PR Group Behind ‘Watchdog’ NewsGuard Hit with $350 Million Settlement over OxyContin Marketing

Arthur Sadoun, Publicis Groupe CEO

French public and advertising giant Publicis Groupe — the lead funder of  “disinformation watchdog” NewsGuard — has agreed to pay $350 million as part of a settlement with state attorneys general over the company’s role in America’s opioid crisis. “Today’s filings describe how Publicis’ work contributed to the crisis by…

Read More

Lieutenant Governor Jon Husted: Ohio Has Seen Decrease in Domestic Opioid Production and Distribution

Thursday, the Republican National Committee hosted a Zoom press call with Lieutenant Governor Jon Husted and congressional nominee Max Miller (OH-07) to discuss border security, the fentanyl crisis, and crime.

In speaking with Tricia McLaughlin Communications Director for Governor Mike DeWine and Husted, “The domestic supply of opioids from over prescribing pharma companies both production and distribution have largely ceased.”

Read More

Ohio Attorney General’s Office Warns of New Deadly Synthetic Drug

Ohio’s top attorney this week is warning residents of a new class of designer drugs that are more deadly than fentanyl. 

“Frankenstein opioids are even more lethal than the drugs already responsible for so many overdose deaths,” Attorney General Dave Yost said in a press release. “Law enforcement and the public need to pay attention to these emerging hazards.” 

Read More

Columbus Giving Naloxone to Residents to Prevent Opioid Overdoses

Narcan nasal spray

In conjunction with Franklin County, the city of Columbus is inviting opioid-addicted residents to order free naloxone, also known as Narcan, to help them reverse overdoses.

“Narcan distribution is part of our comprehensive programming to address the addiction crisis – and it is highly effective,” Columbus’ Director of Communications Kelli Newman told The Ohio Star. “Last year, through the Columbus & Franklin County Addiction Plan, we provided 24,144 Narcan kits (48,244 doses) and conducted 624 community trainings. As a result of Narcan being dispensed by bystanders, friends and family members, there were 3,699 overdose reversals in our community last year. Simply put, Narcan saves lives.”

Read More

Texas Congressman Calls for Impeachment of Biden over Immigration Policy

Texas Republican Congressman Chip Roy is calling for the impeachment of President Joe Biden and the impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, citing their “reckless immigration policy” that many lawmakers argue is endangering the lives of Texans and Americans.

“Total encounters: 205,029. Total known getaways: 37,400. 1.3 million for 2021 so far. Largest monthly encounter number since 2000,” Roy tweeted.

Read More

Justice Department Awards $6 Million to Combat Opioid Crisis in Southern Ohio

The U.S. Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs announced more than $333 million in awards Friday to help communities affected by the opioid crisis, including $6.1 million for public safety and health professionals in southern Ohio.

Read More

EXCLUSIVE: National Security Expert Matt Mayer Supports President’s Call for ‘War’ on Drug Cartels

Matt Mayer, the president of Opportunity Ohio and national security expert, spoke exclusively with The Ohio Star about his support for President Trump’s call for “war” on the drug cartels following news of a group of nine Americans were killed Monday.

Read More

Sheriff Partners with Ohio Lawmaker After Another Baby Born in Jail Experiences Withdrawal

  Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones is looking to increase legal penalties for drug dealers who sell to pregnant women after another baby experiencing withdrawal symptoms was born to a female prisoner this month. “It’s come to a tipping point when you have two in less than nine days,” Jones…

Read More

Ohio House Considers Bipartisan Bill to Expand Access to Treatment in Lieu of Convictions

  The Ohio House is considering a bipartisan bill that would make it easier for non-violent offenders to receive treatment for drug addiction in lieu of a criminal conviction. The legislation, House Bill 1, was proposed May 21 as part of a package of bipartisan bills. “The goal is to…

Read More

Springfield Man Gets Five Years for Intent to Distribute Enough Carfentanil to Kill 700 People

Alandre J. Gillbreath of Springfield, Ohio was sentenced to five years in prison Tuesday for possession with intent to distribute enough carfentanil to kill 700 people. According to the United States Attorney’s Office of the Southern District of Ohio, Gillbreath was arrested in May 2017 when police officers responded to…

Read More

Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown Joins Bipartisan Group Introducing Bill Sanctioning China for Opioid Trafficking

Democratic Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown joined a bipartisan group of six Senators Thursday to introduce a bill that would sanction any country involved in the trafficking of illegal opioids into the United States. According to the U.S Department of Justice and Drug Enforcement Administration’s 2018 National Drug Assessment, synthetic opioids,…

Read More

Poll Finds Most Ohioans Oppose DeWine’s Gas Tax Proposal

A new poll shows that Ohioans overwhelmingly oppose Gov. Mike DeWine’s proposal for an 18-cent gas-tax increase. DeWine has called the 18-cent increase a “minimalist, conservative approach” and the “absolute bare minimum we need to protect our families and our economy,” but Ohioans disagree. According a statewide poll released Tuesday…

Read More

Ohio Workers Injured on the Job Will No Longer Be Prescribed Oxycontin

The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation voted Friday to no longer prescribe the powerful opioid Oxycontin to workers injured on the job. According to a Friday press release from the BWC, Chief Medical Officer Terry Welsh recommended that the drug be phased out of the organization’s formulary (a list of…

Read More

Google Parent Company to Open Treatment Center in Dayton, Ohio

Alphabet Inc., the multinational conglomerate that both was established by and currently owns Google.com, has announced that they will be establishing an opioid treatment center in Dayton, Ohio. While this could be good news for a community that is still deeply in the midst of an opioid epidemic, the recent revelations about…

Read More