Opioids

Lisa Ferraro, of Hillsdale, is accused of writing over 400 prescriptions for oxycodone without ever examining most patients at her Paterson medical office.

For the second time in the last week a toddler at the Jersey Shore has overdosed on drugs found in their home, fortunately though, in this latest case a 2-year-old in Wall Township was revived.

The United States Drug Enforcement Administration is seeing a rise in the number of opioids being mixed with xylazine, an animal tranquilizer.

Raymond Catania admitted to prescribing thousands of powerful painkiller pills to a couple over the course of a year in Somerset County.

The opioid epidemic got worse in late 2019 and through the early months of COVID-19, then improved in the second half of 2020.

Death certificates would have to list the specific drug responsible for overdose deaths, under proposed legislation.

Mandatory rehab after Narcan saves. Mobile vans to transport people from police bookings to treatment. Bringing substance-abuse experts on police ridealongs.

After a spike that began last November and continued through the spring peak of the pandemic, opioid-related deaths declined in the June to August period.

The Murphy administration's three-day free Narcan giveaway to Jersey residents kicks off today at 322 participating pharmacies and grocery stores statewide.

Opioid-related deaths have risen year-over-year for eight straight months in New Jersey – but the 4% increase in June was the smallest in that stretch.

An administrative order calls for NJ doctors to write prescriptions for Naloxone for at-risk patients during the pandemic.

Reach NJ, the state's confidential addiction hotline is still taking live calls 24/7 to help people seeking treatment during the COVID-19 crisis, but with some adjustments.