epidemic

The New Bedford City Council began the new year with a discussion on the SouthCoast's opioid crisis and how surrounding communities need to address it.

A new documentary shinning a light on the nation's current opioid abuse epidemic is focusing on a quiet Cape Cod town to demonstrate it's not only major cities dealing with this crisis.

The New Bedford City Council is looking beyond the city limits for solutions to an ever growing opioid abuse epidemic.

Bristol County Sheriff Thomas Hodgson says he's supporting Governor Charlie Baker's proposed legislation that looks to curb opioid abuse in the Bay State. Hodgson joined other Massachusetts Sheriffs and the Governor Monday, endorsing the legislation that looks to limit new opioid prescriptions to a three-day supply, and give doctors the power to evaluate addicts and recommend them for long-term tr

Why are there so many heroin overdoses all of a sudden? It's happening here and all across the country. And the short answer is people are reportedly overdosing on dangerous narcotics like fentanyl that has been mixed with heroin. To put this in perspective, fentanyl is 30 times more potent than heroin and is usually used for painful surgical procedures...

BOSTON (AP) - Massachusetts doctors and health insurers would be encouraged to take new approaches to treating pain in legislation unanimously approved by the Senate.

The Centers For Disease Control is calling the influenza an epidemic, with high flu-like activity being reported in 22 states and 15 pediatric deaths in the US thus far.

There's been a noticeable decrease in heroin-related deaths in the Southcoast. Local law enforcement officials cite several factors that are contributing to the lower number of fatal overdoses. New Bedford Detective Captain Steve Vicente tells WBSM News putting the anti-overdose drug Narcan into the hands of all first responders with the proper training has certainly helped...