Latest news with #AllisonLin
USA Today
14-05-2025
- Health
- USA Today
Drug overdose deaths plummet to pre-pandemic levels during fentanyl crisis
Drug overdose deaths plummet to pre-pandemic levels during fentanyl crisis Just over 80,000 Americans died from a drug overdose in 2024, a 27% decline from a year earlier. Show Caption Hide Caption Trump admin looks to cut Narcan grant as fentanyl crisis beginning to wane The Trump administration is considering cutting a $56 million grant program that provides the lifesaving overdose reversal drug Narcan. Straight Arrow News The number of Americans who died from overdoses of drugs like fentanyl and meth dropped nearly 30% last year, falling to a level not seen since before the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the CDC. Experts attribute the decrease to a combination of factors, including the wider availability of the opioid antidote naloxone, along with $50 billion in funding for drug-treatment and youth prevention efforts from the national opioid settlements. Also playing a role: continued aggressive interdiction of drugs being smuggled through both Canada and Mexico. Provisional tallies from the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics show there were slightly more than 80,000 overdose deaths last year, down 27% from 2023. Among the states with the most significant reduction in overdose deaths were Louisiana, Michigan, New Hampshire, Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin, according to the CDC. South Dakota and Nevada were the only two states with an increase in deaths. "This is great news," said Dr. Allison Lin, a psychiatrist specializing in addiction research and treatment at the University of Michigan. "It really has taken a huge effort. Now we have to understand, what are the efforts we need to keep doing?" Public health experts say drug overdose deaths rose sharply during the pandemic as hospitals and communities curtailed access to drug-treatment programs at a time when social isolation and economic uncertainty raised the risk that people would turn to drugs. According to the CDC, the deadliest drugs were those containing the synthetic opioid fentanyl, which was responsible for about 48,500 deaths last year, the CDC reported. The national opioid settlements punished pharmaceutical manufacturers and some pharmacies for their role in fueling the opioid epidemic, which began with prescription painkillers and ultimately morphed into fentanyl. More than 1 million Americans have died of opioid-related overdoses since 1999, according to Congress. According to federal experts, fentanyl can be made cheaply and in large quantities in labs, and is far more potent than natural opiates like heroin or morphine. But because users typically develop a tolerance for it, as they do with morphine or heroin, it's even easier to overdose because a fatal dose of pure fentanyl can weigh as little as a few grains of salt, according to the DEA. Fentanyl is also cut into some streeet drugs without users realizing it. Former President Joe Biden launched an aggressive effort to reduce drug overdose deaths, including providing frontline workers and community members with access to naloxone, along with allowing federal grant recipients to buy and distribute fentanyl test strips, so users could test their drugs. The Biden administration also distributed billions of dollars in public health grants to expand access to mental health and substance use treatment. President Donald Trump has highlighted fentanyl overdoses as a public health crisis and national emergency, and repeatedly criticized both Canada and Mexico for not doing enough to stop cross-border drug sales to American consumers. But he has also proposed cutting a $56 million grant that helps train police officers and other frontline workers to administer nalaxone. Prof. Robert Valuck, who runs the Center for Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention at the University of Colorado School of Pharmacy, said Trump's get-tough approach on choking off supply may help reduce deaths, as long as it continues to be accompanied by drug-treatment opportunities. Valuck said the pandemic supercharged drug use, which lead to a significant increase in overdose deaths; with the pandemic over, the levels are essentially where they would have been without it, he said. He said there's still reason for optimism with the dropping level of deaths, countered by the increased risk from fentanyl, which is increasingly found in street drugs from meth to cocaine to heroin, because it's cheaper and easier to produce using precursor compounds available from Chinese chemical manufacturers. Previously, he said, epidemiologists would have expected to see about one death for every 5.5 overdoses. Now, he said, it's closer to one death for every 2.5 overdoses because fentanyl is both so common and so deadly. "The (drug) market has been around for thousands of years. This is not a new problem. The economics of this is not new. The potency of the compounds is literally the only thing that's changed," he said. "It was never a good idea to buy heroin on the street. But now it's a particularly bad idea."
