PA. Would Allow Medical Treatment, Research Uses HARRISBURG - Both patients and academic researchers would have access to marijuana for medical purposes under milestone legislation to place Pennsylvania among the ranks of states with legal cannabis programs. The measure approved by House l awmakers Wednesday envisions a research role for hospitals, universities and academic medical centers into the use of medical marijuana to treat diseases. The Commonwealth Medical College in Scranton sees a potential avenue for getting involved with medical marijuana research in the future. [continues 317 words]
HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - The Pennsylvania House of Representatives took up a proposal Monday to permit the use of marijuana for medical purposes, a potential breakthrough for supporters who have worked for several years to get legalization through the Republican-controlled Legislature. The debate began with passage of an elaborate amendment, crafted by a bipartisan task force, laying out rules for how the program would work, including eligibility and regulations. It was approved by a 152-38 vote, but the measure still requires a final House vote. [continues 346 words]
Medical marijuana has the support of the Delaware County delegation because of its potential to decrease opiate addiction while simultaneously offering relief to those with chronic or terminal conditions. As state legislators work their way through hundreds of amendments, at consideration is Senate Bill 3, which would allow patients who have a recommendation from their doctor to purchase and use medical cannabis from a licensed center. It would allow for the use of a cannabis oil that is high in Cannabidiols with antiinflammatory and antioxidant properties and low in Tetrahydrocannabinols, the psychoactive cannabis ingredient. [continues 678 words]
A rare thing could happen in Harrisburg this week. The Pennsylvania House of Representatives could pass a bipartisan bill that the governor is eager to sign into law. This legislation could help thousands, including many children, with debilitating health problems. It is Senate Bill 3, which passed the Senate last May 12 by a 40-7 vote. This legislation would allow the use of medical marijuana in our state, something already available in 23 other states ("Pa. House Close to Vote on Medical Marijuana," March 14). [continues 265 words]
HARRISBURG (AP) - The Pennsylvania House of Representatives took up a proposal Monday to permit the use of marijuana for medical purposes, a potential breakthrough for supporters who have worked for several years to get legalization through the Republican-controlled Legislature. The debate began with passage of an elaborate amendment, crafted by a bipartisan task force, laying out rules for how the program would work, including eligibility and regulations. It was approved by a 152-38 vote, but the measure still requires a final House vote. [continues 347 words]
PA. House Takes Up Medical Marijuana Legislation HARRISBURG - The Pennsylvania House on Monday took up legislation to allow the medical use of marijuana in the state, beginning to prepare the bill to send back to the Senate later this week. By a vote of 152-38, the House approved a comprehensive amendment from House Judiciary Committee Chairman Ron Marsico, R-Dauphin, that would establish a system of growers and dispensaries to provide marijuana to patients with certain conditions who receive certification from a doctor. The House considered a number of other amendments before adjourning for the night, with plans to continue today. [continues 346 words]
Medical Marijuana Deserves House Approval The state House of Representatives should strike a blow for common sense this week and pass the medical marijuana bill that's before it. Senate Bill 3, approved with overwhelming bipartisan support from senators last May, has been examined, deliberated and amended to address every concern. Pennsylvanians suffering from diseases that could possibly be treated with cannabis deserve the lawmakers' action. A legitimate criticism of medical marijuana is that regulation, based on the experience in other states, can be so lax as to serve as de facto legalization. Ask anyone in California how easy it is to find a Dr. Feelgood who is quick to certify that self-described "chronic pain" makes one eligible to buy weed from a handy dispensary. [continues 193 words]
HARRISBURG - The state House could decide as early as this week on whether Pennsylvania should become the 24th state to legalize medical marijuana. The House began debate Monday evening on a legalization bill approved last spring by the Senate. Under the measure, people who suffer from certain conditions would be able to access medical cannabis in oil, ointment, and pill forms. But as with all big-ticket bills in the Capitol that inspire deep divisions, it could fall victim to politics. The Republican-controlled chamber is considering a lengthy list of changes to the measure, which advocates say could make access more difficult for those who need it. [continues 542 words]
