Showing posts with label drugs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label drugs. Show all posts

Rep. Davis bill will close pharma warehouse distributor tax loophole, fund addiction recovery

Tuesday, January 21, 2020

Rep. Lauren Davis, D-32

Olympia—With over half of the House Democrats as co-sponsors, (including Rep. Pollet and Rep. Valdez) Rep. Lauren Davis (D-32) introduced new legislation on Monday to fund addiction pre-treatment and recovery support services by closing the pharmaceutical warehouse distributor tax loophole.

Substance use disorder services occur along a continuum of care that includes three distinct and equally important parts: pre-treatment, treatment, and recovery support. 

Pre-treatment services and recovery support services are critical to engaging individuals in substance use disorder treatment and helping them remain in recovery after treatment completion.

However, since neither pre-treatment nor recovery support services are insurance billable, there is little to no funding for them.

“We send people to treatment over and over but fail to help them stay in recovery by not funding critical recovery support services like housing, employment and education support, and recovery coaching,” said Davis.

Pre-treatment services are especially effective at engaging individuals experiencing homelessness.

“These services meet individuals in active addiction where they are, including in homeless encampments, jails, and hospital emergency rooms to build trust, engender hope, and encourage these individuals to seek help and healing,” Davis explained.
“Pharmaceutical warehouse distributors have played a significant role in the opioid epidemic by serving as purveyors of large quantities of opioids to pharmacies across the state, so it only makes sense to ask them to play an equal role in recovery,” she continued.

Currently, pharmaceutical warehouse distributors enjoy a lower business and occupation manufacturing tax than Boeing. The business case that led to the creation of their tax preference was remedied by the legislature five years ago, but the tax break remains on the books.

Closing the loophole will raise about $20 million per year.

Rep. Lauren Davis, D-Shoreline (32nd Legislative District), represents part of King and Snohomish Counties, including Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace, Shoreline and part of Edmonds.


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A House on Stilts: Mothering in the Age of Opioid Addiction

Friday, January 17, 2020

Paula Becker
Photo by David Rhyder

The Shoreline Historical Museum and the Friends of the Shoreline Library are co-sponsoring a presentation by groundbreaking author Paula Becker.

Becker has written and co-written numerous books, including “Looking for Betty MacDonald,” and “The Future Remembered: the 1962 World’s Fair and its Legacy”, with Alan Stein for HistoryLink, among others.

On Saturday, January 25, 2020 at 2:00pm at the Shoreline Library, Paula Becker will present her powerful memoir, “A House on Stilts: Mothering in the Age of Opioid Addiction.” (University of Iowa Press, 2019).

A House on Stilts tells the story of one woman's struggle to reclaim wholeness while mothering a son addicted to opioids. 

Paula Becker's son Hunter was raised in a safe nurturing home by his writer/historian mom and his physician father. He was a bright, curious child. And yet, addiction found him. 

More than 2.5 million Americans are addicted to opioids, some half-million of these to heroin. For many of them -- for Hunter -- their drug addiction leads to lives of demoralization, homelessness, and constant peril. For parents -- for Paula -- a child's addiction upends family life, catapulting them onto a path no longer prescribed by Dr. Spock, but by Dante's Inferno.

This intensely personal account of trauma and survival offers a timely exploration of a family forced to grapple with America's opioid crisis.

The opioid crisis is now a part of our local and national history, and we will be dealing with the memories and repercussions of it for a long time.

Thanks to Elliot Bay Books, copies will be available for purchase at the presentation, and the author will be available to sign them.

The Shoreline Library is located at 345 NE 175th St. in Shoreline. For more information, contact the Shoreline Historical Museum, 206-542-7111, or email



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New law in 2020: must be 21+ to buy tobacco and vaping

Wednesday, January 1, 2020

Amid concerns about the serious lung diseases and deaths associated with teenage vaping, on January 1, 2020 the age to purchase tobacco and vaping products is raised from 18 to 21.

Opinions are mixed about the effectiveness of raising the age, with vaping shop owners predicting that usage will not decline in the 18-21 population but revenues for shops will.

Lawmakers and educators expect that this will reduce the amount of products being sold in schools, as teenage users will no longer be able to get 18 year old classmates to make purchases for them.

Quitting vaping has proved to be just as difficult as quitting cigarettes. The state has established an app to help users quit vaping.

--Diane Hettrick



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No place to hide: troopers are out looking for impaired drivers this week

Sunday, December 29, 2019

Troopers are patrolling this week
to look for impaired drivers before
this happens.
Washington State Patrol (WSP) Troopers will be out looking for impaired drivers this week in preparation for the New Year. 

