Latest news with #Methadone
Scottish Sun
5 days ago
- Health
- Scottish Sun
Scots con almost dies after bungling jail nurse gave her methadone meant for lag with same first name
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A PRISONER almost died of an overdose after an NHS nurse gave her methadone meant for another lag. The woman, 24, thought to be a non-drug user, is said to have suffered a cardiac arrest due to the devastating mistake at Polmont jail near Falkirk. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 Methadone is a substance that acts on opioid receptors and is primarily used for pain relief and anesthesia. 2 The accidental overdose happened at Polmont nick in Stirlingshire Credit: Michael Schofield - The Sun Glasgow She received life-saving treatment in an ambulance on her way to hospital, a jail insider said. It's claimed the mix-up occurred because the victim had the same first name as another prisoner who it was intended for. Health chiefs have launched a probe to find out how the bungle came about. A source said of Friday's horror at HMP Polmont near Falkirk: 'The girl has been very lucky as that amount of methadone can be fatal — it was a terrible mistake. 'It seems the nurse got the names mixed up and gave the medication to the wrong person. 'Both women apparently have the same name. "One is a drug user and one isn't. 'Once she became unwell an ambulance was called but there was a delay, and on her way to hospital she suffered a cardiac arrest. 'She has been in hospital since. "Basically she was overdosed by the nurse. 'Everyone is talking about it and how bad this is.' Scots gangster Ross Monaghan 'erased' from Spanish pub just days after brutal assassination Methadone is a strong synthetic drug similar to morphine prescribed to heroin users to help wean them off their addiction. It reduces withdrawal symptoms such as shaking, shivering and cravings. However, even a small dose can have devastating effects in those who have never used it. Drugs 'pass time' for Polmont lags POLMONT inmates are turning to drugs to help 'pass the time', we can reveal. Prison inspectors found young lags are getting high when there is 'little to do', with those on remand particularly at risk. Families of cons also told auditors last year of their 'constant worry' over bullying and drug use. One lag said: 'Trips is how you get through it.' Others told inspectors they felt judged and 'treated like a junkie'. According to the NHS, severe reactions include problems breathing and irregular, faster or slower than usual heartbeat. Scottish Tory shadow minister for drugs Annie Wells MSP called the mix-up 'deeply alarming'. She added: 'With drugs already rife behind bars, it is vital prisoners suffering from addiction receive the right support as part of their rehabilitation. 'SNP ministers must guarantee urgent measures to avoid this happening again.' Scottish Labour justice spokeswoman Pauline McNeill said: 'There must be an urgent investigation into this deeply worrying incident. 'Scotland's prisons are stretched to breaking point. "This life-threatening mistake is a reminder of how badly things can go wrong.' The Scottish Prison Service said: 'We do not comment on individuals. "Healthcare is managed by NHS partners and we work closely with them to support those in our care.' NHS Forth Valley said it was also 'unable to comment due to patient confidentiality.' In 2021 it was announced that a drug used in a pilot scheme to help heroin-addicted lags was to be rolled out across Scotland. Inmates receive an injection of Buvidal every 28 days instead of daily methadone tablets. The Scottish Government said it had allocated £4million for the project after 'encouraging feedback' from the trial in jails.
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Cause of death released for Redwood City inmate Kyle Harrison
(KRON) — A Redwood City street racer died in jail earlier this year shortly after he was sentenced for his role in causing a crash that left twin girls orphaned. On Monday, the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office released Kyle V. Harrison's cause of death. The county coroner's office determined that Harrison died on March 15 at Maple Street Correctional Facility in Redwood City 'due to toxic effects of three medications,' the sheriff's office wrote. The coroner concluded that the 25-year-old inmate's manner of death was an 'accident' and found Harrison died due to toxic effects of Methadone, Amitriptyline, and Gabapentin. Harrison previously pleaded no contest to engaging in a speed contest and felony vehicular manslaughter for the deaths of Grace Spiridon, and her husband, Gregory Ammen. The couple's 7-year-old daughters 'miraculously' survived the crash on El Camino Real, prosecutors said. In February, Harrison was sentenced to serve eight years in state prison. Court records show that Harrison was slated to be transported from the county jail to a state prison facility in May, but he died in jail before he was transferred. Investigators did not say why Harrison was taking Methadone, a medication typically used to treat opioid use disorder. Amitriptyline is an antidepressant medication. Gabapentin is an anticonvulsive medication that's also used to treat certain types of neural pain. The street race happened on Nov. 4, 2022 in Redwood City. Harrison raced his BMW against a teenager, Cesar Salto Morales, who was driving a Mercedes Benz on El Camino Real. Morales' Mercedes slammed into a Chevrolet Bolt with Spiridon, Ammen, and their two young daughters inside. The parents were killed on impact, while their daughters survived in the backseat. The family was less than 10 minutes away from their San Carlos home. Prosecutors said Harrison fled the scene, and a witness recorded his BMW's license plate number with her cellphone as he was driving away. Police found and arrested Harrison weeks later. After his in-custody death, the San Mateo County District Attorney's Office and San Mateo County Coroner's Office conducted independent investigations into Harrison's cause and manner of death. The DA's investigation is still underway. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
As New York sees historic decrease in drug-related deaths, concerns rise on possible federal cuts