HARRISBURG (AP) - The Pennsylvania House of Representatives took up a proposal Monday to permit the use of marijuana for medical purposes, a potential breakthrough for supporters who have worked for several years to get legalization through the Republican-controlled Legislature. The debate began with passage of an elaborate amendment, crafted by a bipartisan task force, laying out rules for how the program would work, including eligibility and regulations. It was approved by a 152-38 vote, but the measure still requires a final House vote. [continues 217 words]
HARRISBURG (AP) - The Pennsylvania House of Representatives took up a proposal Monday to permit the use of marijuana for medical purposes, a potential breakthrough for supporters who have worked for several years to get legalization through the Republican-controlled Legislature. The debate began with passage of an elaborate amendment, crafted by a bipartisan task force, laying out rules for how the program would work, including eligibility and regulations. It was approved by a 152- 38 vote, but the measure still requires a final House vote. [continues 300 words]
HARRISBURG - After months on the back burner, legislation to permit the medical use of marijuana in Pennsylvania is scheduled for a House vote this week. The Senate approved medical marijuana bills in September 2014 and again in May 2015, and Gov. Tom Wolf supports allowing the treatment. But the legislation, which would establish a highly regulated industry and which faced opposition from some House Republican leaders, did not fly through the House. The chamber held hearings and convened a task force to study the issue. [continues 512 words]
Following Wilkes-Barre City Council's vote to decriminalize the possession of drug paraphernalia last week, city police Chief Marcella Lendacky is now studying whether the city should follow the lead of Philadelphia and some other, larger cities and do the same for small quantities of marijuana. Proponents of decriminalization say marijuana arrests clog the court system with non-violent offenders whose future career and education prospects are often ruined for doing something that is treated like a traffic ticket in some parts of the country and totally legal in others. The move would give police officers the discretion to file summary charges for possession rather than more serious misdemeanor charges. [continues 210 words]
WILKES-BARRE - Starting today, adults found to be in possession of drug paraphernalia in the city might catch a break from the Wilkes-Barre City Police Department. City council at its regular meeting Thursday voted 5-0 to pass the second and final reading of a paraphernalia ordinance downgrading possession from a misdemeanor to a summary offense at the discretion of the arresting officer. Factors that police will consider include the criminal background of an offender and whether the person is going to be facing more serious charges. [continues 542 words]
Township to Steer Eligible Addicts to Treatment - Free of Charge UPPER DARBY - With nearly 200 drug overdoses and 20 heroin-related deaths recorded in Upper Darby last year, township authorities are offering the police department as a "safe haven" to township drug users who voluntarily request help to find treatment. Calling drug addiction the "Number One war in America" that impacts youth as readily as middleaged men and housewives, Mayor Tom Micozzie said, "We're killing the fiber of our community ... We need to do better here in America." [continues 775 words]
While legalizing medical use of cannabis (marijuana) will lower hard drug addition rates as Kaytee Moyer states in her op-ed (Here's how medical marijuana will slow down opioid abuse in Pa., March 2 PennLive) completely re-legalizing it will lower them more. Selling cannabis in a government regulated market separates sales where people may also sell hard drugs. Some citizens who legitimately use opioids for medical conditions will choose cannabis even more, if it's available over the counter, like in Colorado and that will lower hard drug addiction rates. [continues 128 words]
Drug overdose deaths are claiming the lives of more Pennsylvanians today than even motor vehicle accidents. In 2014, 2,500 individuals - seven people a day - succumbed to fatal overdoses from prescription opioids and heroin in the commonwealth, a staggering 20 percent increase over the previous year. Sadly, we expect that number to grow when 2015 statistics are released this summer. Drug addiction is the public health crisis of our time. In fact, it is the worst public health crisis I have seen in more than 30 years as a health professional. [continues 209 words]
This legislative session has been a difficult one, with a drawn-out and contentious debate about the budget and slow progress on an issue that is vital to thousands of Pennsylvanians who face devastating illnesses - medical cannabis. The Legislature has been considering some form of a medical cannabis bill since 2009 and every two years the session ends before anything is done to help suffering patients. Last May, the Senate overwhelmingly approved Senate Bill 3, the latest incarnation of this much-needed bill. During the summer, I served on a working group appointed by House Majority Leader Dave Reed to examine the issue. [continues 489 words]
