As I've been reporting for months now, Illegally manufactured fentanyl is a major factor in a huge spike in overdose deaths in Oregon. Now, there's a new Centers for Disease Control report confirming, this is a national trend. And it's impacting teenage boys and young men, worse than any other group, with deadly consequences, devastating families.
In this episode, I talk to CDC researchers about what they've found that's causing this disturbing and tragic trend. Dr. Mbabazi Karissa is a health scientist with the CDC's division of overdose prevention. Dr. Debra Houry is the Centers for Disease Control's Acting Principal Deputy Director. She describes some of the potential solutions to reduce high rates of drug overdose deaths.
I also brought this subject up with Allison Stark, the new Chief Executive Officer of Albertina Kerr, which provides short term crisis psychiatric care and mental health services for children and teenagers struggling with life's challenges.
