OKLAHOMA

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Why Does Alcohol Cause More Deaths in Some States than in Others?

While alcohol is a problem everywhere, it does not affect all states equally. As the drug epidemic has swept across America, so too has alcohol addiction become more severe.—and it seems to touch down with particular severity in certain regions.

STATISTICS & TRENDS

What is it Costing America to Treat Addiction?

Every State in the Union addresses the drug abuse and addiction problems in its own way. And every State racks up huge costs in doing so. How much are we actually spending on this problem? And what is the financial burden for each working American?

STATISTICS & TRENDS

A Comprehensive Look at Drug Use in Oklahoma

For some time, rural America was thought to be safe from the 21st-century addiction epidemic. That is no longer the case. Many mostly rural states are now in an addiction upheaval. Oklahoma, for example, has one of the fastest-growing meth problems in...

STATISTICS & TRENDS

What Was Johnson & Johnson's Role in Triggering the Opioid Epidemic?

Oklahoma's lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson revealed the role this company played in encouraging the too-liberal use of opioid painkillers. Witness testimony also pointed to the special way this company profited from increased prescribing – of their...

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Alarm Bells Sound In Oklahoma Meth Epidemic

When we think of the drug problem in the U.S., the first thing we almost always think of is the opiate epidemic. The opiate epidemic usually takes the spotlight. And not without good reason. The majority of all drug deaths every year are at the hands of...

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Halting the Runaway Train That is Our Opioid Crisis: Can We Do it?

It may seem like an impossible task to halt the runaway train of our opioid crisis. But Oklahoma has prepared a plan to do just that which can serve as a model for other states and let us estimate the price tag to eliminate this catastrophe.

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Why Will it Cost $800 Million the First Year to Bring Oklahoma’s Opioid Problem Under Control?

In an Oklahoma courtroom, state attorneys claim that Johnson & Johnson should pay their fair share for their role in creating the opioid epidemic that claimed thousands of lives in the state. Why will this cost more than $800 million the first year?

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Now That the Oklahoma Lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson Is Over—What Happens Now?

In August 2019, Cleveland County Judge Thad Balkman ordered Johnson & Johnson and their subsidiary, Janssen Pharmaceuticals to pay Oklahoma $572 million for the harm their products cause. When the settlement is paid, what will the benefits actually be?...

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Local Communities Holding Pharmaceutical Companies Accountable

A few weeks ago, this blog featured an article on the lawsuits being filed against major pharmaceutical companies such as Purdue Pharma, Endo International, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, Depomed, Janssen/Johnson & Johnson and others. In the following...

STATISTICS & TRENDS

According to the Oklahoma Department of Education, Drug Abuse is a Factor in the Rising Number of Homeless Children

According to data collected by school districts and reported to the state, thousands of Oklahoma children fall asleep each night on the couches or beds of friends or relatives, hundreds more stay in a hotel or motel, and some even sleep in a shelter or...

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Oklahoma Urging Pharmacies to Join Efforts in Curbing Prescription Drug Abuse

One of the most troubling drug abuse and addiction problems that currently affect our nation is the problem of prescription drug abuse.