Tennessee Leaders Call for Increased Awareness about Fentanyl

Nashville, TN – Fentanyl: It’s here; it’s deadly and not just illegal users are at risk. Along with fentanyl there are other, more powerful drugs like carfentanil that are being used in counterfeiting legal drugs like Percocet and even counterfeiting of illegal heroin.

That’s the message leaders from the Tennessee Department of Health, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services and Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security provided today during a press conference at TBI headquarters in Nashville.

[Read more]

Four Tennessee Agency Leaders call for increased awareness about Fentanyl

Nashville, TN – Following a public health alert update last week from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on increased risk of overdose and fatalities associated with Fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills and compounds, commissioners and directors from four Tennessee departments are urging the public to have increased awareness about the substance.

[Read more]

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.

[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]

Tennessee Highway Patrol Announces Trooper of the Year 2010

Nashville, TN – The Tennessee Highway Patrol named Trooper Dwayne Stanford the 2010 Trooper of the Year, while eight other State Troopers received Trooper of the Year honors in their respective districts. Awards were also given to the Investigator of the Year and Interdiction East and West Troopers of the Year, while 10 Troopers were also recognized for their DUI Enforcement efforts.

The announcement was made during a special ceremony at the THP Training Center located in Nashville on Friday, February 18th.

[Read more]