Drug abuse Coverage

Millions of dollars in opioid settlement funding unused

Of North Carolina's 100 counties, 60 have initiatives in place to combat the opioid crisis. It includes Wake and Johnston counties.

$1 billion to fight opioid crisis: Nearly two dozen NC counties yet to spend funds

Of North Carolina's 100 counties, 60 have initiatives in place to combat the opioid crisis, including Wake and Johnston counties.

Ali Ingersoll, WRAL investigative data reporter

Push to make animal tranquilizer a controlled substance in NC

Health officials spoke to members of the NC House Select Committee on Substance Abuse recently about the dangers of Xylazine. Xylazine is an animal tranquilizer commonly used in veterinary medicine that is not approved for use in humans.

Editorial: 'Gas-station heroin' is dangerous. State must regulate it now

Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2024 -- A product, displayed beside candy and cough drops, can be mistakenly assumed to be safe. Elixirs with tianeptine can be addictive and deadly. As a matter of public health and safety, state officials need to act to limit access to this dangerous substance now.

'We have a problem': Childhood fentanyl deaths in NC hit record high in 2022

Data from the North Carolina Child Fatality Task Force indicates nearly three dozen children under the age of 17 died from fentanyl in 2022.

Brian Murphy, WRAL News

'Crosswalkers' fight drug epidemic by walking 300 miles across NC

Brent Sellers and his ministry are walking 300 miles down I-40 this summer to try and draw awareness to the drug and opioid epidemic.

Editorial: With criminal crackdown, funding community treatment for addiction impacts even more crucial

Wednesday, March 22, 2023 -- Getting tough criminal laws grabs get-tough headlines and photo opportunities with uniformed law enforcement leaders. But legislators must not neglect the larger part of the problem - cutting the demand and getting those who are hooked on opioids the opportunity for treatment and recovery.

Push for dangerous embalming fluid to be made a controlled substance

A bill is currently in the General Assembly to make embalming fluid a controlled substance. WRAL News spoke to one parent who said her son was so high, he nearly killed her. (CORRECTION: Garnes & Toney's Funeral Home is not connected to this case)

Mother who lived in fear of son getting high on embalming fluid now pushing for law change

The Rakim Shackleford Act, which was filed on March 6 in the North Carolina General Assembly

Aaron Thomas, WRAL reporter

Lawmakers, families fight for harsher punishment to combat fentanyl crisis

Lawmakers and families impacted by the opioid and fentanyl crisis will show up at the legislative building Tuesday morning to push for tighter laws.

Lora Lavigne, WRAL anchor/reporter

State attorney general proposes new unit to combat opioid crisis

North Carolina's Attorney General is proposing a new unit to help handle an influx in cases related to that drug.

Former fiancée of frequent impaired driver shares harrowing story of addiction

We are hearing from the (now former) fiancée of Blake Nichols Grady, the man charged with hitting and killing a cyclist and injuring a deputy Sunday while he was on drugs.

Sarah Krueger, WRAL Senior Durham reporter

Editorial: Debate exchange on drugs shows Budd's more about rhetoric than solutions

Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2022 -- Never, in the course of U.S. Senate candidate Ted Budd's discussion of illegal drugs did he mention the HUGE toll that drug addiction is taking on the state, any concern for those who struggle with addiction or who are its victims. Nor did he make any mention of efforts to address this.

Cary man charged with death by distribution after man dies from drug overdose

Allen David Wendel is being charged in the death of a Chapel Hill man who had fentanyl, heroin and cocaine in his system when he died, according to the Chatham County Sheriff's Office.

'We are losing a whole generation': Group gathers in Raleigh to remember, fight for those who died from fentanyl

Rain and thunder were not enough to deter dozens of parents and grandparents from gathering in front of the state capitol Sunday afternoon. The group was there to advocate for sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, lost to fentanyl overdoses.

Eric Miller, WRAL multimedia journalist

Advocates hold rally to spread awareness, remember those who died from Fentanyl overdoses

Family members gathered in Raleigh on Sunday to advocate for sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, lost to fentanyl overdoses.

NC soup kitchen volunteer saves man's life using narcan

It was just a few months ago that Thomas Quigley, a former paramedic and current chairman of the Joy Soup Kitchen in Greenville, decided to train his employees on how to administer Narcan, a medication that can be used to help reverse the effects of an opioid overdose.

Demi Lovato's 'Skin of My Teeth' addresses struggle with addiction

Demi Lovato has gone punk.

By Lisa Respers France, CNN

Fentanyl involved in 77% of NC overdose deaths, a dramatic rise from 31% in 2016

More than three-quarters of the state's overdose deaths reported in the first eight months of 2021 involved fentanyl, putting the year on track to surpass the record-high number of fatal fentanyl-involved overdoses in 2020.

Joe Fisher, WRAL reporter

As NC sees nearly 37% increase in overdose deaths, advocates push better addiction resources

America's drug epidemic is the deadliest it has ever been, new federal data suggests.

By Deidre McPhillips, CNN & Julian Grace, WRAL anchor/reporter

Triangle campaign hopes to break stigma for those addicted to opioids

MacDonald lost her son Michael to a fentanyl overdose. She said his addiction stemmed from the grief over loss of his brother, Steven, in 2012 to gun violence.

Amanda Lamb, WRAL reporter

Naloxone shortage could limit ability to save lives following tragic year for overdoses

Updated information shows 2,975 North Carolinians overdosed and died in 2020. That's a pace of about eight people every day.

COVID increases struggles for those fighting addiction

As a certified peer support specialist, Maxx Dempsey sees how people struggling to battle their addictions and mental health issues during COVID-19.

Specialists seeing mental health and addiction issues worsened by COVID-19 pandemic

Pandemic precautions create a bigger hurdle for those dealing with mental health issues and addiction. As COVID-19 concerns linger, many people feel more isolated than ever.

Fayetteville police department photo of officer, child goes viral

Fayetteville police rescued a 1-year-old boy whose parents had overdosed on heroin Friday morning.