Former FDA head: Opioid epidemic one of "great mistakes of modern medicine"

"We didn't see these drugs for what they truly are," said Dr. David Kessler -- 78 people now die each day from overdosing on painkillers

• May 9, 2016

Officials across U.S. consider drug shoot-up rooms

In response to heroin epidemic, some want to allow medically-supervized drug sites to reduce risk of overdoses

• May 9, 2016

Parents refuse to bury truth about son's heroin overdose death

At a funeral for their 20-year-old son, grieving parents weren't holding back

• Apr 27, 2016

The Heroin Epidemic

Ohio has been hit hard by the heroin epidemic and is taking extra measures, including drug courts, to reduce the deaths and incarcerations caused by the drug

• Apr 24, 2016

Rep. Evan Jenkins, R-West Virginia, is pushing Congress to support new legislation that would address the effects of the growing opioid epidemic on newborn babies

Rep. Evan Jenkins, R-West Virginia, is pushing Congress to support new legislation that would address the effects of the growing opioid epidemic on newborn babies.

• Apr 16, 2021

​Maine could be first to OK medical pot to treat addicts

Nearly 30 medical marijuana caregivers and patients told state regulators at a hearing on Tuesday that marijuana eases the symptoms of opioid withdrawal

• Apr 19, 2016

Mother of overdose victim wins praise for blunt obit

After her daughter died from a heroin overdose, she hoped the tragedy would help raise awareness of the "merciless" disease of addiction

• Apr 15, 2016

West Virginia doctor investigated for deaths in opioid epidemic

Dr. Michael Kostenko has written more than 40,000 prescriptions for oxycodone in the last two years -- 3 of his patients have died

• Apr 13, 2016

Dozens of medical nonprofit groups pleaded with hospital regulators to tighten national rules for prescribing painkillers because of a growing opioid epidemic

Dozens of medical nonprofit groups pleaded with hospital regulators to tighten national rules for prescribing painkillers because of a growing opioid epidemic. In West Virginia, seven doctors have lost their licenses after the state started a crackdown on the drug. Jim Axelrod has more.

• Apr 16, 2021

"Safe space" for heroin addicts sparks controversy

Boston center aims to protect addicts from overdosing, but some worry it could encourage more drug use

• Apr 7, 2016

California lawmaker wants to allow supervised heroin use

Proponents say the plan would cut down on overdoses, but law enforcement fears it will worsen addiction

• Apr 6, 2016

Fentanyl: What you need to know about the deadly opioid

The drug has been linked to 10 deaths in 12 days in California and numerous other outbreaks across the country

• Jun 2, 2016

Opioid overdoses kill 10 people in 12 days in Sacramento area

Doctors are sounding the alarm about fentanyl, an opioid so powerful that one pill is enough to kill

• Apr 4, 2016

Obama: U.S. opioid epidemic as great a threat as terrorism

Across the country, opioid deaths -- whether caused by pain pills or heroin -- jumped 372 percent from 2000 to 2014

• Mar 29, 2016

Pregnant heroin addicts seek treatment at Pittsburgh program

Without this treatment, up to 80 percent of babies of opiate users have withdrawal symptoms when they're born

• Mar 29, 2016

The director said over-prescribing these medications is a "key driver" of the country’s drug overdose epidemic

Doctors have new, first-ever guidelines for prescribing powerful opioid painkillers. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention wants doctors to back off giving the highly-addictive drugs to patients with chronic pain. The director said over-prescribing these medications is a "key driver" of the country’s drug overdose epidemic. Dr. Tara Narula joins “CBS This Morning” to discuss the guidelines.

• Apr 15, 2021

New guidelines aim to reduce painkiller abuse

Doctors prescribe enough opioid painkillers each year for every adult in the U.S. to have a bottle; experts say that has to change

• Mar 15, 2016

Young athletes may be at risk of addiction to painkillers after an injury, and in some cases it leads to a downward spiral

Young athletes may be at risk of addiction to painkillers after an injury, and in some cases it leads to a downward spiral. CBS News' Kenneth Craig reports on two former athletes trying to get their lives back on track.

• Apr 14, 2021

Mislabeled painkillers "a fatal overdose waiting to happen"

Officials warn of opioid painkillers spiked with potentially lethal doses of fentanyl

• Feb 29, 2016

Video catches Pa. police saving overdosed man on bus

A 25-year-old is seen in surveillance footage near Philly shooting up heroin and passing out dramatically on the floor of a bus

• Feb 24, 2016

The faces of heroin include the young, middle-to-upper class and suburban. What was once thought of as an inner-city problem is now a national epidemic

The faces of heroin include the young, middle-to-upper class and suburban. What was once thought of as an inner-city problem is now a national epidemic. Bill Whitaker reports.

• Apr 13, 2021

Drug distributors under fire in West Virginia painkiller epidemic

In an unprecedented lawsuit, drug distributors and pharmacies are being sued for negligence in West Virginia's growing painkiller addiction problem

• Jan 7, 2016

West Virginia allows painkiller addicts to sue prescribing doctors

The DEA is investigating dozens of doctors throughout the state of West Virginia, where painkiller addicts are now suing the doctors who got them hooked

• Jan 6, 2016

After painkiller overdoses, patients continue to get drugs

Study finds "shocking" pattern of continuing opioid prescriptions that could put patients at risk

• Dec 28, 2015

The biggest drug threats in America today

The head of the DEA talks about the latest trends in America's addiction crisis

• Nov 5, 2015

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