Suffolk County Grand Jury Addresses Prescription Painkiller Abuse
The panel has offered several solutions and recommendations to address the epidemic after hearing testimony from 38 witnesses and considering 123 exhibits.
Watch CBS News
The panel has offered several solutions and recommendations to address the epidemic after hearing testimony from 38 witnesses and considering 123 exhibits.
Major pharmaceutical companies saw dollar signs when they first began to push doctors to freely prescribe powerful opiate-based painkillers for just about anything, WCBS 880's Irene Cornell reported. Now there is a major public health crisis.
Maria Basmas just experienced her first Mother's Day without her son Christopher. He died in October after overdosing on prescription painkillers. He was only 29-years-old.
Recovering painkiller addict Michel Green told WCBS 880's Irene Cornell he was shocked when, after experiencing knee pain, a doctor offered him another addictive painkiller.
"The sales for these medications continue to skyrocket, to a point at which the U.S. is now consuming more than 80 percent of the entire world's opioid supply," Dr. Andrew Kolodny told WCBS 880's Irene Cornell.
It usually takes a celebrity death to grab the headlines, but there have been 100,000 fatal overdoses in this country in the past 10 years because to narcotic painkillers, WCBS 880's Irene Cornell reported.
Narcotic painkillers and the doctors who prescribe them illegally have become a new focus for law enforcement, WCBS 880's Irene Cornell reported.
He lost his dream job with the Boston Celtics and nearly lost his life to Oxycontin and heroin, but now he's a man on a mission, traveling the country telling his powerful story to vulnerable kids, WCBS 880's Irene Cornell reported.
At 21-years-old, Chris Herren was a huge talent in professional basketball, but his drug addiction proved to be even bigger.
Highly addictive opiate based painkillers are with us because they do have legitimate uses. But things can go very wrong, as Gregg Dworkin, now an ex-addict, found out, reported WCBS 880's Irene Cornell.
Veteran narcotics detectives, accustomed to shutting down heroin mills and tracking cocaine cartels, have had to learn some new tricks and drug overdose deaths rival those from car crashes, WCBS 880's Irene Cornell reported.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 40 Americans a day die from prescription drug abuse -- more than heroin and cocaine combined.
An Oxycodone epidemic is running rampant through New York State, according to State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman.
A U.S. senator is warning that a new batch of super painkillers now under review could lead to violent robberies.
Dr. Frank Telang was arrested at his home in Port Jefferson Station at 8:15 a.m., according to federal authorities.
Attorney General Eric Schneiderman says the counterfeit prescriptions were filled in 20 counties throughout the state.
His attorney, James McElhone, says Dr. Frank Telang is a "widely respected doctor" and has "absolutely" done nothing wrong.
Burglaries are on the rise all across North Jersey, and the source is in the sky.
DA Kathleen Rice said Dr. Martin Roginsky sold painkillers like oxycodone and roxycodone to anyone who walked into his Rockville Centre, Long Island office.
The DEA is taking action against what it calls an epidemic, hosting the first ever nationwide prescription drug take-back program in hopes of stemming teen prescription drug abuse.
There's more evidence Friday that a common over-the-counter medication may be linked to both asthma and eczema in children.
A Harlem doctor once known for her work with drug addicts was accused on Thursday of writing phony prescriptions for about 11,000 painkiller pills.
The FBI says nine people, including a doctor, are charged with running a Manhattan drug ring.
An NYPD officer is facing multiple charges, including attempted murder, in connection to an off-duty shooting in the Bronx back in March.
The man accused of driving drunk and killing a Nassau County police officer in January has changed his plea to guilty.
What began as a reading group for theater lovers has grown into a weekly gathering at the Brooklyn Public Library where New Yorkers of all backgrounds come together for discussion, connection and creativity.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is reacting to threats from President Trump's border czar about sending more ICE agents to the state.
Long Island reporter Jennifer McLogan was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2026 Folio Awards Luncheon.
An NYPD officer is facing multiple charges, including attempted murder, in connection to an off-duty shooting in the Bronx back in March.
The man accused of driving drunk and killing a Nassau County police officer in January has changed his plea to guilty.
What began as a reading group for theater lovers has grown into a weekly gathering at the Brooklyn Public Library where New Yorkers of all backgrounds come together for discussion, connection and creativity.
Long Island reporter Jennifer McLogan was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2026 Folio Awards Luncheon.
A years-long battle is intensifying over the future of an old rail line in Queens that was abandoned after a fire over 50 years ago.
Dangerous heat is building across the Tri-State Area with the threat of severe storms, making Thursday and Friday First Alert Weather Days.
Thursday and Friday will be First Alert Weather Days in the New York City area, with high temperatures and the chance for strong storms.
The Stamford Fire Department said high winds ripped the 3,000-square-foot flag off the pole atop the WWE building and sent it flying into electrical wires.
Storms hit the New York City area on Saturday, bringing damaging winds, hail and downpours across the region.
It's unseasonably warm in New York City on Wednesday as humidity adds to the summer-like weather. There's also a slight chance for showers in parts of the Tri-State Area.
The first World Cup game at MetLife Stadium is Saturday, and it will be a major test for NJ Transit. Here's what to expect.
With the temperatures rising into the 90s and a dangerous heat index, Newark, New Jersey, is activating a Code Red warning to keep residents and soccer fans attending World Cup festivals safe.
