Opioids

In a prison system rife with drugs, a new civil rights lawsuit accuses the Missouri Department of Corrections of punishing people for addiction, rather than treating it.

Current law states nurse practitioners and other advanced practice nurses must have a collaborative agreement with a physician in order to prescribe certain medications.

City Council restricted the sale of 7-OH, a derivative of kratom that’s marketed as an energy booster. Public and professional opinions remain split over purported health benefits, potential addiction risks and the ease with which minors can get ahold of the products.

Contracts are in place for a $7 million project that will test the wastewater of public schools in Missouri for signs of fentanyl and other drug use.

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.

People trying to kick addiction should have access to medical detox programs, but these treatments aren’t widely offered in Kansas.

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.

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

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?

Kansas is one of the worst in the nation when it comes to drug-induced deaths for teens and young adults. Heidi Tomassi’s son is an overdose survivor and she’s sharing their story with Olathe kids in hopes it might change the approach to drug awareness.

Drug overdose deaths are dropping across the Kansas City metro area, matching recently announced national trends. It’s a stark reversal from previous years, and health experts hope these positive changes continue.