Patrols will be increased to include troopers brought out to supplement regularly assigned patrols. 

WSP has partnered with five other states to form the Western States Traffic Safety Coalition.

Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Nevada and Arizona are working together to save lives by removing impaired drivers from all of our roadways.

The message is clear; A New Year but an old truth - There’s no safe place for impaired drivers to hide.

These extra patrols will include specially trained troopers to help identify and detect drug impaired drivers. 

You can’t drive safely if you’re impaired. That’s why it’s illegal everywhere in America to drive under the influence of alcohol, marijuana, opioids, methamphetamines, or any potentially impairing drug–prescribed or over the counter. 

There are many misconceptions about marijuana use, including “stories” that marijuana can’t impair you or that marijuana use can actually make you a safer driver. Several scientific studies indicate these assertions are false.
Driving while impaired by any substance—legal or illegal—puts you and others in harm’s way.

New Year's Eve may feel like the ultimate party night, but police will be alert throughout the region for alcohol and/or drug impaired drivers.

Many people choose to start the New Year with a New Year’s Resolution. Let your first resolution for the New Year be to NOT drive impaired and to make sure that you and your loved ones get home safely.



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Dark web fentanyl dealer kept his money in a Shoreline bank

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

A 40-year-old Seattle man was sentenced this week in U.S. District Court in Seattle to seven years in prison for selling thousands of doses of fentanyl on various encrypted websites, announced U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran.
 
Matthew Witters was a leading seller of fentanyl on AlphaBay and Dream Market between 2015 and 2017. 

In December 2018, law enforcement seized $1.1 million in cryptocurrency, cash and other funds Witters admitted were the proceeds of his drug trafficking. 

At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour ordered forfeiture of those funds, and noted Witters sold “an enormous quantity of an extremely dangerous drug.”

According to records filed in the case, Witters came to the attention of law enforcement when his contact information and dark web monikers were discovered in residences connected with drug trafficking in Oklahoma and California. Witters’ sales on AlphaBay ended when law enforcement shut down the site in July 2017.

Witters was arrested December 10, 2018, and the following day law enforcement executed a search warrant for a safe deposit box Witters leased in an (unnamed) Shoreline, Washington bank. 
Inside was more than $165,000 in currency, a variety of suspected controlled substances, mailing labels and stamps and a loaded Glock 27 pistol.

Witters has been in custody since his arrest. On June 13, 2019, Witters pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. Prosecutors agreed to cap their sentencing recommendation at ten years in prison.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Neal B. Christiansen and Thomas M. Woods.



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Washington state bans vapor products containing vitamin E acetate

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Lung injury
Photo courtesy CDC
Since April 2019, there have been 15 cases of vaping associated lung injury reported in Washington. 67 percent of the patients are male.

In September, Gov. Inslee issued an Executive Order to ban the sale of flavored vapor products, including flavored THC vapor products, require non-marijuana vapor product retailers to display a sign warning of the risk of lung disease associated with the use of vapor products, and require reporting of cases of lung injury associated with the use of vapor products from health care providers and health care facilities.

On Monday, The Washington State Board of Health expanded this emergency rule on vapor products to include a new section banning the sale of vapor products containing vitamin E acetate. The Department of Health recommended the update based on new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) findings connecting vitamin E acetate and vaping associated lung injury.

“We are deeply concerned by a new study finding vitamin E acetate at the primary site of injury in patients’ lungs,” said Secretary of Health John Wiesman. 
“While we still need more research to identify a definitive cause, the evidence we have linking vitamin E acetate to the outbreak demands immediate action to protect the public’s health. Furthermore, we are very aware there may be more than one cause for these lung injuries associated with vaping.”

Vitamin E acetate is sometimes used as an additive in vapor products, often as a thickening agent. No one compound or ingredient has been found in all cases of vaping associated lung injury, and there may be more than one cause of the outbreak.

“Today’s action by the Board of Health to remove vitamin E acetate from the vapor product market in Washington is based on the most current information from the national investigation into severe lung injury associated with vapor products,” said Keith Grellner, chair of the State Board of Health. 
“The Board knows this investigation is ongoing; as such, we will be monitoring the investigation daily and will be prepared to take further action as we learn more.”

The department will continue working with CDC and local health officials to investigate Washington cases of vaping associated lung injury.

The healthiest option is to not smoke or vape. Resources are available here for tobacco and nicotine, and here for marijuana.



