Henry Larweh

1 week ago | wamu.org | Aneri Pattani |Lydia Zuraw |Henry Larweh

Overdose deaths in D.C., Maryland and Virginia fell more than 37 percent in the last year, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Opioid manufacturers, distributors, and retailers have also begun shelling out billions of dollars to settle lawsuits over their role in the overdose epidemic. But how best to spend this money remains an open question. Most of the windfall is flowing to state and local governments. Not directly to victims of the crisis.

1 month ago | cbsnews.com | Henry Larweh |Lydia Zuraw

Christopher Julian's opioid journey is familiar to many Americans. He was prescribed painkillers as a teenager for a series of sports injuries. He said the doctor never warned him they could be addictive. Julian didn't learn that fact until years later, when he was cut off and began suffering withdrawal symptoms. At that point, he started siphoning pills from family members and buying them from others in his southern Maine community.

Jan 10, 2025 | opioidprinciples.jhsph.edu | Henry Larweh |Sara Whaley |Jewyl Raikes

By Jewyl Raikes, Henry Larweh, and Sara Whaley Principle 2 underscores the importance of evidence-based spending but what about emerging intervention strategies? While some strategies, like medication for the treatment of opioid use disorder and syringe service programs, have become common practice, new interventions continue to emerge that show promise in combating the nation’s overdose crisis.

Oct 24, 2024 | kffhealthnews.org | Henry Larweh

When you think about the opioid crisis, the image of adults in their 20s, 30s, even sometimes those who are middle-aged, may come to mind. Rightly so, since most overdose deaths occur in people between ages 25 and 64. But did you know older adults are increasingly at risk of overdosing from opioids, too? In fact, from 2021 to 2022, adults over 65 saw the largest increase — 10 percent — in overdose death rates across all age groups.

Oct 24, 2024 | washingtonpost.com | Henry Larweh |McKenzie Beard

Hello! I’m Henry Larweh, a KFF Health News reporter and public health data intern, commuting from Charm City (Baltimore) to D.C. For matters related to the opioid overdose crisis and public health policy, contact me at [email protected]. Today’s edition: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its vaccine recommendations for pneumococcal disease and the coronavirus. Republicans on a key House committee released report criticizing a pandemic-era federal public relations campaign.