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Heroin is a very addictive chemical called diacetylmorphine. Heroin is a modified form of morphine, a highly abundant opium derived from the seedpods of the poppy plant.

Fentanyl-stimulant overdose deaths surge among older adults

Overdose deaths in adults age 65 and older from fentanyl mixed with stimulants, such as cocaine and methamphetamines, have surged 9,000% in the past eight years, matching rates found among younger adults, according to research presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY 2025 annual meeting.

12 Oct 2025

GLP-1 therapeutics may have the potential to treat alcohol and drug addiction

A popular class of therapies for treating diabetes and obesity may also have the potential to treat alcohol and drug addiction, according to a new paper published in the Journal of the Endocrine Society.

9 Oct 2025

Emergency calls for opioid exposures rise among middle-school aged children

Years after the opioid epidemic began in the mid-1990s, emergency medical services are seeing increases in emergency calls for pre-teens and adolescents, according to research presented during the American Academy of Pediatrics 2025 National Conference & Exhibition at the Colorado Convention Center from Sept. 26-30.

26 Sep 2025

Study reveals unequal burden of the fentanyl epidemic across the United States

A new study illuminates how some areas of the country have been hit much harder than others by the fentanyl epidemic, which took more than 70,800 lives in 2022 alone.

17 Sep 2025

Buprenorphine treatment produces greatest health gains and cost savings for mothers and infants

Over the last 20 years, substance use-related deaths have more than doubled for women of reproductive age. Overdose deaths are now a leading cause of maternal mortality in the U.S., and in some states, the leading cause.

11 Sep 2025

New study supports personalized restart of methadone for opioid use disorder

A new study from University of Colorado Anschutz and Denver Health researchers, published today in JAMA Network Open, introduces a more individualized approach to restarting methadone treatment for people with opioid use disorder.

28 Aug 2025

Polysubstance-involved opioid overdoses found to be prevalent among youth

Most research suggests that opioid overdoses involving multiple substances in the United States typically occur among people ages 25-54.

26 Aug 2025

Optum Rx invokes open meetings law to fight Kentucky counties on opioid suits

UnitedHealth Group's multibillion-dollar pharmacy benefit manager, Optum Rx, is suing five Kentucky counties in an attempt to force them out of national opioid litigation against the company.

20 Aug 2025

Understanding opioid safety and overdose prevention for older adults

With increasing age, older adults are more likely to encounter health conditions and injuries that require opioid therapy for pain relief.

13 Aug 2025

Deadly opioid contaminants uncovered in Adelaide street drug supply

A synthetic opioid 1000 times more potent than morphine is infiltrating the street drug trade in Adelaide, Australia, sparking fears of a wave of overdoses that could be lethal.

1 Aug 2025

Ketamine's antidepressant effects involve the brain's opioid system

Ketamine is a highly effective, fast-acting antidepressant that works even for patients who have not responded to other medications.

24 Jul 2025

Exploring the changing intensity of opioid use

Illegal opioids can create substantial harms, but the extent of those harms depends on multiple factors, including the amount consumed.

16 Jul 2025

In a nation growing hostile toward drugs and homelessness, Los Angeles tries leniency

Inside a bright new building in the heart of Skid Row, homeless people hung out in a canopy-covered courtyard — some waiting to take a shower, do laundry, or get medication for addiction treatment.

8 Jul 2025

Most Medicaid plans cover naloxone but barriers still exist

A new study found that almost all plans in 40 states and Washington, DC covered at least one form of the opioid overdose reversal drug naloxone, although certain restrictions and quantity limits may still prevent people from accessing this life-saving drug.

27 Jun 2025

Cardiovascular deaths surge among less educated Americans

About 525,000 more deaths occurred among US adults in 2023 than would be expected had pre-2010 mortality trends continued. More than 90 percent of these deaths occurred among individuals without a Bachelor's degree and were largely caused by cardiovascular diseases, underscoring how educational attainment can influence individuals' health opportunities and outcomes.

14 Jun 2025