We have a problem in Pennsylvania. Most of us are personally aware of the devastating impact this epidemic has had on our state. If you don't have someone who has suffered within your own family, you likely know someone from your high school class or community who is fighting an uphill battle against this devastating addiction. It's time to do something about opioid abuse in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania's opioid abuse epidemic has been rocking the state for several years. [continues 420 words]
Andrew Follett Introduces 'Cannagenix' Line of Hemp Foods With Plans to Grow His Own "My end goal in this journey is to have large acreage of a variety of hemp strains tailored to specific industry, and a processing plant capable of a broad spectrum of product-specific processing." - Andrew Follett, owner of Follett Health Solutions LLC Andrew Follett is like many entrepreneurs in the area: young, energetic, with a burning desire to talk about his newest venture. But unlike those who have created the latest app or video game, Follett has a public relations hurdle to clear before his startup can become a success. [continues 712 words]
TOWANDA - While the City of Ithaca, N.Y., is considering establishing a safe and supervised place for addicts to use their drugs, two Bradford County officials said they were opposed to the idea. At Thursday's meeting of the Bradford County commissioners, Commissioner Doug McLinko said he was firmly opposed to the proposed facility. "You can count me out of that 100 percent," McLinko said. He said the facility would be "enabling drug users." Bradford County Coroner Tom Carman was also opposed to the facility. "Heroin shots is not the answer," Carman said. [continues 114 words]
WILKES-BARRE - It's not a soft spot in their heart that has city officials pushing to decriminalize a minor drug offense, but rather a soft spot in their wallet. Mayor Tony George and his administration aim to reduce possession of drug paraphernalia from a misdemeanor criminal offense to a summary offense so the city could boost its coffers with the money collected through city-issued citations. City council at its regular meeting Thursday unanimously approved the first of two readings of the motion to amend Wilkes-Barre's ordinance. The maximum penalty for a summary conviction is a $300 fine. Defaulting on the payment could land an offender in Luzerne County Correctional Facility for up to 90 days. [continues 591 words]
This week, Ithaca Mayor Svante Myrick unveiled a plan to tackle the city's heroin epidemic. It's a plan modeled after strategies employed in certain parts of the world, but yet to be implemented in the United States: Give heroin users a safe place to shoot up that's monitored by medical professionals. According to what the mayor has said in various media reports, these centers have seen their fair share of overdoses, but have yet to result in a death. [continues 800 words]
TOWANDA - While Bradford County is experiencing a heroin epidemic, there aren't any treatment facilities for addicts in the county and the ones elsewhere in the region are full, officials said. Speaking at the Bradford County commissioners' meeting on Thursday, Bradford County Coroner Thomas Carman said the region's drug rehab facilities, which are located outside the county, "are full," so getting a local addict into a rehab facility "is a challenge." "There are so many people who need treatment, but we don't have enough facilities for them," the coroner said. [continues 747 words]
Andrew Follett Introduces 'Cannagenix' Line of Hemp Foods With Plans to Grow His Own Andrew Follett is like many entrepreneurs in the area: young, energetic, with a burning desire to talk about his newest venture. But unlike those who have created the latest app or video game, Follett has a public relations hurdle to clear before his startup can become a success. That's because Follett Health Solutions LLC sells the "highest quality hemp foods and ingredients, to retail, food service, bulk customer, as well as end consumer product manufactures." [continues 342 words]
The PHS Philadelphia Flower Show is meant to be a temporary display of horticultural splendor, not a chronic one. So the show organizers put the kibosh on a display that was to tout legalization of marijuana. Turns out blooms are welcome, bud not so much. Philly NORML, a pro-legalization group, was urging volunteers to join a booth at the show organized by Green Rush Advisors. But Alan Jaffe, a spokesman for the Flower Show organizer, the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, said the group had already been told it would not be welcome. [continues 197 words]
My son, Marksen, 7, was diagnosed with autism at age 2. He has always had difficulty with behavioral issues, but his condition has worsened greatly in the past year: He has become violent toward himself and others, especially his family. Marksen has been to the hospital at least 50 times in the last year- to the emergency room, gastrointestinal doctors, and an autism specialist. We've tried various medications, with numerous side effects and little relief. He suffers daily. What are we to do? [continues 101 words]
