SAMs Watch

https://www.npr.org/2024/05/31/nx-s1-4974959/medetomidine-overdose-fentanyl-sedative

Gangs mix another potent sedative into U.S. street drugs causing 'mass overdoses' Medetomidine, a chemical long used by veterinarians and doctors, is now turning up in the street drug supply and triggering a new wave of overdoses.

Sam's Mom's Blog: Take me back to the start

“Nobody said it was easy, no one ever said it would be so hard…” I remember the background music… I remember sitting in a theatre in Franklin, Indiana. With two wonderful mothers beside me, for support. In the dark, watching photos fill the screen of my son Sam, from a student-made documentary about Sam’s death, at age 16, on Mother’s Day.

I overheard a young child behind me say, “I don’t want that boy to be dead.” I didn’t want that either but that didn’t make it not true. There was a feeling in my heart as I heard lyrics “running in circles…” I didn’t quite get it until, “oh, take me back to the start.” Coldplay.

It is now the eve of the tenth anniversary of Sam's death. I’ve been proud of myself not getting dragged down into the darkness of this time of year. A wonderful night, tonight with my husband. On the cusp of another weekend together that I so enjoy. Knowing full well, come Monday, I will miss our time together, again, as the workweek starts. It’s Friday night, watching a movie I’ve seen before, enjoying the Indiana backdrop scenario to the plot that really has no happy ending.

As it’s ending, I think about the name of the movie as revealing to my life currently (smiley face). The movie’s credits appear onto the tv screen, I shut off lights and then music plays along with the credits, out of the darkness. I hear, “Nobody said it was easy, no one ever said it would be so hard.” I didn’t quite get was that song until I heard, “oh, take me back to the start.” (Tears) “I’m going back to the start.”

A Story That HAS to be Told: "The Power of Choice" Warrior TV Presents: A documentary submission to the 2015 Johnson County Student Film Festival.Produced By: Madison Dolen, Ashley Hamer, and Bailey Hamer

https://abcnews.go.com/US/deaths-gas-station-he**in-users-bring-growing-fears/story?id=108712857

Deaths from 'gas station he**in' users bring renewed fears for parents, medical experts Several states have banned the sale of tianeptine following a rise in poisonings, deaths and addictions to the substance. Activists say more needs to be done nationally.

https://www.ijpr.org/health-and-medicine/2024-03-24/for-some-reason-i-felt-ashland-was-safe-fentanyl-crisis-leaves-local-couple-grappling-with-loss

'For some reason I felt Ashland was safe'; Fentanyl crisis leaves local couple grappling with loss Josh Wallner-Sentle's death was one of over 100 fatal overdoses in Jackson County last year. Many involved fentanyl, a highly addictive and powerful synthetic opioid that can be mixed into other drugs.

https://www.oregonlive.com/crime/2024/03/inside-portlands-deadly-teenage-fentanyl-trade-its-so-easy-for-them-to-get-it.html

Inside Portland’s deadly teenage fentanyl trade: ‘It’s so easy for them to get it’ The death of a 17-year-old high school senior and a prison term for a young man who was 19 when he sold her the fatal fentanyl offer an unusual window into teens selling to other teens.

https://www.fox10phoenix.com/news/one-and-only-deadly-mistake-family-says-fentanyl-claimed-scottsdale-teens-life

'One and only deadly mistake': Family says fentanyl claimed Scottsdale teen's life Fentanyl-related deaths are continuing to climb across Maricopa County, and a family says one of the drug's latest victims was a 17-year-old Scottsdale boy.

https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2024-02-21/fourth-wave-of-opioid-epidemic-crashes-ashore-propelled-by-fentanyl-and-meth

‘Fourth Wave’ of Opioid Epidemic Crashes Ashore, Propelled by Fentanyl and M**h A report based on millions of urine drug tests found the United States is facing a rise in the use of multiple drugs at once, which not only is often more deadly but complicates treatment efforts.

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-02-deadly-opioid-wastewater.html

Deadly opioid detected in wastewater for the first time University of Queensland researchers and international collaborators have found a deadly synthetic drug in wastewater in the United States—the first such detection globally.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXok69hTk5U

4 dead in suspected drug overdose at South Lake Tahoe home Four people are dead after a suspected drug overdose at a home in South Lake Tahoe.

https://wpde.com/news/local/expert-highlights-alarming-drug-trends-in-south-carolina

SC's alarming drug trends: Expert talks younger substance use, 'gas station he**in' & more Gas station he**in is just one of the drug trends in South Carolina right now that a substance abuse education expert shared with law enforcement officers

https://www.whidbeynewstimes.com/news/police-warn-of-hot-batch-of-fentanyl/

Police warn of ‘hot batch’ of fentanyl | Whidbey News-Times A drug enforcement agency is warning about a “hot batch” of fentanyl products circulating locally.

https://wgntv.com/news/wgn-investigates/new-class-of-deadly-drugs-raises-fears/

New class of deadly drugs raises fears CHICAGO — It’s been widely reported how dangerous the synthetic opioid fentanyl can be. Now, there’s a new set of drugs popping up in Illinois. More deadly than fentanyl, experts warn it could beco…

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/30/us/portland-fentanyl-emergency.html

