Addiction and the overdose crisis

Our ongoing coverage of addiction, opioids and the broader overdose crisis in Massachusetts.

Gov. Chris Sununu visited GRC's headquarters on July 22, 2021. (Jason Moon/NHPR)

He built New Hampshire's largest addiction treatment center. Now, he's accused of sexual misconduct

An NHPR investigation discovered multiple allegations against Eric Spofford, including sexual misconduct, abusive leadership and retaliation. Spofford, the former CEO of Granite Recovery Centers, is one of the most influential...

Health

Mar 27, 2022

Cheryl Juaire holds photos of her sons, both of whom died from overdoses, Sean Merrill, left, and Corey Merrill, after making a statement during a hearing in New York, Thursday, March 10, 2022. Victims of opioids and those who have lost loved ones to the addiction crisis are unleashing their emotions on members of the family they blame for fueling the deadly epidemic. The unusual hearing was conducted virtually in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in New York. It is giving people the chance to confront members of the Sackler family who own OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma and tell them about the lasting pain that addiction and overdoses have had in their lives. (Seth Wenig)

The opioid epidemic has claimed 500,000 lives. These stories need to be heard

In the end, the Sackler family and Purdue Pharma don't matter, writes Annie Brewster. For the victims, the chance to be heard provides an opportunity for healing.

Cognoscenti

Mar 22, 2022

This Aug. 29, 2018, file photo shows an arrangement of Oxycodone pills in New York. (Mark Lennihan/AP)

How $526 million in opioid settlements will be distributed in Massachusetts

Massachusetts expects to receive $526 million in the latest resolution of lawsuits stemming from the opioid crisis. 40% of the funds will go to cities and towns that sued Johnson...

Health

Mar 15, 2022

People including Cheryl Juaire, second from left, of Marlborough, Mass., protest in front of the Arthur M. Sackler Museum at Harvard University on April 12. (Josh Reynolds/AP)

'Forever broken': 2 Massachusetts women testify before Sackler family members

Two Mass. women were among the more than two dozen people from 19 states who spoke during a court hearing Thursday, confronting the Sackler family and sharing in gut-wrenching detail...

Health

Mar 10, 2022

Patients with opioid use disorder often rejected for skilled follow-up care, study finds

The research compared placements in skilled nursing or sub-acute nursing facilities for patients with and without opioid use disorder. It found patients with the disorder were rejected twice as often.

Health

Mar 7, 2022

Purdue Pharma's headquarters stands in Stamford, Conn., on Oct. 21, 2020. (Mark Lennihan/AP)

Massachusetts could receive $110 million from new Purdue settlement

Thursday's settlement with all U.S. states and thousands of local governments calls for Purdue's owners, the Sackler family, to pay up to $6 billion.

Health

Mar 3, 2022

A file photo of the now-removed tent encampment on Atkinson Street in the area known as "Mass. and Cass." (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

Tents are gone from Boston encampment, but dozens still congregate in the area

Concerns are rising around whether people will try to live outdoors again in the area near Massachusetts Avenue and Melnea Cass Boulevard as warmer weather approaches. Meanwhile, family members are...

Health

05:17Feb 24, 2022

This June 17, 2019, file photo shows 5 mg pills of Oxycodone. Native American tribes in the U.S. have reached settlements worth $590 million over opioids. (Keith Srakocic/AP)

Maine tribes say likely deal with opioid makers is 'historic,' but cannot fully recover what was lost

Native American tribes will receive $590 million from drug manufacturer Johnson and Johnson and three opioid distributors under the terms of a tentative settlement. But, it could take quite a...

Health

Feb 4, 2022

Workers dismantle a homeless tent dwelling at the Newmarket Triangle. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

As city clears tents from 'Mass. and Cass,' some say they still have nowhere to go

During a press briefing Thursday, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said 154 people from the encampments were placed in shelter as of Wednesday. Boston police also confirmed two deaths in the...

Health

03:53Jan 12, 2022

Mass. cities and towns sue McKinsey despite settlement

A key issue for the 124 Massachusetts cities and counties behind the Jan. 9 lawsuit is whether the attorneys general-led settlement accounts for all the damages caused at the local...

Health

Jan 10, 2022

Wu outlines plans to clear Boston tent encampment this week

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said several efforts were underway to remove tents this Wednesday from a large encampment near the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Melnea Cass Boulevard, the epicenter...