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration's decision last month to relax requirements for marijuana-derived research is encouraging. The Pennsylvania Medical Society, on behalf of our members and their patients, urges that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration also work to support research that will lead to the development of safe treatment options. We also urge the FDA to reschedule marijuana from a Schedule I to a Schedule II substance to facilitate research across the country. With legislation to legalize medical marijuana pending in Pennsylvania, we are hopeful that the DEA decision will slow down state legislation on marijuana legalization in favor of FDA-approved clinical research and rescheduling of the substance. Advocates and patients want to use marijuana for illnesses and conditions despite incomplete and limited FDA research on its safety and effectiveness. Society members prefer additional research and clinical study before Pennsylvania allows medical use of marijuana. This position is aligned with the American Medical Association's policy. Dr. Scott E. Shapiro, president, Pennsylvania Medical Society, Harrisburg [end]
An investigation involving several law enforcement agencies ended in police seizing nearly 250 pounds of marijuana from three men, including a California sheriff's deputy, last week, York County District Attorney Tom Kearney said Monday. Police laid out dozens of bags of marijuana, fanned-out $100 and $20 bills, a handgun and other items during a news conference Monday at the Penn Township municipal offices. The evidence was seized during the West Manheim Township drug bust. Kearney commended the York County Drug Task Force and Penn Township, Springettsbury Township, Hanover Borough and York Area Regional police departments for working together on the investigation that resulted in the arrest of the California deputy and two other men. [continues 747 words]
A sheriff's deputy is among three California men charged by police in York County in connection to 247 pounds of marijuana seized last week after a traffic stop in the Hanover area. Christopher Heath, 37, of Bangor, had his badge and service weapon when he was arrested last Tuesday, along with Ryan Falsone, 27, of Oroville, and Tyler Long, 31, also of Bangor. All three have been charged with delivery of marijuana, criminal conspiracy to deliver marijuana and possession with intent to deliver marijuana. [continues 387 words]
I read with astonishment your Dec. 19 front-page article about the Clairton heroin dealer who had his sentence commuted by President Barack Obama ("Clairton Native's Term Commuted," Dec. 19). The article described what a truly nice guy he is. I personally know six young people who had their lives destroyed by drug dealers, two overdosed and died. Their families would not agree that drug dealers are truly nice guys or that they engage in nonviolent behavior. The same day, on page B-1, an article describes a local heroin dealer who supplied drugs and weapons for the East Hills Bloods, who were investigated by the FBI for "dealing heroin and related violence" ("Jury Finds Head Shop Owner Guilty of Heroin Distribution"). On page B-5 that day, an article talked about another local heroin dealer accused of shooting a man 10 times with an AK-47 ("Murder Suspect Convicted of Federal Heroin Charge"). The vast majority of the street violence in Pittsburgh is gang- and drug-related. [continues 57 words]
The Pittsburgh City Council voted Monday to decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana, falling in line with a growing number of municipalities that have taken similar actions in recent years, city officials said. Under the ordinance passed on a vote of 7 to 2, police in Pittsburgh will begin to issue fines of $25 for possessing less than 30 grams of marijuana and $100 for smoking it in a public space instead of citing for misdemeanors. The ordinance is subject to approval by Mayor Bill Peduto (D), who has voiced support. - - Reuters [end]
I am a Pittsburgh mom, and my daughter, Hannah, suffers from LGS, a catastrophic form of pediatric epilepsy and a condition that can be treated with medical cannabis. Not only has cannabis been found to reduce or eliminate seizures, but treatments with high THC content also can be used as a safer alternative to dangerous rescue medications. Pennsylvania patients were promised a House vote on medical cannabis this fall, but patients like Hannah are still waiting. Even worse, it is rumored that when the House does act, the legislation will include a number of harmful provisions, including a 10 percent cap on THC. [continues 106 words]
A New York man who spent 29 days in jail after police mistook the homemade soap in the trunk of his rental car for cocaine has worked himself into enough of a lather to file a federal civil rights lawsuit. Alexander J. Bernstein, 32, alleges that troopers from the state police barracks at Fogelsville conspired to fabricate evidence that he was transporting drugs, and knew that the field test they used on the soap wasn't reliable. He says in the suit that he was forced to pay thousands of dollars in court costs and legal fees, and missed Thanksgiving with his 17-month-old son before the charges were dropped. Bernstein, who is seeking a jury trial and damages in excess of $150,000, also complains in the suit that investigators have refused to admit that they were wrong. [continues 673 words]