Dangerous heat is building across the Tri-State Area with the threat of severe storms, making Thursday and Friday First Alert Weather Days.
Fans will soon gather at Choripan in Hackensack, New Jersey, to root for Argentina as they look to win their second consecutive World Cup title.
MetLife Stadium, which hosts its first match of the World Cup this Saturday, has undergone a transformation.
The man accused of driving drunk and killing a Nassau County police officer in January has changed his plea to guilty.
Long Island reporter Jennifer McLogan was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2026 Folio Awards Luncheon.
Dangerous heat is building across the Tri-State Area with the threat of severe storms, making Thursday and Friday First Alert Weather Days.
A Long Island woman says her efforts to avoid check washing didn't keep her from being robbed, calling the experience "upsetting and disheartening."
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is front and center in New York and New Jersey, where there are plenty of free watch parties and events happening.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is reacting to threats from President Trump's border czar about sending more ICE agents to the state.
Multiple floors of the Pentagon were locked down for several hours Thursday morning and hazmat crews were deployed for what authorities had described as a "hazardous materials incident."
A judge has found former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander not guilty in a bench trial over his arrest at the city's immigration court last fall.
The bench trial of former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander over his arrest at the city's immigration court last fall got underway on Wednesday in Manhattan.
Calls to ban horse carriages in New York City are growing after a horse collapsed and died in Central Park Tuesday.
For half a century, The Valerie Fund has been dedicated to providing care to children with cancer and blood disorders.
A New Jersey nonprofit called The Valerie Fund is celebrating 50 years of providing comprehensive care to children with cancer and blood disorders.
New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill is urging people to donate blood ahead of the summer months.
There's no vaccine for the Bourbon virus, nor medicine to treat it, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Marie Francillion was diagnosed with lung cancer after she was feeling heartburn and shoulder pain. She said she's able to remain hopeful and spend more time with her family because of a different type of treatment.
Taylor Swift attended Game 4 of the NBA Finals between the Knicks and Spurs at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday.
"Schmigadoon!" — which was tied for the most nominations, with 12 — won Best Musical, and "Liberation" took home the honor of Best Play at the 2026 Tony Awards.
The Broadway revival of the musical (nominated for 11 Tony Awards) depicts drama, joy and heartbreak in the pursuit of the American Dream at the turn of the 20th century, with parallels to the contemporary world, from issues of race to the immigrant experience.
Madonna performed a surprise concert in Times Square weeks before the release of her "Confessions II" album.
Knicks superfan Spike Lee stopped by CBS Mornings to give his thoughts as the Knicks get set to play in the NBA Finals, and he offered his prediction, too.
The first World Cup game at MetLife Stadium is Saturday, and it will be a major test for NJ Transit. Here's what to expect.
Juan Soto hit a go-ahead homer in the seventh inning and the New York Mets earned a 5-4 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday.
The NYPD said "reckless and dangerous" fan behavior before and after the game between the Knicks and Spurs justified stepped-up security around the Garden.
A video shared online shows at least one egg tossed in the direction of the San Antonio Spurs superstar as he entered his hotel following the loss to the Knicks.
Fans will soon gather at Choripan in Hackensack, New Jersey, to root for Argentina as they look to win their second consecutive World Cup title.
A years-long battle is intensifying over the future of an old rail line in Queens that was abandoned after a fire over 50 years ago.
Harlem's historic Cotton Club recently announced it was up for sale. The news comes as jazz clubs across the borough disappear.
Jasir Gipson was shot by a stray bullet at 5 years old while walking with his mother. More than a decade later, he's graduating from high school with nothing but a smile.
Garbage piling up near freight train tracks is frustrating many Maspeth residents.
Residents and elected officials are urging the MTA to reopen the Long Island Rail Road's former Elmhurst station, arguing that the neighborhood has outgrown its current transit options.
People dressed in elaborate headgear and paraded up Fifth Avenue for New York City's Easter Sunday tradition.
The Halloween tradition strolled through Manhattan's East Village on Sunday, with furry friends dressed in colorful costumes.
A suspect was taken into custody after an attack on Pearl Street Mall in Boulder on June 1 in which there were 15 people and a dog who were victims. The suspect threw Molotov cocktails that burned some of the victims, who were part of a march for Israeli hostages.
The annual Easter Parade and Easter Bonnet Festival was held in Manhattan on April 20, 2025.
A look back at the esteemed personalities who've left us this year, who'd touched us with their innovation, creativity and humanity.
A theater workshop at the Brooklyn Public Library has turned into something far bigger. CBS News New York's Hannah Kliger shows us how New Yorkers from various walks of life are finding a sense of community in an unexpected place.
Twelve-year-old Knicks superfan Carmelo Rios, who was named after Knicks legend Carmelo Anthony, got to meet his namesake at Game 4 of the NBA Finals.
Fans from around the world got together at American Dream to watch the first match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. CBS News New York's Nick Caloway reports.
The FDNY added 35 names Thursday to the Retired Responders Wall at the department's headquarters in Brooklyn. They were all retired FDNY members who still responded to the 9/11 attacks and died from 9/11-related illnesses.
Lander, the former NYC comptroller who is now running for Congress, was charged with obstructing an elevator at 26 Federal Plaza.
