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Up To Date

Seg. 1: How Tobacco Settlements Inform Opioid Lawsuits. Seg. 2: Kansas City Chiefs' New Hope.

By Steve Kraske,
Luke X. Martin
Published September 27, 2018 at 3:10 PM CDT
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According to the Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services, there was a 35 percent increase in opioid- or heroin-related deaths in the state from 2015 to 2016. In 2017 there were 951 opioid deaths, an increase of 4.7 percent from the previous year.

Segment 1: Government agencies suing pharmaceutical companies look to legal lessons learned from previous settlement against Big Tobacco.

A class-action lawsuit against tobacco companies in the late 1990s netted hundreds of billions of dollars, compensating states for costs associated with treating tobacco-related illness. Now, a comparable strategy could help defray the money cities, counties, and states are shelling out to deal with the opioid crisis. Today, an attorney involved in both cases explained the differences and similarities involved in each.

Segment 2, beginning at 20:08: How Mahomes compares to previous Chiefs' quarterbacks.

As a new quarterback quickly makes his mark on the Kansas City Chiefs offense, we discussed how Patrick Mahomes stacks up against the franchise's great gunslingers of the past. We also asked whether his scoreboard contributions will be enough to make up for a defense that's leaving a lot to be desired.

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Up To Date OpioidslawsuittobaccoLawmedicineHealthUp to DateTalk ShowKansas City Missouri (KCMO)Kansas City ChiefsGreg EchlinsportsNFLfootball
Steve Kraske
When I host Up To Date each morning at 9, my aim is to engage the community in conversations about the Kansas City area’s challenges, hopes and opportunities. I try to ask the questions that listeners want answered about the day’s most pressing issues and provide a place for residents to engage directly with newsmakers. Reach me at steve@kcur.org or on Twitter @stevekraske.
See stories by Steve Kraske
Luke X. Martin
As culture editor, I oversee KCUR’s coverage of race, culture, the arts, food and sports. I work with reporters to make sure our stories reflect the fullest view of the place we call home, so listeners and readers feel primed to explore the places, projects and people who make up a vibrant Kansas City. Email me at luke@kcur.org.
See stories by Luke X. Martin