Bill Heffernan

During the 12 months ending September 2021, it is estimated that there were 104,288 overdose deaths in the United States. That represents an increase of nearly 14% from the previous 12-month period. Most of those deaths (64-74%) were attributed to opiates, specifically fentanyl, a legally produced pharmaceutical drug and illegally produced for street sales. Fentanyl […]

Excuse me, has your recycling bin been extra heavy since the pandemic began? How has your alcohol consumption changed during the “time of covid?” Early in the pandemic, my wife and I got a new puppy. On garbage days, when I would walk the dog early in the morning, I would notice that the recycling

Healthcare organizations that successfully address substance abuse disorders among team members reduce the risk of poor patient care, errors, accidents, and theft. When healthcare workers have a substance use disorder (SUD), they sometimes use pharmaceuticals from the institution where they work. If the employee senses that co-workers are suspicious about their behaviour or substance use,

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can develop in some people because of exposure to traumatic events. These can include domestic, community, or school violence, sexual assault, traffic collisions, acute medical crisis, child abuse, the sudden death of a loved one, or other traumatic events. Some people may experience PTSD because of events in their lives during

The Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Changes Numbers!For years the suicide hotline number has been 800-273-8255; as of Saturday, July 16th, 2022, the new number is 988. Persons experiencing mental health, substance use, or suicidal crises may now call or text 988. This number is also serving the Veteran’s Crisis Line. The 800-273-8255 number will continue

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than one million Americans have died from a drug overdose since 1996. In 1999 there were fewer than 20,000 drug-involved overdose deaths; by 2021, data from the Center for Disease Control puts the number of overdose deaths at nearly 108,000. Addiction and its treatment have

Historically, people believed that someone addicted to drugs or alcohol had to “hit bottom” before they could recover. There may still be some that hold onto that false belief. Most people familiar with the addiction field have come to believe that you can “raise the bottom” and create circumstances that motivate individuals suffering from an

Public sentiment regarding marijuana has changed over the last several years. According to the Pew Research Center, over 91% of Americans favor some form of marijuana legalization, while less than eight percent want all marijuana use to be illegal. The broad support for marijuana legalization is interesting, given that less than half the adult population

Workplace drug testing serves several essential purposes, sometimes far more vital and well beyond the boundaries of the workplace. There are six common types of workplace drug testing; pre-employment, random, post-accident, for-cause or reasonable suspicion, return to work and accelerated or follow-up testing. Reasonable suspicion or “for-cause” testing is perhaps the most difficult “type” of

Americans like to drink. Americans drink approximately 2.3 gallons of alcoholic beverages per year. Nearly half the population over the age of 12, or 133 million, report the past month’s use of alcohol, with 45% of that group reporting binge drinking* according to the 2021 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). A 2017