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Shoreline police make drug bust

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Photo from drug bust earlier in the year
Courtesy Shoreline Police
Shoreline police report

On November 14, 2019 our Special Emphasis Team (SET) served a search warrant as a result of an investigation into illegal drugs distribution in Shoreline. 

One subject was arrested, criminal charges are pending while they remain in custody.

The following evidence was seized.

330 doses of fentanyl (persumptive)
154.18 grams of heroin
84 grams of cocaine
4.25 grams of methamphetamine



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Public Health sounds the alarm on fentanyl deaths in teenagers

Friday, October 11, 2019

Public Health of Seattle and King County is sounding the alarm on fentanyl.

Sadly, there has been a recent increase in overdose deaths in King County, driven largely by fentanyl found in illicit pills and powders. These deaths are occurring more frequently among people 18 or younger.

They are buying the drugs online or 'on the street.'

WARNING: Beware of counterfeit pills that may look like prescription drugs. They likely contain fentanyl. Do not consume any pill that you do not directly receive from a pharmacy or your prescriber. Pills purchased online are not safe.

WHAT IS FENTANYL?

Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid drug that is approximately 100 times more powerful than other opioids. Fentanyl is often added to illicit street drugs such as fake pills and white powder. 

Fentanyl and other opioids cause overdose by slowing breathing and eventually can cause death.

WHAT DOES FENTANYL LOOK LIKE?

In King County, fentanyl is most commonly seen in blue, greenish, or pale colored counterfeit pills. There may be other colors. These pills may be marked as “M30” and sometimes as “K9,” “215,” and “v48.” Fentanyl may also be in white powders. 

Oxycodone pills that are sold on the street or online likely contain fentanyl.

You can’t smell or taste fentanyl. You can’t tell if there’s fentanyl in the pills by looking at them.

The amount of fentanyl can vary between pills, even within the same batch. While a single pill might get a person high without killing them, another pill could be fatal.


WHAT TO DO TO PREVENT FATAL OVERDOSES: Know the signs of an overdose or excessive opioid use. 

Someone may be overdosing if they:
  • Won’t wake up or it’s difficult to awaken them
  • Have slow or no breathing
  • Have pale, ashy, cool skin
  • Have blue lips or fingernails
  • Abnormal snoring pattern (e.g., unusually loud)
  • Extreme drowsiness
If you witness an overdose, call 9-1-1 right away. Washington State’s Good Samaritan law will protect you and the person who is overdosing from drug possession charges.

Narcan
Give naloxone (Narcan), a nasal spray that counteracts the life-threatening effects of an opioid overdose.

Anyone in Washington state can now obtain naloxone "Dr. Kathy Lofy, the state’s health officer, signed a “standing order” for Naloxone, also known by the brand name Narcan. 

"The order is statewide and allows any person or organization to obtain the medication from a pharmacy without a prescription." --The Seattle Times

Washington residents covered by Apple Health, the state's Medicaid program, can get Naloxone at no cost. The state encourages people to call a pharmacy ahead of time. DOH began a program in February to distribute Naloxone kits statewide, and expects to pass out 11,000 during the program's first year.

Chain pharmacies that offer naloxone throughout WA State:
Get rid of unused or expired medications. Find a medicine return drop-box near you or text MEDS to 667873 

If you think someone is overdosing, do not let them fall back asleep.
 
TREATMENT WORKS

Many different treatment options are available across King County, including medications to treat opioid use disorder. Visit the Washington Recovery Help Line or call 1-866-789-7511.



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Padres unidos - familias seguras

Wednesday, September 18, 2019


Uno de los intereses más grandes de un padre debe ser el bienestar y seguridad de sus hijos. Es importante estar informados para PREVENIR.

Los temas que cubrimos son los problemas que seguimos viendo en nuestras comunidades. En particular el uso de drogas así como el suicidio y el abuso sexual de menores son temas de los cuales todo padre debe estar informado. No espere a tener el problema para buscar información. La clave es la prevención.

El Departamento de Policía de Shoreline te invita a la serie de 6 talleres en Español donde aprenderás de estos temas, como identificarlos y como abordarlos.

Recibirás un certificado al completar los talleres. No tienen costo. Incluye cuidado de niños.

El cupo es limitado. Para registrarte llama al (206) 801-2719 o envía un correo electrónico a Dahlia.corona@kingcounty.gov




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State officials make it easier to access overdose reversal drug

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Naloxone comes in injectables and nasal sprays
Washington State Health Officer Dr. Kathy Lofy has signed a statewide standing order for naloxone, a medication that can reverse an opioid overdose.

The standing order works like a prescription and allows any person or organization in the state to get naloxone from a pharmacy.

