TBI’s “Operation Thundering Justice” makes Drug Indictments, Arrests

Huntingdon, TN – An undercover operation spanning more than a year into the sale of illicit drugs throughout Carroll County has resulted in the indictment of numerous individuals.

“Operation Thundering Justice,” led by special agents with the Drug Investigation Division of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, the Huntingdon Police Department, the McKenzie Police Department, and the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office, began in January 2020.  During the investigation, authorities conducted multiple controlled purchases, surveillance, and research.

On September 8th, the Carroll County Grand Jury returned indictments, charging 19 people in connection to the ongoing investigation.

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Weakley County Woman Charged with TennCare Drug Fraud

Tennessee Division of Health Care Finance and Administration

Nashville, TN – A Weakley County woman is charged in nearby Madison County with TennCare fraud involving doctor shopping, which involves fraudulent use of the state’s healthcare insurance program to obtain controlled substances.

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Consumer Reports Investigates What Causes Pain, What Treats It, What Doesn’t—and How to Prevent It

Also, CR looks at the prescription painkiller epidemic, efforts to curb overuse of opioids, and surprising truths about medical marijuana

Yonkers, NY – Persistent and chronic pain can be a frustrating, debilitating and expensive problem. According to the June issue of Consumer Reports, 125 million Americans in pain spend about $300 billion on treatments and care every year. But not all of that care is effective, and some of it may be costly or even dangerous.

To help consumers make better, more informed choices, Consumer Reports took a closer look at the issue of treating pain in a special report on what works and what doesn’t—and developed guidance on how to treat common ailments—including back, neck and joint pain.

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Consumer Reports Warns Against the Risks of Prescription and Over-The-Counter Painkillers

CR urges U.S. Food and Drug Administration to take stronger steps to reduce the dangers of pain-relief medications

Yonkers, NY – Some pain relief medications can be as addictive as heroin and are rife with deadly side effects.

Every day, 46 people in the U.S. die from legal pain pills and for each death, more than 30 people are admitted to an emergency room because of opioid complications. Consumer Reports has taken a close look at the dangers of prescription and over-the-counter painkillers and is calling on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to do more to make these drugs safer. [Read more]

Tennessee Department of Health reports New Law Restricts amount of some Powerful Drugs that can be Dispensed in Tennessee

Nashville, TN – Effective this month, under a new Tennessee law, prescriptions for opioid pain medicines and benzodiazepine medicines may not be dispensed in Tennessee in quantities exceeding a 30-day supply.

The new limits apply to all dispensers of these medications, including pharmacies, dispensaries and mail-order programs located either in or out of Tennessee. [Read more]

Tennessee Joins Neighboring States to Fight Prescription Drug Abuse, Trafficking

Nashville, TN – In an effort to fight prescription drug abuse and misuse in Tennessee, representatives from the Governor’s Office, Department of Safety and Homeland Security, and the Department of Mental Health on Wednesday attended the first meeting of the Interstate Prescription Drug Task Force in Ashland, KY.

Tennessee joins Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia in forming a multi-state alliance to fight prescription drug abuse on several fronts.

Law enforcement officials consider prescription drug abuse an increasing problem in Tennessee, which consistently ranks as one of the top states in the country for the use of prescribed medications. [Read more]