses harm more than just an addict. "It is a big problem. It's a big problem for the entire family," said Freeman. She said she is hopeful this problem for the entire community can be helped, especially with more resources at the ready. "We are so happy about that vending machine because what it does is it gives everybody a tool right in their pocket to help save a life," said Freeman. GNR Public Health applied for more grant funding to add vending machines into Rockdale and Gwinnett counties. "We hope that this is not the only one that will be in a law enforcement facility. We would love to see this machine in every detention center across Georgia," said Jett. "I just think that we need to keep it going. We can't stall. It's always going to be a problem, and as addiction is, it progresses, so we need to always be on our best fight for it (9:49) and get rid of the opiate addiction altogether," said Freeman. The Source FOX 5's Alexa Liacko spoke with Caitlin Jett of the Newton County Sheriff's Office, and Colleen Freeman, who runs a nearby recovery group at Eastridge Church.
