Saving Lives From Opioid Overdoses?: Philadelphia Streets Offer Treatment With Black Market Sales Of Suboxone

The Philadelphia Inquirer: This Addiction Treatment Medicine Is Often Sold On The Streets — And May Be Preventing Overdoses
It’s a refrain dealers chant every day up and down Philadelphia’s Kensington Avenue, the city’s largest drug marketplace: “Subs — subs — subs! ”They’re referring to Suboxone, one of the brand names for the opioid-based addiction treatment medicine buprenorphine, prescribed by physicians and shown to produce more lasting recovery from opioid addiction than abstinence-based therapy. As with so many prescription medications, there’s a robust black market for it on the avenue. But drug users, advocates, and researchers say that many people aren’t buying buprenorphine to get high. Rather, they’re using it to protect themselves from overdoses, to get through the pain of withdrawal, or even to engineer their own do-it-yourself addiction treatment. (Whelan, 2/3)

Capital News Service: Virginia Bill Aims To Save Lives In Event Of Overdose
Cullen Hazelwood died of an overdose last year 2 miles from the hospital because his friend was scared to call for help, according to his mother Christy Farmer. Farmer wants to see legislation passed in the General Assembly that would extend immunity from prosecution to people reporting an overdose. (Smith, 2/4)

MPR: In Twin Cities, HIV Infections On The Rise Among People Who Inject Drugs
The Minnesota Department of Health is warning medical professionals to be on the lookout following an outbreak of HIV infections in Twin Cities residents who inject drugs. At least 18 Twin Cities residents who inject drugs were diagnosed with HIV between December 2018 and last month, which was a “significant increase” over previous years, said Christine Jones, a section manager with the Minnesota Department of Health. (Collins, 2/4)

NPR: ‘Smacked’ Author Eilene Zimmerman Explores An Ex-Husband’s Secret Addiction
Writer Eilene Zimmerman and her ex-husband Peter had been separated for several years when Peter, a wealthy, high-powered attorney, began acting erratically. Days would go by and Zimmerman would hear nothing from him. Peter forgot to prepare meals for the kids and missed cross-country meets and school pickups. Then, when the kids were 16 and 18, Zimmerman drove to check in on her former spouse, who had been exhibiting alarming flu-like symptoms. She was shocked to find him dead on the floor. (Gross, 2/4)