“Making it easier to access and distribute this lifesaving medication to people who need it is an important step in addressing the opioid crisis and reducing overdose deaths in our state,” said Dr. Lofy. 
“In 2018, 710 Washington residents died of an opioid overdose.”

An overdose of opioid drugs like prescription painkillers, heroin and fentanyl can cause a person’s breathing to slow or stop. Naloxone can be given as an injection or a nasal spray to someone experiencing an overdose. It works by temporarily blocking the effects of opioid drugs.

Naloxone is very safe and does not have serious side effects if accidentally given to someone who is not experiencing an opioid overdose. If you think someone is experiencing an overdose, but aren’t sure what kind of drugs they may have taken, use naloxone.

The Department of Health encourages anyone who is at risk of experiencing or witnessing an opioid overdose to carry naloxone. People who want to get naloxone can use the standing order at any pharmacy in the state without a prescription from a health care provider.

It’s best to call ahead to make sure the pharmacy has naloxone available and check your insurance coverage. Most commercial health insurance plans cover at least one form of naloxone, but coverage and costs vary. Apple Health (Medicaid) clients can get naloxone at no cost.

The standing order will also make it easier for organizations working with people who may need naloxone to get and distribute the medication. Organizations interested in getting naloxone under the standing order need to notify the department. The department will keep a list of organizations and notify them if there are changes to the order.

Since February 2019, the department has also managed an Overdose Education and Naloxone Distribution Program to distribute naloxone kits to programs statewide for distribution to their communities. 
Within the first year of the program, the department expects to deliver 11,000 naloxone kits. This work is funded in part by a federal opioid grant managed by the Washington State Health Care Authority.

All of these efforts are part of the state’s comprehensive opioid response, which is focused on preventing opioid misuse, identifying and treating opioid use disorder, preventing deaths from overdose and using data to monitor and support these efforts.

Make sure you know the signs of overdose and what to do, and carry naloxone if you or someone you know might need it.



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Seattle Police seize stolen guns, heroin, meth, fentanyl from house in Shoreline

Friday, May 24, 2019

Photo courtesy Seattle Police


Seattle PD Narcotics detectives have broken up a major drug trafficking ring, suspected of supplying dealers in North Seattle and Shoreline.

On Thursday, May 23, 2019 after a month's-long investigation, members of the Narcotics Unit, North Precinct Anti-Crime Team and the Drug Enforcement Administration served warrants at two homes in Shoreline (167xx Whitman) and Mountlake Terrace, where they arrested three people and seized significant quantities of narcotics and weapons.

Photo courtesy Seattle Police


Police recovered 3.86 kilos of Heroin, 8.82 kilos of Methamphetamine, 1.42 pounds of Cocaine and approximately 69,000 oxycodone and fentanyl pills, as well as a stolen handgun, a stolen rifle, and a stolen ballistic vest and over $113,000 in cash.

Photo courtesy Seattle Police


As police were serving the warrants, one suspect unsuccessfully attempted to escape from police by jumping off a second-story balcony. Another man in the home tossed three one-pound packages of methamphetamine out a window as officers began searching the home.

Police booked three suspects into the King County Jail for weapons and narcotics violations and continue to investigate.



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Easy ways to safely dispose of medications

Thursday, January 17, 2019

Drug drop at QFC Pharmacy at 4-Corners
Business District on RB Road in Shoreline
Photo by Eric C. Kaminetzky
By Diane Hettrick

There are a lot of good reasons not to keep old prescriptions around the house.

Here are a few:
  1. Anyone that thinks a child can't get in to a "childproof cap" hasn't been around children. The only ones who have trouble getting in are adults.
  2. Teens making bad decisions, getting in to your medicine cabinet. So your teen is ok - what about his friends - or the new babysitter? Don't contribute to the opioid crisis.
  3. The water is already full of viagra - don't add your meds by flushing drugs down the toilet.
  4. And don't throw them in the garbage or compost either. That goes in the ground, the drugs leach into the soil, and it all ends up in the water anyway.

Public Health has made it easier to safely dispose of unused and expired medication – including prescription painkillers – by setting up over 100 Drop Boxes at participating pharmacies and law enforcement agencies throughout the county.

"We’ve just launched a program for people to find the nearest drop box. Text the word MEDS to 667-873. You’ll then enter your zip code for the nearest location."

This system works so well that I looked everything up for local places. 

The common theme seems to be QFC Pharmacies, police stations, and some medical offices.

