Opioid Epidemic

The Erie County Health Department and District Attorney are sending a joint warning to the public about an uptick in fatal opioid overdoses, many of which they suggest involve fentanyl-laced cocaine.

It remains to be seen how exactly the first opioid settlement dollars will be divided among programs in Western New York. But the initial payments by big pharma, announced this week by State Attorney General Letitia James, are seen as a critical step towards restoring lives ruined by the highly addictive drugs. WBFO spoke to a Western New Yorker who was just one of many who became caught up in the opioid epidemic.

More than 200 simulated tombstones, all representing someone who lost their lives locally in the opioid overdose epidemic, were lined up outside Old County Hall Tuesday, as Erie County marked International Overdose Awareness Day.

Four Western New York hospitals have been added to the growing list of places where people can safely get rid of used needles and unwanted medications.…

Erie County’s effort to combat opioid addiction and overdose is on track to get a more than $3.4 million boost from the federal government.A three-year,…

As Erie County health officials find hope in signs of a decline in opioid-related deaths, one of the key methods of combating the epidemic continues to be…

The figures associated with the opioid crisis continue to stagger. According to the National Safety Council, Erie County has experienced a 192-percent…

Erie County is celebrating the first major sign of success in its battle against the opioid epidemic.The number of deaths from opioid overdose in 2017…

Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz is challenging a report from the U.S. Senate which claims the Medicaid system is fueling the nation’s opioid…

A new documentary airing on WNED-TV and PBS stations across the country looks at the underlying causes and the impacts of America’s opioid problem. WBFO’s…