I am writing in support of proposed state legislation providing for the medical use of cannibas in Pennsylvania. The state may be on the brink of legalizing medical marijuana in the near future. Despite scientific data suggesting marijuana's therapeutic properties in certain patient populations, federal agencies are skeptical of its value in healthcare and apprehensive of potential consequences of its legalized use. Medical marijuana has been used for centuries and has proven to be effective in treating a wide range of conditions such as reducing nausea and vomiting in patients receiving chemotherapy, stimulating the appetite of patients with cancer and HIV, decreasing spasticity and pain in patients with multiple sclerosis and spinal cord injuries, and decreasing suffering from chronic pain (American Nurses Association, 2008). [continues 57 words]
As a nurse addictions researcher and social worker, respectively, we are disappointed by the orientation, tone and language used in the Nov. 8 Forum article "Three Moms, Three Addicts." The subtext arguably comes across as "we suburban white people from religious homes, with talented and beautiful children who attended good schools were living right, and addiction happened to our kids." This implies both that addiction is a moral failing and that certain communities should not be affected. These ideas are inaccurate and unhelpful. [continues 185 words]
Heroin use in the United States increased by nearly 80 percent between 2007 and 2012 alone, and The New York Times' main reaction to this depressing fact is to be overjoyed that the new addicts are mostly white. The important point is not that ragingly addictive drugs are sweeping small-town-America or young lives are being cut short. What matters is that the drug epidemic is not having a disparate impact. Excitedly reporting that "nearly 90 percent of those who tried heroin for the first time in the last decade were white"- yay!- the Times claimed that, with white kids dying from heroin overdoses, their parents are taking a "more forgiving approach" to heroin addiction. [continues 801 words]
(AP) - Part herb, part biceps and all smiles, a humanoid superhero named Buddie is catching plenty of blame - and credit - for Ohio voters' rejection of legalized marijuana Tuesday. His inventors wanted the towering bud-turned-mascot to help make Ohio the fifth state to allow recreational and medical pot. Backers from political action group ResponsibleOhio plunged the creature onto college campuses and for months cast his television-friendly visage as a prime face for their statewide drive. The cartoonish optics infuriated both parents and longtime advocates for the drug, drawing quick comparisons to Joe Camel, the animated cigarette pitchman killed off by R.J. Reynolds in 1997. Ardent marijuana activists now call Buddie one of several blunders that kept Ohioans from passing legalization, despite growing social tolerance. In Pennsylvania, medical marijuana could become legal within months. [continues 955 words]
Carol Johnson* of North Philadelphia, 87, carefully saved $2,000 from her pension checks, storing the money in an upstairs bedroom. But in a matter of minutes, it was gone - taken by law enforcement after Carol's husband Kevin* was found with two marijuana joints in their home. Carol was never charged with a crime, but it didn't matter. Under Pennsylvania's civil asset forfeiture laws, cash, cars and even homes can be forfeited without a hearing on the evidence, without due process, without justice. [continues 583 words]
Scranton Rep Cosponsors Bill to Grow Crop in State. State Rep. Marty Flynn has read a lot about hemp, the name for cannabis plant varieties grown for industrial uses, such as fiber. During his research, he kept thinking about the legal status of the plant. "To me it seemed like there was no reason for it to be illegal," he said. Mr. Flynn, D-Scranton, became a key cosponsor of House Bill 967, which creates a pilot program for growing hemp in Pennsylvania. The House Agriculture Committee just voted 24-0, with three members not voting, to move the bill out of the committee. [continues 170 words]
State House Working Group Sifts Through Claims. The papers and opinions on medical marijuana kept coming across Rep. Aaron Kaufer's desk. Advocates and opponents wanted their chance to convince him. ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE Young marijuana plants stand under grow lamps at the Pioneer Production and Processing marijuana growing facility in Washington state. A total of 23 states and the District of Columbia allow medical marijuana programs, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Mr. Kaufer, R-Kingston, was a member of a bi-partisan working group in the state House of Representatives looking at the issue of medical marijuana. After months of research and meetings, the group sent its conclusions to House Majority Leader Dave Reed in September. The conclusions gave guidelines for how a potential medical marijuana program could be implemented. [continues 1701 words]