Shoreline
  • Shoreline Police station - 17500 Midvale Ave N 98133
  • ICHS Shoreline Pharmacy 16549 Aurora Ave N 98133
  • QFC Pharmacy 600 NW Richmond Beach Road 98177
  • QFC Pharmacy 1531 NE 145th St Seattle 98155
Lake Forest Park
  • LFP Police station 17425 Ballinger Way NE 98155
Kenmore
  • Kenmore Police at Kenmore City Hall 18120 68th NE 98028
  • Ostrom's Drug and Gift 6404 NE Bothell Way Kenmore 98028
Northgate
  • Kaiser Permanente Northgate Medical Center 9800 4th Ave NE Seattle 98115
  • Northgate QFC 11100 Roosevelt Way NE Seattle 98125
  • Northwest Prescriptions 1536 N 115th St, Ste 100 Seattle 98133

Corrected address for Shoreline Police

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Public Health comments on State Supreme Court ruling on I-27

Sunday, December 9, 2018

Public Health Laboratory
in Shoreline
Photo by Steven H. Robinson
The Washington State Supreme Court has ruled that Initiative 27, which would have banned public funding for safe injection sites, was outside the scope of local initiative power.

In 2017, a group collected enough signatures to put the initiative on the ballot but were blocked by a judicial ruling. They appealed the decision. The courts just upheld the initial ban and the initiative will not be on the ballot. 

King county council is planning to site two clinics - one in Seattle and one in the county. Bellevue, Kent, and Federal Way have passed city ordinances to ban safe injection sites.

Dr. Jeff Duchin, Health Officer, Public Health – Seattle and King County said,

"In 2016, the 38-member Heroin and Prescription Opiate Task Force issued recommendations that included opening and evaluating sites to prevent fatal opioid overdoses, called Community Health Engagement Locations (CHEL’s). King County has $570,000 in currently held funds as well as up to $420,000 per year in unallocated funds to support a CHEL in Seattle.

"The Washington State Supreme Court today determined that Initiative 27 improperly interferes with the budgetary authority of the King County Council, allowing us to utilize the full range of evidence-based public health strategies to confront the opioid epidemic in King County.

"Our priority remains increasing access to low barrier medication-assisted treatment such as buprenorphine so that people can access treatment for opioid use disorder when they need it, where they need it. We have close to 90 buprenorphine providers and 7 methadone clinics in King County. Treatment access will continue to expand over the next year, including through our Public Health Downtown Needle Exchange and King County jail.

"We’re also preventing fatal overdoses by making life-saving naloxone kits available throughout the county. Over the past two years, we’ve distributed naloxone to law enforcement, treatment providers, community agencies and through Public Health Needle exchange sites. In 2018, we’ve distributed over 9,000 naloxone kits.

"And finally, we’ve made it easier to safely dispose of unused and expired medication – including prescription painkillers – by setting up over 100 Drop Boxes at participating pharmacies and law enforcement agencies throughout the county. We’ve just launched a program for people to find the nearest drop box. Text the word MEDS to 667-873. You’ll then enter your zip code for the nearest location."

Updated 12-9-18 to provide background information on the Initiative.

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Opioid prevention campaign kicks off in Washington

Friday, July 6, 2018

The Washington State Department of Health will launch a statewide campaign this summer to warn about the dangers of opioid prescriptions.

Since 2000, over 10,000 people in Washington have died from an opioid overdose and there have been more than 17,697 opioid overdose hospitalizations.

“This crisis is tragically affecting our family members, friends and communities. We need to do everything we can to make sure people understand that prescription opioids can quickly lead to dependence, addiction, and deadly overdose,” says Dr. Kathy Lofy, state health officer.

Through compelling personal accounts, the campaign helps make everyone aware of the risks and dangers of prescription opioids and delivers a thought-provoking message: “It only takes a little to lose a lot.”

With funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the campaign will focus on the hardest hit and most rural counties. 

Find more information on Washington’s Opioid Response Plan, overdose prevention, or treatment resources or the upcoming campaign.

The DOH website is your source for a healthy dose of information. Find us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter using #WAOpioidPrevention. Sign up for the DOH blog, Public Health Connection. After hours and on weekends, call 360-236-4440.


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Report: Opiate Crisis - A Community Forum

Saturday, February 24, 2018

Overflow crowd at Opiate Forum
Photo courtesy Shoreline Schools
By Donna Hawkey

A forum to educate the community about the opiate crisis was well-attended on January 23, 2018 at the Shoreline Conference Center.

Sponsored by Shoreline Public Schools, the City of Shoreline, and the City of Lake Forest Park, speakers were passionate about getting their urgent messages into the community. This is a crisis like we have never seen before and last year for the first time, drug overdoses surpassed automobile accident-related deaths. Each minute, 144 overdose deaths take place throughout the nation.

