drugs

7-OH is sold as gummies, candies, imitation ice cream cones, liquid shots, tablets and powders. Kansas City-based Shaman Botanicals has been at the center of the drug's rise, and received a warning from the FDA.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order ending federal funding for Housing First programs that offer permanent housing without requiring mental health or drug services. Homeless advocates say it could undo their work.

Psychedelic drugs like psilocybin are getting more attention from doctors and lawmakers, including in Missouri and Kansas, as a potential treatment for mental health conditions. Dr. Christine Ziemer, a professor at Missouri Western State University, discusses the landscape around Kansas City.

For nearly a decade, overdoses have killed hundreds of Missourians annually as deadly synthetic opioids circulated among drug users. The latest data indicates the decrease in deaths could indicate a sustained trend.

A new three-part investigative series from The Kansas City Star highlights the rise of the drug 7-OH — a highly concentrated opioid-like substance derived from kratom — and the role of a Kansas City company in its growing popularity.

Addiction resources go unused if people aren’t willing to talk about substance use in the first place. A local nonprofit, First Call, is helping Kansas Citians find available support.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services appears poised to cut a $56 million annual grant program that pays for some of Missouri's overdose reversal medication and training.

Fewer Kansas Citians are dying of drug overdoses for the first time in over a decade. A local public health worker and a community paramedic joined KCUR's Up To Date to explain what’s contributed to the turnaround and what needs to happen to keep this trend going.

A Wellness Court opened this month within Kansas City's Municipal Court, replacing the separate mental health and drug courts. The new approach offers a unique focus on co-occurring issues and lowers the barriers for people to get help.

Missouri officials say the overdose reversal drug naloxone helped contribute to the first decrease in drug-related deaths since 2015.

Missouri lawmakers will consider dozens of health-related bills this session. Topics like insulin pricing, food labeling and mental health are top of mind, as well as efforts to reverse the abortion rights amendment passed by voters in November.

Victims of the opioid crisis, health advocates, and policy experts have called on state and local governments to clearly report how they’re using the funds they are receiving from settlements with opioid companies. So where are Missouri's dollars going?