Overprescribed and underfunded: Illinois’ surge in overdose deaths

Naloxone

By Jack Adams, Talia Beechick and Madison Hopkins Chris Nielsen’s future looked bright. A senior in high school, he played catcher on his school’s baseball team in a Chicago suburb and was offered a full scholarship to play the sport at Michigan State University. But at age 17, after his first knee surgery, he was […]

A vaccine for drug addiction is in the works

By Danielle Prieur Treating drug addiction with a vaccine might become a solution to combat prescription drug and heroin addiction and the rapid rise in overdose deaths. A vaccine, which has undergone tests in animal subjects so far, holds promise, said Dr. William Compton, deputy director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse. The vaccine […]

Choir finds harmony, hope, healing from addiction

By Brendan Hickey The members of the Harmony, Hope, & Healing choir all have something in common: They struggle with drug addiction and homelessness, they are enrolled or have completed a 12-step recovery program, and they all know Tina Villapando. Kevin Tamila abused drugs for much of his life. After joining Harmony, Hope & Healing […]