LFP Police Chief Steve Sutton
Photo courtesy Shoreline Schools

Opioid use disorder was the main topic of discussion. Many get addicted after taking pain medicines prescribed by their physician or doctor.

Prescriptions began to be written in large amounts after a 1999 New England Journal of Medicine reported a study that found opioid drugs were not addictive. This was the only study done, it was a small sampling, and it was obviously flawed.

Before this 1999 study, physicians did not have much in the way of treatment for pain, nor were they trained about pain management in medical school. The doctors started showing lots of empathy for their patients when they finally had a solution with opioids, and that started a trend in writing these prescriptions so frequently.

Also, in 1996 Purdue Pharma introduced OxyContin and began to market it very aggressively including large sales bonuses to the pharmaceutical representatives and also doctors, pharmacists, and nurses were recruited to serve on the Purdue Pharma’s speaker bureau circuit. These 1996-1999 occurrences are considered the two biggest factors in this opioid crisis.

Patients were just following their doctor’s recommendations and trusted that no harm would come from them. Opioid for pain relief is generally safe when taken for a short period of time and under a doctor’s supervision, but since the physicians were lead to believe they were non-addictive, they also increased dosages in patients when they continued to complain about pain.

We have natural opioid receptors in our nerve cells and our brain. When you add in a prescription opioid, those receptors are increased and tolerance levels to the drug increases too, so the patient may start craving higher amounts. The addiction cycle can start due to not only the pain relief, but many patients experience a feeling of euphoria as well.

Now considered a medical disease, opioid use disorder often has one behavioral component and one genetic component. Medicine stabilizes the patient by alleviating the drug cravings. Today, opioid use disorder is often compared to the diseases of diabetes and hypertension.

A panel of experts spoke at the forum
Photo courtesy Shoreline Schools

The forum panel included health experts talking about how this drug addiction is very challenging, but with the right fit and long enough treatment plan, it’s not impossible to treat it successfully. Also expressed was the importance of a loving family, friends and other social support networks.

Current treatment is a very lengthy process though and all addiction data are grouped together under one umbrella, so it can be difficult to find out which treatments are working the best for this specific addiction. Insurance companies are also finding ways to reduce benefits for treatment due to the large increases in the number of patients diagnosed with opioid use disorder.

When prescription drugs are not available or become too costly, those with opioid use disorder can find a cheap street substitute with heroin which is now available everywhere and this leads to many overdoses.

Most of these drugs coming into the Pacific Northwest are from Mexico, however, Yakima has also become a big problem in illegal drug distribution. Drugs are entering the United States from all modes of transportation - automobiles, ships, airplanes, trains. This is a huge black market industry with an estimated size of between $200-750 million dollars per year.

Shoreline Police Chief Shawn Ledford
Photo courtesy Shoreline Schools

Everyone needs to be educated about this crisis. The importance of the community working together to combat this problem is key and was stressed by law and drug enforcement officials and healthcare professionals.

Here are further tips and other resources.
  • Young athletes can become addicted to opioids with sports pain management treatment.
  • Many children who become adult addicts started taking pain medicines at the ages of 12-13 years old. Most of these prescription drugs are taken right from their parent’s medicine cabinets and some are sold to friends, too.
  • 53% of pain relievers are obtained for non-medical use by a relative or friend.
  • Drug dealers like to give out samples to hook youth into addiction.
  • Lots of synthetic heroin is being manufactured that look like prescription drug pills and users are often unaware that these drugs are 50 times more potent than heroin.
  • Children and teens should be taught to never accept or ingest medications or pills unless it is from their parent or a health care provider. Also, parents should warn children about not inhaling any type of powders.
  • If someone suspects they were offered drugs, they should call 911 if they can and report it to the police, or get the information to a school authority or parent or guardian right away.
  • Review your medicine cabinets and either lock-up your pharmaceuticals, especially any pain relievers, or dispose of them at your local police department, just drop them off, no questions asked.
  • Prescription drug abuse can also start with ADHD drugs such as Adderall. An increase in the abuse of these drugs is being seen on college campuses as students try to stay up late to study. 
The Washington State Department of Health reports that between 2012-2016, there were 3,460 overdoses and 285 of those were between the ages of 15-24.

Over 40 overdoses per year take place in Shoreline. 

All police cars in Lake Forest Park are now equipped with Naloxone, the nasal drug spray used to attempt to reverse an opioid overdose.