New Guidelines Will Thin Costly Bloated Prisons Six thousand drug offenders will be released from federal prisons between Oct. 30 and Nov. 2, their terms cut short by new sentencing guidelines in the United States. Their release reflects not just the revised, retroactive guidelines enacted by the U.S. Sentencing Commission, but the nation's growing concern about the number of citizens it jails. About one out of every 100 Americans is incarcerated, a third for drug crimes. Freeing eligible nonviolent drug offenders is a bold and necessary first step in restoring a criminal-justice system burdened by Draconian sentencing of the 1980s and 1990s. [continues 256 words]
Advocates of Reform Hope Francis Does Justice to Their Cause PHILADELPHIA - Ed Gilchrist grew up in the rough Philly neighborhood of Kensington, dealing drugs "as soon as I was old enough to count money." Now serving his second jail stretch, for a marijuana bust, he's about to experience something that more solid citizens could never hope for - - an audience with Pope Francis. "I never thought in a million years I would come to a county prison and meet the pope," Gilchrist said Thursday, dressed in jail blues and sitting on a folding chair in the jail's chapel. "Those two things never line up, you know?" [continues 1086 words]
Inmates, Advocates Hope Francis Will Encourage Changes in U.S. Criminal Justice. PHILADELPHIA - Ed Gilchrist grew up in the rough Philly neighborhood of Kensington, dealing drugs as soon as he "was old enough to count money." Now serving his second jail stretch, for a marijuana bust, he's about to experience something that more-solid citizens could never hope for: an audience with Pope Francis. "I never thought in a million years I would come to a county prison and meet the pope," Gilchrist said with a wry smile Thursday, dressed in jail blues and sitting on a folding chair in the prison's chapel. "Those two things never line up, you know?" [continues 1165 words]
How many wars can we fight? Our presidential candidates demand "stronger action" against both illegal immigration and illegal drugs. But those goals conflict. The War on Drugs makes border enforcement much harder! America's 44-year-long Drug War hasn't made a dent in American drug use or the supply of illegal drugs. If it had some positive effect, prices of drugs would have increased, but they haven't. American authorities say drugs are more available than ever. Drug prohibition, like alcohol prohibition, creates fat profits that invite law-breaking. [continues 437 words]
How many wars can we fight? Our presidential candidates demand "stronger action" against both illegal immigration and illegal drugs. But those goals conflict. The War on Drugs makes border enforcement much harder! America's 44-year-long Drug War hasn't made a dent in American drug use or the supply of illegal drugs. If it had some positive effect, prices of drugs would have increased, but they haven't. American authorities say drugs are more available than ever. Drug prohibition, like alcohol prohibition, creates fat profits that invite law-breaking. [continues 621 words]
I have written this letter a thousand times in my head. Always hoped I wouldn't have to send it. I write this from a war zone. As a war correspondent, you can report only what you see firsthand. The Post-Gazette won't report on this casualty ... After all, this is just one more death, a casualty of our war on drugs. A young man whose family has been intertwined with ours for years died recently of an overdose - one more victim of the epidemic that is sweeping our country. There will be no quarter-column news story about his death. His passing will be remembered only in an obit. [continues 204 words]
Obtaining Marijuana to Test Its Medical Properties Can Be a Long Process. Research on marijuana's potential for medicinal use has been hampered for years by federal restrictions, though nearly half the states and the District of Columbia have legalized the drug in some form. An analysis by News21 shows that $1.1 billion of the $1.4 billion that the National Institutes of Health spent on marijuana research from 2008 to 2014 went to studies on marijuana abuse and addiction. Only $297 million was spent on its effects on the brain and potential medical benefits for those suffering from conditions like chronic pain. [continues 1149 words]
Washington, Pa.- The first call came at 7:33 p.m. last Sunday: Two people had overdosed on heroin in a home just a few hundred yards from the station where firefighters were awaiting their nightly round of drug emergencies. Six minutes later, there was another. A 50-year-old man had been found in his bedroom, blue from lack of oxygen, empty bags of heroin by his body. At 8:11, a third call. Then another, and another, and another and another. [continues 1313 words]
Three Heroin Users Die, Three Saved With Narcan in Washington County A woman heading to a Narcotics Anonymous meeting Sunday collapsed and lay unconscious in a Canonsburg parking lot after a heroin overdose. She was one of 17 overdoses that day in Washington County that may have caused as many as three deaths. Canonsburg police, equipped with the opioid antidote naloxone, known as Narcan, used the nasal spray to revive the woman in a matter of seconds, Canonsburg Chief Alex Coghill said. Borough police also responded to a second call in neighboring Houston, where emergency medical officials already were on the scene. Naloxone again was used to revive the victim. [continues 507 words]
Inside Pennsylvania
