On January 27, 2020, Illinois Gov. Pritzker signed Executive Order 2020-02 to better address racial disparities in responding to the opioid crisis. This effort is in addition to the $4.1 million state dollars designated to expand recovery and prevention services for individuals with opioid use disorder in all corners of the state. Continue reading →

The association of suicide, violence and methamphetamine use has been documented over the years. Most of us are aware of the problems faced by our Illinois communities. In South Dakota, one Indian tribe is taking action.

Julian Bear Runner, president of the Oglala Sioux Tribe has declared a state of emergency over homicides and methamphetamine use on the Pine Ridge Reservation. “We live in a constant state of crisis and trauma,” he said. “My heart hurts for those families who’ve lost loved ones recently. . . As president, I will do all in my authority to carry out your will, to defend our homelands and create a safe place to raise our families.” Continue reading →

Over the past several weeks, many news outlets have been reporting serious pulmonary illnesses associated with e-cigarettes, commonly referred to as vaping. Illness has been reported in a variety of  locales by clinical sites and health departments; at this time, data from 25 states is available. On September 6, 2019, the New England Journal of Medicine highlighted the situation in Illinois and Wisconsin. In a detailed report using data from the Centers for Disease and Prevention, the Illinois Department of Public Health, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services and the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, the authors identified 53 individuals, 50 of whom received in-patient treatment, as part of a pulmonary disease cluster. Continue reading →