Washington State has the “Good Samaritan Law” so pharmacists can dispense Naloxone to someone even without a prescription. Albertson/Safeway Pharmacists are well versed in this.

There are resources available: 

From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
*We now know that overdoses from prescription opioids are a driving factor in the 16-year increase in opioid overdose deaths. The amount of prescription opioids sold to pharmacies, hospitals, and doctors’ offices nearly quadrupled from 1999 to 2010, yet there had not been an overall change in the amount of pain that Americans reported. Deaths from prescription opioids—drugs like oxycodone, hydrocodone, and methadone—have more than quadrupled since 1999.”

Note: After writing the above, our State Legislators have announced plans to put the opioid reversal nasal spray Naloxone into public schools and on college campuses.

This makes sense because we know this is where most 12-13 year olds and older teens are located five days a week, so many lives can be saved. 

It’s ridiculous to think that the schools will be seeing an overflow of drug addicts outside their doors because the school has a supply of Naloxone.

No school is going to allow anyone to just hang around outside their school, that is what police are for. With our state having the “Good Samaritan” law, pharmacists can dispense Naloxone, often called Narcan, without a prescription and some will give it for free in certain cases.




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The opioid crisis: When the young die young

Teenaged Steve working a booth for a
summer restaurant job handing
out cold drinks on a hot day at the lake
By Donna Hawkey 

When I heard that Steve, my 23- year young godson had died, I only remember the feeling of shock that took me over.

He had died of an opioid overdose. Everyone thought Steve was doing great, but can anyone really know what is going on inside another person?

Someone who has always been so trusted, who is at first honest in addressing what has happened, can suddenly be too ashamed to ask for further help. They can fool you into thinking everything is fine.

What follows is a little bit about Steve and his family. When I think of that innocent child and that bright and kind and funny spirit that developed into Steve the young adult, it's just so hard to believe he is gone.

Steve met his best friend Ian
 in preschool
Steve was never a disciplinary problem. He was more like the star of the show. Leading his hockey team to win the state championship with determination and inspiration as the team captain, he was loved and respected by teammates and parents. Steve went on to play college hockey for Chicago’s DePaul University.

He was a great conversationalist and could engage nearly anyone on a topic of their interest offering knowledge and facts.

Steve loved to read, and spent his summers at academic camps exploring philosophy, geopolitics, computers, and one really favorite one, a class called “Fairy Tales on Trial.” (Oh, how fun that was for his family dinner table conversations!)

An honor student in high school, he graduated from DePaul University with honors and a degree in history.

Steve had completed his student teaching and earned his Master’s Degree in Education, as well as a position to teach high school history and to coach the hockey team at his alma mater.

Steve and his dad, Doug
Steve and his brother James had grown up playing hockey. Brothers and best friends, they talked often of coaching the high school hockey team together and developing the program.

A star forward and a star defenseman, their love for the sport was shared from early on, and mom recalls Steve playing goalie so James could practice with shinny sticks in the basement.

In honor of his brother, James is now the Head Hockey Coach for the high school team.

His parents miss him dearly. Steve’s father Doug never missed a hockey game for either of his boys, and this dedication and the sport helped develop a very special father-son bond. This bond still continues with his son, James, and the many hockey friends made throughout the years that have shown much loving support to the entire family. 

Losing a son is an unnatural occurrence and an unthinkable grief to bear.

Steve and his mom, Debbi
Mom Debbi recalls how Steve would come home sometimes and pick her up in his arms and swing her around in the kitchen, in joy and laughter for both of them.

His mother is a very strong lady. 

She said, “He made us laugh and smile nearly every day of his short life. Such a smart, interesting, kind and funny person!!”

To experience this kind of tragic and life altering loss makes Steve’s family want to encourage every person to be on their vigilant guard by getting educated about the opioid crisis and how it now affects everyone’s community.

There is also a need for more aggressive treatment options to combat this addiction cycle faster. New technologies and solutions need to be developed for treating pain without opioids.

Not all patients respond to the current medications used in treating the opioid addiction and not everyone responds well to behavior therapy. Researching treatment options carefully and asking lots of questions are very important. 

With a powerful drug addiction like this, no matter who the person is, expect a lie from them. They can’t really help it until they get the serious treatment needed and as quickly as possible.

We should also be questioning - if our nation is spending $50 billion dollars a year on drug enforcement, investigation, and drug entry controls, then why is the problem getting worse and not better?

Finally, please show compassion and empathy towards anyone that has gotten caught in this tangled death trap.

It can strike anyone, anytime, anywhere and it can really, really surprise you. 