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) – New York is seeing a historic decrease in reported drug overdose deaths. With threats of looming cuts at the federal level by President Trump's administration, local leaders that specialize in drug recovery and treatment services are sharing their concerns. Recent reporting from the CDC shows New York saw a 32 percent decrease in drug-related deaths in 2024 compared to previous rates in 2023. According to the CDC, approximately 77 percent of those deaths involved an opioid, such as heroin or fentanyl. 'I think we don't really know all the reasons why we see this dramatic decrease. We do know there have been several programs that have taken up more traction. Some of that is the overdose prevention education that the Rochester community and the country have invested in as well as the Naloxone distribution. It's also education around safer opioid prescribing practices, and access to medication like Buprenorphine and Methadone,' said Dr. Sarah Bolduc, chief medical officer for Trillium Health. During the COVID-19 pandemic, drug overdose deaths surged to record levels. With the recent decline comes concern surrounding the uncertainty for continued supports from the federal government. Leaders with Rochester-based Trillium Health and Common Ground Health both say it could put programs backed by those federal dollars in jeopardy nationwide. 'There will be no treatment services available for people who want to get into treatment. There will be no funds to continue the prevention education piece of this, which is very important in our communities. We must keep doing the work until we're told we can't do it anymore,' said Jackie Dozier, director of community health and well-being for Common Ground Health. As both local agencies continue to work to meet the needs of the community, leaders say they are bracing for any possible changes in the future. 'I think we will continue to see more deaths and see less of a decline if we have less programming and support economically for this programming in the community. We believe it's correlated. We know that things like Naloxone work, and having more ready-access and people carrying it just so they can potentially help somebody that's potentially struggling on the street, I think that's very important and all of that takes funds,' said Dr. Bolduc. Last week, hundreds of national researchers and health care providers issued a letter to Congress warning about the 'dire consequences' budget cuts would present for substance use and mental health programs in the U.S., specifically in overdose prevention. More information from New York State on the CDC's latest report can be found here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Mint
18-05-2025
- Business
- Mint
Spotify's fake podcasts advertising prescription drugs sales online: How the issue surfaced and what we know so far
A CNN investigation has exposed a troubling loophole on Spotify, revealing that dozens of podcasts masquerading as legitimate shows were actually promoting illegal online pharmacies. These fake podcasts, found through searches like 'Adderall' and 'Xanax,' often featured generic or AI-generated voices pushing prescription drugs like Oxycodone, Vicodin, Methadone, and Ambien — frequently advertising 'FDA-approved delivery without prescription,' which is illegal under US law. Some podcast titles left little to the imagination — 'My Adderall Store,' 'Order Xanax 2 mg Online Big Deal On Christmas Season,' and ' — with links in episode descriptions pointing to questionable pharmacy websites. CNN's review found at least seven drug-pushing podcasts in the first 100 results when searching for 'Adderall,' and as many as 20 in the first 60 when searching 'Xanax.' These pages had existed for months in some cases and were easily discoverable on Spotify's platform. Even after the issue was flagged, CNN was able to find new fake podcasts cropping up. In some cases, shows like 'Adderall 10 mg blue pills' disappeared only after CNN engaged with them — suggesting reactive rather than proactive enforcement. After CNN said it provided Spotify with a list of 26 offending podcasts that were live as of a Thursday afternoon, the company acted within hours to remove them. However, new ones were spotted on the platform the very next morning. 'We are constantly working to detect and remove violating content across our service,' a Spotify spokesperson told CNN, acknowledging that the removed podcasts violated their rules, which ban illegal and spam content. Spotify allows open podcast publishing but enforces rules that prohibit hate speech, sexually explicit content, illegal material, and spam. Its creator guidelines also forbid content made solely to promote a product or service — particularly when such content leads users to harmful or unlawful services. The company claims to use both automated tools and human moderators to identify rule violations. Despite those efforts, online safety experts argue Spotify's current systems are insufficient. The situation has sparked fresh concerns about the role of tech platforms in preventing illicit drug sales — especially as AI tools make it easier to mass-produce spammy or dangerous content. Advocates and parents have called for stricter safeguards, citing recent teen overdose deaths from pills purchased online.
Mint
18-05-2025
- Mint
Spotify removes fake podcast pages promoting online prescription drug sales: Report
Spotify has begun removing numerous fake podcast pages that promoted the illegal sale of prescription drugs, including Adderall and Oxycodone, after a news outlet's investigation flagged the content. The podcasts, masquerading as legitimate health or comedy shows, as per CNN investigative report, directed users to questionable online pharmacies — many of which claimed to sell highly addictive medications without requiring a prescription, a violation of US law. The news outlet reported that a search for 'Adderall' on Spotify turned up podcasts titled 'My Adderall Store' and others with similarly explicit names. These pages often included links to websites that purportedly offered Adderall, Vicodin, Methadone, Ambien, and more — often with no prescription needed. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
