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Tuesday, January 12, 2016

The Needle and the Damage Done: West Virginia's Heroin

The Needle and the Damage Done: West Virginia's Heroin Epidemic

This week-long series takes in-depth look at the heroin epidemic spreading across West Virginia. From the story of the addict who could no longer get prescription narcotics on the street, the emergency room physician who cares for overdose patients, and the lawmakers working to reverse the trend--these are the voices and stories of West Virginians impacted by heroin.

WAYS TO CONNECT

Drug Overdoses Claiming West Virginia's Youth

By  • NOV 24, 2015
DOLLAR PHOTO CLUB
West Virginia has the highest rate of youth drug overdose deaths in the country, according to a new national report.
The study, produced by the non-profit Trust for America’s Health, found that nationwide, youth drug overdose deaths have more than doubled among people aged 12-25.

Gov. Tomblin to Hold Substance Abuse Summit in Martinsburg

By  • NOV 3, 2015
NATIONAL GOVERNORS ASSOCIATION
With President Obama’s visit to Charleston just two short weeks ago, people and organizations across the state have responded to the President’s call to fight drugs and overdose deaths in West Virginia.
On Wednesday, Governor Tomblin continues this fight and travels to Martinsburg to host a summit with law enforcement and the community on substance abuse in the area.

The Front Porch: Who's to Blame for Appalachia's Drug Addiction?

By  • MAY 29, 2015
ROXY TODD / WEST VIRGINIA PUBLIC BROADCASTING
West Virginia has the nation's worst rate of drug overdose deaths. It started with prescription painkillers, and now is increasingly fueled by heroin.
On this week's "The Front Porch," we debate what's causing the epidemic, and what might actually work in curbing it.

Delegate to Host Substance Abuse Forum

By  • MAY 28, 2015
A panel of law enforcement, health and substance abuse specialists will discuss what's next in West Virginia's fight against substance abuse at the West Virginia Addiction Summit in Charleston Monday.
Hosted by Del. Chris Stansbury of Kanawha County, the panel includes:

From the Front Lines of West Virginia's Heroin Epidemic: The Perspective of First Responders

By  • MAY 28, 2015
DAVE MISTICH / WEST VIRGINIA PUBLIC BROADCASTING

While law enforcement officials, lawmakers and medical professionals are all scrambling to find solutions to West Virginia’s heroin epidemic, EMTs and paramedics across the state are receiving calls almost daily, rushing to the homes of those who’ve made it to the very edge with their addiction.
“Most people, they hear about the problem with heroin. But, I don’t know that they fully understand and can fathom how much of an epidemic it truly is and how many lives are affected by it so adversely,” said Captain Chad Jones, a paramedic and shift supervisor for the Charleston Fire Department.

What's Next in W.Va.'s Fight Against Heroin Abuse?

By  • MAY 28, 2015
PERRY BENNETT / WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATIVE PHOTOGRAPHY
In some counties in the state, deaths from heroin overdoses have tripled in the past three years, drawing the attention of both lawmakers and law enforcement looking for ways to combat the problem.
At the statehouse, lawmakers approved the Opioid Antagonist Act during the 2015 Legislative session. The bill expands access to the overdose reversing drug Naloxone, allowing police officers to carry it and also family members and friends of addicts to seek a prescription for the medication.
Naloxone, if followed by more intense medical treatment, can save a person’s life giving them a second chance, according to Joseph Garcia, Gov. Tomblin’s legislative affairs director. Tomblin backed the bill.
But members of both the House and Senate leadership say the new law alone will not decrease the number of heroin overdose fatalities. Senate Majority Leader Mitch Carmichael said that ‘more’ should include a focus on rehabilitative services and a program to drug test those on public assistance.

Southern W.Va. Just Days Away from Non-Medical, Inpatient Treatment

By • MAY 27, 2015
JESSICA LILLY
While other parts of the state are seeing a rapid increase in heroin overdoses, southern West Virginia continues to battle a prescription pill problem. As access to addiction treatment in the state’s larger cities like Charleston and Huntington grows, rural parts of West Virginia are still struggling with a lack of resources. But in Bluefield, a much anticipated alternative for  recovery is just days away from opening, bringing 20 male beds to southern West Virginia. It’s not much, but those involved expect it to make a difference in the community.

Some Judges Say There Should be an Alternative to Sending Addicts to Prison

By  • MAY 26, 2015
ROXY TODD / WEST VIRGINIA PUBLIC BROADCASTING
Drug courts are becoming a more and more popular option for judges dealing with minor drug offenders in West Virginia. Instead of being incarcerated, offenders go through a highly structured, highly monitored rehabilitative process overseen by a probation officer and counselor.

Heroin Trafficking in Berkeley County: Rampant, Devastating...Could Naloxone Be the Answer?

