Despite receiving councillors' support, city is still waiting for formal green light from Ottawa - and funding from the province As Toronto prepares to respond to more overdoses caused by bootleg fentanyl, the city's plan to open three supervised-injection sites remains stuck in limbo. Six months have elapsed since councillors in Canada's largest city voted in favour of adding the service to three health centres that already distribute clean drug paraphernalia and provide support to drug users. But the city is still waiting for funding from the Ontario government and the go-ahead from Ottawa, which received Toronto's completed application last month. [continues 719 words]
[photo] Dr. Deepak Ariga holds a needle favored by drug users in Hammond on April 9, 2015. (Jim Karczewski, Post-Tribune) An HIV outbreak in Scott County, Ind., has infected 106 people. Can needle exchanges stem the tide? An HIV outbreak in Scott County, Ind., has infected 106 people thus far, and despite reservations, Gov. Mike Pence green-lit a 30-day needle exchange program to stem the tide. But public health advocates say the exchange program should be extended to really make an impact and expanded across the state as such programs have been shown to be effective in stemming the tide of HIV and hepatitis C infection among IV drug users. [continues 1235 words]
[photo] Lieutenant Michael Pappalardo said the 10-month-old girl's family is cooperating with an investigation that includes state child-protection authorities. METHUEN - A 10-month-old girl who narrowly survived after ingesting fentanyl is the latest victim of an opioid epidemic that has been blamed for hundreds of deaths in Massachusetts. Police were called to the baby's home shortly before 12:30 p.m. Saturday when the girl was having trouble breathing. She was rushed to Lawrence General Hospital, where she stopped breathing twice and had to be resuscitated. She was later flown by helicopter to Tufts Medical Center in Boston and was listed Monday in stable condition, according to police. [continues 755 words]
