Fentanyl

Suffolk County officials have unveiled a new tool in the fight against drug overdoses — a handheld device that can identify over 500 substances, including fentanyl.

The $650,000 comes from the first part of the city’s opioid settlement funds. More than $2 million from federal lawsuits against opioid manufacturers and retailers will be distributed in New Haven in the coming years.

International fentanyl trafficking will be declared a national emergency due to the passage of a bill co-sponsored by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY). Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, is more powerful than heroin and kills hundreds of Long Islanders every year.

U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) urged House Republicans to take up the National Security Act, which passed the Senate last month but is stalled in the House. The package includes legislation that aims to curb fentanyl trafficking and opioid overdose deaths in the U.S.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) has introduced a bill to combat fentanyl overdose deaths. The bill would force President Joe Biden to declare international fentanyl trafficking a national emergency, and strengthen sanctions on traffickers.

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is calling for $290 million to be included in the next federal spending package to fund anti-drug initiatives following a recent increase in rainbow fentanyl.

The US Drug Enforcement Agency issued a national warning about brightly-colored fentanyl pills that target young people. So far the pills have been found in over a dozen states including New York.

The latest data from the state Department of Public Health indicates a spike in fentanyl use is contributing to the rising number of fatal overdoses.

The former nurse took fentanyl from the clinic’s vials for her own use, and replaced it with a saline solution to hide the theft.

Fentanyl has overtaken heroin use in the past several years in Connecticut, according to officials.