opioid

The New Bedford Health Department receives a substantial grant to further the fight against opioid abuse in the city. Health Department Director Dr. Brenda Weiss says the Baker-Polito administration has awarded $85,000 to the department to go towards the prescription drug misuse prevention effort...

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 State Legislature is on holiday break while Governor Charlie Baker's opioid bill hangs in the balance. The governor has proposed limiting new opioid prescriptions to a three-day supply, while holding addicts in a hospital setting for three days for evaluation...

New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell still opposes adopting an opioid treatment initiative similar to Gloucester's "ANGEL" program. The New Bedford City Council is taking a look at the feasibility of having addicts turn in drugs and paraphernalia to the police department without fear of arrest, and then being supplied with a volunteer sponsor...

New Bedford Police say three people suffered from overdoses, two of them fatally, in the past few days.

City Councillor at Large Brian Gomes is up for re-election. Speaking on "The Taylor Cormier Show," Gomes highlighted the severity of the nation's opioid epidemic. Gomes says he blames pharmaceutical companies and doctors for profiting off of the public's vulnerability to such addictive substances...

The lifesaving drug used to reverse opioid overdoses will soon be stocked in several New Bedford public schools.

BOSTON (AP) _ State public health officials say preliminary statistics point to a continued increase in opioid-related overdose deaths in Massachusetts. The Department of Public Health on Wednesday released estimates of opioid deaths for the first six months of 2015, as well as an updated total of confirmed overdose deaths last year...

Governor Charlie Baker this week rolled out proposed legislation that looks to curb opioid abuse and treat those addicted to opioids. The legislation seeks to allow doctors to retain and evaluate addicts for three days and recommend long-term treatment, while limiting new opioid prescriptions to a three day supply...

Over a quarter-of-a-million dollars in grant funding has been awarded to Seven Hills Behavioral Health to provide substance abuse and HIV prevention services in Greater New Bedford. Congressman William Keating tells WBSM News the nearly $284,000 grant will allow Seven Hills to provide a broad range of services in relation to the Southcoast's opioid problem...