Oregon Leaders Declare Drug Emergency in Portland Oregon’s governor, Tina Kotek, hopes to counter homelessness, crime and widespread public use of fentanyl that she says threatens the state’s largest city.

https://www.ajc.com/news/health-news/fda-warns-against-gas-station-he**in-that-can-be-addictive-deadly/34W6RHLJUNCPZBNCJTU7V7WR6Y/

FDA says to avoid certain energy drinks and pills due to a deadly ingredient The FDA is warning Americans to avoid tianeptine energy drinks and pills sold at gas stations and online due to its addicting, even deadly, nature. Tianeptine, already banned in Georgia, can still be bought online and in other states

https://wrkr.com/bromazolam-michigan/

This Lethal New Drug Isn't Headed to Michigan... It's Already Here Because these pills are made inconsistently, even if from the same batch, each pill can produce a different effect.

https://www.ktnv.com/news/drug-overdose-suspected-in-deaths-of-3-people-at-downtown-las-vegas-hotel

Drug overdose suspected in deaths of 3 people at downtown Las Vegas hotel A suspected narcotics overdose led to the deaths of three people who were found in a downtown Las Vegas hotel on Thursday night.

https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2024/01/gov-tina-kotek-local-leaders-declare-90-day-fentanyl-emergency-for-downtown-portland.html

90-day fentanyl state of emergency for downtown Portland declared by Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek, local leaders The effort's overall success faces obstacles and uncertainty.

https://www.axios.com/local/denver/2024/01/26/harm-reduction-center-warning-nitazenes-opioid

Harm reduction center warns about deadly new opioid in Denver Its presence could lead to more fatal overdoses, which are reaching an all-time high in the city.

https://khmoradio.com/lethal-partner-to-fentanyl-hits-illinois/

Lethal New Drug Isn't Headed to Illinois - It's Already Here As if there weren't already enough problematic drugs on the streets of Missouri, now there is a brand new one to be concerned about. Reports say it will eventually be in every state in America, but it's not headed to Illinois. As a matter of fact, it's already here.

https://www.wmur.com/article/littleton-new-hampshire-suspected-drug-overdoses/46507658

3 found dead of suspected drug overdoses in Littleton The Littleton Police Department is investigating the deaths of three people from suspected drug overdoses.

https://kfdm.com/news/local/bpd-one-dead-three-hospitalized-after-possible-fentanyl-overdose

BPD: One dead, three hospitalized after possible fentanyl overdose | KFDM One person is dead and two others are hospitalized in critical condition after a possible fentanyl overdose in north Beaumont, according to information Officer

https://nypost.com/2024/01/11/lifestyle/designer-xanax-behind-rising-overdose-deaths-cdc-report/

‘Designer Xanax’ behind rising number of overdose deaths: CDC report The drug, an unapproved benzodiazepine (“benzos”) sedative called bromazolam, has led to hyperthermia, seizures, myocardial injury, comas and multi-day intensive care stays, according t…

https://www.fox19.com/2024/01/04/drug-overdose-increase-leads-issue-public-health-alert/

Drug overdose increase leads to issue of Public Health Alert The Hamilton County Coroner’s Office reported three suspected overdose deaths on Tuesday.

https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/addiction/news/20240104/rise-in-overdose-deaths-driven-by-drug-combinations

Rise in Overdose Deaths Driven by Drug Combinations Reports of the use of fentanyl along with the animal tranquilizer xylazine makes preventing substance use disorder and associated overdose deaths even more complicated.

https://www.npr.org/2023/12/28/1220881380/overdose-fentanyl-drugs-addiction

In 2023 fentanyl overdoses ravaged the U.S. and fueled a new culture war fight Fentanyl fueled unprecedented carnage with 112,000 fatal overdoses. The nation is increasingly divided over how to respond.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/ariannajohnson/2024/01/02/what-to-know-about-nitazenes-rare-but-emerging-opioids-more-potent-than-fentanyl/

What To Know About Nitazenes: Rare But Emerging Opioids More Potent Than Fentanyl Experts believe the drugs—which have been involved in two recent deaths in Colorado—come from China and are bought on the dark web.

https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/nitazenes-death-colorado-opioid-potent-fentanyl-found-two-boulder-county-deaths/

Nitazene​s, opioids "more potent than fentanyl," related to 2 recent Colorado deaths The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment says since 2021 the state has had 13 deaths related to the drugs.

https://nbcmontana.com/news/local/significant-spike-in-fentanyl-leads-to-rising-overdose-rates-in-montana

Significant spike in fentanyl leads to rising overdose rates in Montana | KECI Fentanyl is flooding the United States, and we're tracking a major spike in Montana as well.According to Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, th

https://www.wsj.com/health/xylazine-tranq-fentanyl-opioid-addiction-3996ec43

Flesh-Rotting ‘Tranq’ Undermines Fight Against Fentanyl Xylazine, an animal tranquilizer, is infiltrating the illicit drug supply in North Carolina and other states.

https://nypost.com/2023/12/21/news/high-schooler-jumped-out-window-after-taking-magic-mushrooms/

High school student jumped out window after taking ‘magic mushrooms’ The Brookline High School student – who was not named publicly – plunged six stories after he took the illegal substance.