Addiction & Recovery News

Breaking developments in drug policy, overdose prevention, and addiction treatment in New York.

U.S. Overdose Deaths Keep Plummeting—But New York's Drug Supply Is Getting More Dangerous

While fatal overdoses drop nationwide thanks to less potent fentanyl and better care, New York faces a new threat from synthetic drugs more powerful than anything seen before.

April 13, 20267 min read

news policy fentanyl

DEA Just Banned Three Synthetic Opioids Stronger Than Fentanyl. Why New York Should Pay Attention.

The DEA placed three nitazene-class synthetic opioids into Schedule I effective March 11, 2026. These substances are up to 40 times more potent than fentanyl and have been detected in overdose deaths nationwide.

March 17, 20268 min read

opioid fentanyl overdose

Federal Lab Develops New Drug That Could Cut Fentanyl Overdose Recovery Time in Half

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory researchers have developed subetadex, a new compound that cuts fentanyl overdose recovery time from 35 to 17 minutes and remains active in the body for 7.5 hours — compared to Narcan's 30-80 minutes.

March 3, 20268 min read

opioid fentanyl harm-reduction

A New Sedative Is Showing Up in New York's Drug Supply — and Naloxone Won't Stop It

Drug checking programs at NYC syringe service programs are detecting a new sedative in the city's opioid supply. Medetomidine is more dangerous than xylazine, and naloxone has no effect on it — which changes how overdoses need to be managed.

February 18, 20263 min read

overdose opioid fentanyl

New York Just Recorded Its Lowest Overdose Death Toll Since Before COVID. Here's What Changed.

For two consecutive years, New York has posted dramatic declines in overdose deaths. An estimated 4,567 people died in 2024, compared to 6,688 in 2023 — a drop the state hasn't seen since before the pandemic. Here's what drove it, who's still being left behind, and why 2026 will test how durable these gains really are.

February 18, 20267 min read

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