Health

Jan 10, 2022

Mayor Michelle Wu speaks at a press conference to announce a new requirement to show proof of vaccination for certain indoor activities in Boston. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)

WATCH: Mayor Wu gives updates on Boston tent encampment

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu will give updates on what she calls a "humanitarian crisis" in an area of the city near Massachusetts Avenue and Melnea Cass Boulevard.

Local Coverage

Jan 10, 2022

Most emergency room admissions for a stimulant overdose from cocaine, crack and methamphetamine are in Suffolk County. (Source MA Dept. of Public Health)

As stimulant use and deaths increase, Mass. launches commission to find solutions

The long shadow of the opioid epidemic hides a twin problem: the rising use of — and deaths from — stimulants such as cocaine, crack and methamphetamine. In Massachusetts, a...

Health

Dec 9, 2021

Sam Quinones sits on an "Opioid Epidemic" panel during Politicon at Pasadena Convention Center in July 2017 in Pasadena, California. (Joshua Blanchard/Getty Images for Politicon)

Journalist Quinones' book links new meth with growth of cities' tent encampments

Although there are no exact numbers, Massachusetts health care providers and law enforcement say meth use here is on the rise. In his new book, journalist Sam Quinones explains how...

Health

07:40Nov 29, 2021

This photo shows an arrangement of Oxycodone pills in New York on Aug. 29, 2018. (Mark Lennihan/AP File)

Massachusetts opioid overdoses remain at elevated levels

The state's latest report on fatal overdoses shows that 2,106 people died of overdoses last year, the highest number since recorded overdose deaths peaked at 2,110 in 2016.

Health

Nov 10, 2021

Dr. Monica Bharel in 2019. (Sam Doran/State House News Service)

Wu taps former state health official to oversee removal of tent encampment

Boston mayor-elect Michelle Wu has chosen a former state Health Commissioner Monica Bharel to lead the city's efforts to deal with the sprawling tent encampment near Massachusetts Avenue and Melnea...

Local Coverage

Nov 10, 2021

The Suffolk County Jail. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

Massachusetts bill would move involuntary drug treatment from jails to community

Massachusetts is the only state where people civilly committed to drug treatment — through a process called Section 35 — often get that treatment in jail.

Local Coverage

Nov 9, 2021

If the country is fighting a war on opioids, Ohio is staging ones of its bloodiest battles. (Toby Talbot/AP)

State study finds fatal opioid overdoses rose among workers

Fatal opioid overdoses nearly doubled in recent years among Massachusetts workers, with the construction, farming and fishing industries among the hardest hit sectors, according to an updated study from the...

Health

Nov 9, 2021

ACLU files suit over tent encampment removal

The lawsuit alleges the city unlawfully removed tents near the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Melnea Cass Boulevard without making sure people had adequate housing options. It also said the...

Health

Nov 5, 2021

People line up on Southampton Street for food supplies distributed by Support the Soupman. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

This doctor has spent decades treating Boston's homeless population and says city's tent crisis is worst he's seen

Dr. Jim O'Connell has spent more than 35 years treating people living on the streets of Boston. He describes helping people in one of the city's most troubled areas contend...

Health

09:57Oct 29, 2021

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He built New Hampshire's largest addiction treatment center. Now, he's accused of sexual misconduct

The opioid epidemic has claimed 500,000 lives. These stories need to be heard

How $526 million in opioid settlements will be distributed in Massachusetts

'Forever broken': 2 Massachusetts women testify before Sackler family members

Patients with opioid use disorder often rejected for skilled follow-up care, study finds

Massachusetts could receive $110 million from new Purdue settlement

Tents are gone from Boston encampment, but dozens still congregate in the area

Maine tribes say likely deal with opioid makers is 'historic,' but cannot fully recover what was lost

As city clears tents from 'Mass. and Cass,' some say they still have nowhere to go

Mass. cities and towns sue McKinsey despite settlement

Wu outlines plans to clear Boston tent encampment this week

WATCH: Mayor Wu gives updates on Boston tent encampment

As stimulant use and deaths increase, Mass. launches commission to find solutions

Journalist Quinones' book links new meth with growth of cities' tent encampments

Massachusetts opioid overdoses remain at elevated levels

Wu taps former state health official to oversee removal of tent encampment

Massachusetts bill would move involuntary drug treatment from jails to community

State study finds fatal opioid overdoses rose among workers

ACLU files suit over tent encampment removal

This doctor has spent decades treating Boston's homeless population and says city's tent crisis is worst he's seen