By  • MAY 25, 2015
LIZ MCCORMICK / WEST VIRGINIA PUBLIC BROADCASTING
As law enforcement officials are increasingly turning their attention to the growing problem with heroin in West Virginia, many of them have strong opinions on the legislation that provides greater access to Naloxone, an opioid antagonist that combats the effects of an overdose. That bill, which goes into effect Wednesday, will allow police officers to carry the medicine. But some law enforcement officials believe that increased access enables heroin users.

Concerns Raised About W.Va. Naloxone Bill

By  &  • MAY 25, 2015
A law that goes into effect on May 27 allows police officers and those close to addicts to carry the opioid overdose antidote drug Naloxone. While law enforcement officials generally agree that it’s a good idea to carry the drug, there are some questions about safety, training and exactly how the new law will be implemented.
“I totally agree with trying to address the problem at its root but there are a lot of other issues that have to be overcome along the way,” Morgantown Police Chief Ed Preston said. 

Bill Expanding Access to Life Saving Drug Takes Effect Wednesday

By  • MAY 25, 2015
PERRY BENNETT / WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATIVE PHOTOGRAPHY
As Republican lawmakers prepared to take the helm of both the state House of Delegates and Senate for the first time in more than 80 years this legislative session, they were questioned over and over again about their priorities. Those priorities became clear on the first day of the session when Speaker Tim Armstead and Senate President Bill Cole introduced the first 15 bills their party would pursue. 
Number nine of those 15: the Opioid Antagonist Act. 

Data Viz: As Overdose Deaths Increase in West Virginia, So Do Administrations of Naloxone

By  &  • MAY 25, 2015
DAVE MISTICH / WEST VIRGINIA PUBLIC BROADCASTING / VIA TABLEAU
A bill aiming to stave off West Virginia's problems with heroin and prescription opioid overdose deaths goes into effect Wednesday. The Opioid Antagonist Act expands access to the life saving drug Naloxone, allowing addicts and family members the ability to purchase the medicine through a prescription.

What is an Overdose? ER Doctor Explains

By  • MAY 25, 2015
BETH VORHEES / WEST VIRGINIA PUBLIC BROADCASTING
Derek Harman practices family medicine in Logan County, but he's also been an emergency room physician. He got his medical degree in 2008 from the School of Osteopathic Medicine, in Lewisburg, and completed his residency in Virginia, in 2013.
Even at a young age, Harman has seen his fair share of overdoses.
Heroin is a respiratory depressant, and Harman said people who overdose can have shallow breath and a low number of breaths.

Data Viz: When Did West Virginia's Heroin Problem Begin? Which Counties Are Hurting the Most?

By  • MAY 22, 2015
DAVE MISTICH / WEST VIRGINIA PUBLIC BROADCASTING / VIA TABLEAU
As the stories airing this week on West Virginia Morning illustrate, West Virginia is in the midst of a heroin epidemic. According to  the state Department of Health and Human Resources'  Drug Overdose Database, heroin has claimed the lives of more than 600 West Virginians since 2001. 
But what else can we glean from this information? When did it all begin? And which counties are seeing the highest rate of deaths related to heroin overdoses?  
The interactive map below paints a dark picture of the state's problem with the drug in recent years and also shows other key facts as medical professionals, emergency officials, law enforcement officers and lawmakers all attempt to find solutions. 

Heroin: How We Got Here (Again)

By  • MAY 22, 2015
WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
The opium poppy is a source of beauty in gardens and fields all over the country and the world. But it’s also a source of pain relief and when abused, death.  In recent years death tolls from heroin, a derivative of the poppy, have tripled nationwide, and the numbers are just as stark here in West Virginia.
Frontline PBS recently tackled the poppy’s intimate connection to humans, tracing it back thousands of years. It started with the Sumerians in 3400 B.C., who passed it to the Assyrians, to the Babylonians, to the Egyptians, the Greeks, the Persians, the Chinese, British, and in 1905 Congress banned U.S. imports of opium - the derivative of poppy seeds and base of heroin. Little good it did. A black market bloomed thereafter and of course, the 5,000-year-old obsession with the opium poppy continues.
But today our region of the world is in the grips of an especially nasty resurgence of heroin addiction.

Digging into the Data: A New Look at West Virginia's Heroin Problem

By  • MAY 21, 2015
WEST VIRGINIA PUBLIC BROADCASTING
If you’ve been paying attention to our news output here at West Virginia Public Broadcasting as of late, you’ve probably noticed an increased focus on data and digital journalism. Sure, we tell stories on the radio, but emerging technology and innovations have inspired us to present our stories in a new and interesting way.
As part of The Needle and the Damage Done, we wanted to allow our audience to get a better unders
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A local archivist who specializes in all things Pocahontas County