----
Donna Hawkey is a 21 year resident of Lake Forest Park and can be reached at dhawkey@comcast.net



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Opiate forum Tuesday night at Shoreline Center

Tuesday, January 23, 2018

Opiate forum Tuesday night at the Shoreline Center, 18560 1st Ave NE, Shoreline 98155, from 6:30pm - 8:00pm in the Shoreline Room at the north end of the complex.

The community is invited.

The open and free forum is designed to provide an opportunity for education and discussion about the opiate crisis and how it affects our communities. 

It is a project of Shoreline Police, Lake Forest Park Police, and Shoreline Public Schools.

Below is the agenda:

Introductions – Coquille Johnson- Drug and Alcohol Counselor, Shoreline Schools
  • Rebecca Miner, Ph.D- Superintendent, Shoreline School District
  • Chief Shawn Ledford, Shoreline Police Department
  • Chief Steve Sutton, Lake Forest Park Police Department
Law Enforcement Perspective (Chief Sutton MC)
  • Steven Freng, Psy.D., MSW- Prevention/Treatment Manager, Northwest HIDTA
  • Ricardo Quintero- Diversion Program Manager, Drug Enforcement Administration
  • Richard Cooper- Detective, King County Sheriff’s Office
Resources (Chief Ledford MC)
  • Alison Newman, MPH- Center for Opioid Safety Education, University of Washington
  • Michelle Peavy, Ph.D.- Research and Training Manager, Evergreen Treatment Services
  • Liz M. Braun, Ph.D.- CEO, Residence XII Alcohol & Drug Treatment Services for Women
  • Andrea Arany-Kovacs- Counselor
  • Amy Justham- Pharmacist, Albertsons/Safeway
  • King County Secure Medicine Return (slides only – Chief Sutton will narrate)
Questions from the audience (Coquille Johnson MC)



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The Opiate Crisis - A Community Forum on Jan 23

Wednesday, January 10, 2018

Public Forum
The Opiate Crisis
January 23, 2018 - 6:30pm-8:00pm
Shoreline Room (north end) Shoreline Center


Shoreline Public Schools, City of Shoreline, and City of Lake Forest Park will partner to host “The Opiate Crisis: A Community Forum”

The open and free forum is designed to provide an opportunity for education and discussion about the opiate crisis and how it affects our communities. The event will feature presentations from local and regional law enforcement, as well as experts in the fields of drug abuse and treatment.



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King County contributes $1 million for a new detox facility on Beacon Hill

Thursday, October 19, 2017

King County has contributed $1 million in capital funds to help open a new detox facility that will offer integrated treatment for mental health and substance-use disorder – including opioid addiction – that prioritizes bed space for people who are homeless.

The facility, located in Seattle’s Beacon Hill neighborhood, will offer 33 detox beds and 40 intensive inpatient treatment beds. It will welcome residents who are at the city of Seattle’s Navigation Center, a dormitory-style facility for people who are homeless and need treatment for substance-use disorder.

"The partnerships we are creating will save lives and connect more people to the effective treatment they need to once again live a healthy, productive, meaningful life,” said King County Executive Dow Constantine. 
“We are doing more than providing additional beds. We are connecting entire systems so we can better confront challenges in mental health, addiction, and homelessness throughout our region."

 More information here



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AG Ferguson sues opioid manufacturer over state's opioid epidemic

Sunday, October 8, 2017

Attorney General Bob Ferguson filed a lawsuit September 28, 2017 accusing OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma of fueling the opioid epidemic in Washington state, embarking on a massive deceptive marketing campaign and convincing doctors and the public that their drugs are effective for treating chronic pain and have a low risk of addiction, contrary to overwhelming evidence.


This deceptive marketing resulted in the deaths of Washingtonians and devastation to Washington families.

The lawsuit contends Purdue conducted an uncontrolled experiment on the American public without any reliable clinical evidence that opioids are effective at treating chronic pain. To doctors and patients, Purdue consistently downplayed the risks of addiction from long-term use and deceptively represented opioids as safe for treating long-term chronic pain.

Purdue’s deception yielded the company billions of dollars in profit nationwide from its opioid drugs. Ferguson’s lawsuit seeks to force Purdue to forfeit the Washington portion of those profits.

“Purdue Pharma ignored the devastating consequences of its opioids and profited from its massive deception,” Ferguson said. “It’s time they are held accountable and pay for the devastation they caused.”

According to the Attorney General, Purdue falsely claims that opioids improve long-term function, have a low addiction risk that can be managed or prevented and that increased doses of opioids do not pose significant additional risks to patients.

Read more about the case here



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