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Drug overdose deaths plummet to pre-pandemic levels during fentanyl crisis
The number of Americans who died from overdoses of drugs like fentanyl and meth dropped nearly 30% last year, falling to a level not seen since before the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the CDC. Experts attribute the decrease to a combination of factors, including the wider availability of the opioid antidote naloxone, along with $50 billion in funding for drug-treatment and youth prevention efforts from the national opioid settlements. Also playing a role: continued aggressive interdiction of drugs being smuggled through both Canada and Mexico. Provisional tallies from the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics show there were slightly more than 80,000 overdose deaths last year, down 27% from 2023. Among the states with the most significant reduction in overdose deaths were Louisiana, Michigan, New Hampshire, Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin, according to the CDC. South Dakota and Nevada were the only two states with an increase in deaths. "This is great news," said Dr. Allison Lin, a psychiatrist specializing in addiction research and treatment at the University of Michigan. "It really has taken a huge effort. Now we have to understand, what are the efforts we need to keep doing?" Public health experts say drug overdose deaths rose sharply during the pandemic as hospitals and communities curtailed access to drug-treatment programs at a time when social isolation and economic uncertainty raised the risk that people would turn to drugs. According to the CDC, the deadliest drugs were those containing the synthetic opioid fentanyl, which was responsible for about 48,500 deaths last year, the CDC reported. The national opioid settlements punished pharmaceutical manufacturers and some pharmacies for their role in fueling the opioid epidemic, which began with prescription painkillers and ultimately morphed into fentanyl. More than 1 million Americans have died of opioid-related overdoses since 1999, according to Congress. According to federal experts, fentanyl can be made cheaply and in large quantities in labs, and is far more potent than natural opiates like heroin or morphine. But because users typically develop a tolerance for it, as they do with morphine or heroin, it's even easier to overdose because a fatal dose of pure fentanyl can weigh as little as a few grains of salt, according to the DEA. Fentanyl is also cut into some streeet drugs without users realizing it. Former President Joe Biden launched an aggressive effort to reduce drug overdose deaths, including providing frontline workers and community members with access to naloxone, along with allowing federal grant recipients to buy and distribute fentanyl test strips, so users could test their drugs. The Biden administration also distributed billions of dollars in public health grants to expand access to mental health and substance use treatment. President Donald Trump has highlighted fentanyl overdoses as a public health crisis and national emergency, and repeatedly criticized both Canada and Mexico for not doing enough to stop cross-border drug sales to American consumers. But he has also proposed cutting a $56 million grant that helps train police officers and other frontline workers to administer nalaxone. Prof. Robert Valuck, who runs the Center for Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention at the University of Colorado School of Pharmacy, said Trump's get-tough approach on choking off supply may help reduce deaths, as long as it continues to be accompanied by drug-treatment opportunities. Valuck said the pandemic supercharged drug use, which lead to a significant increase in overdose deaths; with the pandemic over, the levels are essentially where they would have been without it, he said. He said there's still reason for optimism with the dropping level of deaths, countered by the increased risk from fentanyl, which is increasingly found in street drugs from meth to cocaine to heroin, because it's cheaper and easier to produce using precursor compounds available from Chinese chemical manufacturers. Previously, he said, epidemiologists would have expected to see about one death for every 5.5 overdoses. Now, he said, it's closer to one death for every 2.5 overdoses because fentanyl is both so common and so deadly. "The (drug) market has been around for thousands of years. This is not a new problem. The economics of this is not new. The potency of the compounds is literally the only thing that's changed," he said. "It was never a good idea to buy heroin on the street. But now it's a particularly bad idea." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Drug overdose deaths plummet to pre-pandemic levels
Yahoo
07-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Three of the world's favorite candy brands just made a huge change to their iconic products: 'Essential'
Three of the world's favorite candies — M&M's, Skittles, and Starburst — are officially getting a major sustainability upgrade. Candy maker Mars, Inc. recently announced that it's rolling out new packaging for its candy jars made with 100% recycled plastic, and they're already hitting shelves across the country. The move is a joint effort with packaging company Berry Global, and it's a sweet win for both candy lovers and the environment. According to the announcement, the recycled plastic will be used in 60-ounce, 81-ounce, and 87-ounce-sized pantry jars (the ones with the square easy-grip shape), and the switch eliminates more than 1,430 tons of new plastic production annually. This is good news because plastic is made from dirty fuels like oil and coal, which generate pollution that overheats our planet and is harmful to our health. Plastics don't break down. Instead, they erode into microplastics that contaminate our environment, water, and food and eventually build up in our bodies. The problem is getting worse — a recent study found that human brain samples from 2024 contained about 50% more plastic than samples from 2016. By switching to recycled plastic, Mars is helping tackle the plastic waste problem and cut back on planet-heating gas pollution, which is a step toward protecting our communities from extreme weather events that are being supercharged by rising global temperatures. Candy consumers can also play a part by tossing the empty jars back in the recycling bin. While scaling recycled packaging across the world is still a major undertaking, this move shows what's possible when big companies invest in sustainable design. Many big brands have made steps to reduce their plastic footprint, such as Coca-Cola updating to recycled plastic 20-ounce bottles and Google phasing out plastic packaging. To learn how to support similar efforts, check out this guide to eco-friendly initiatives by other big brands and learn how to support brands with plastic-free packaging. "In the world we want tomorrow, no packaging becomes waste, but is instead reused, recycled or composted," said Allison Lin, global vice president of packaging sustainability at Mars. "Using recycled content incentivizes increased collection systems and recycling infrastructure, which is essential for a circular economy." When you think about a product's packaging, which of these factors is more important to you? The way it looks The information it provides The waste it produces I don't think about packaging at all Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Like Air® Co-Founder Allison Lin Named to Prestigious Inc. 2025 Female Founder 500 List
Award Honors Top Business Leaders Who Are Shaping the Future with Innovation and Impact MADISON, N.J., March 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Like Air®, the family-owned brand known for its melt-in-your-mouth puffcorn, is proud to announce its Co-Founder, Allison Lin, has been named to Inc.'s eighth annual Female Founders list. This exclusive list honors a bold group of 500 women whose innovations and ideas are leading their industries forward. This recognition places Allison among the top business leaders in the country, all of whom are creating meaningful change in their industries and communities. Each year, Inc. editors review thousands of nominations, selecting female founders who are pushing boundaries and addressing some of the world's most pressing challenges. The judging process considers both quantitative metrics—such as revenue, sales growth, funding, and audience size—as well as qualitative factors, including social media engagement and the overall impact of their work. This prestigious recognition is a testament to Allison's dedication to building Like Air® into a brand that has not only shaken up the better-for-you snack category but has also made a significant impact on her community. Since launching Like Air® in 2020, Allison and her team have grown the brand from a local family startup to a nationwide favorite, known for offering unique, guilt-free snacks that put a new spin on classic popcorn. "It's an incredible honor to be recognized among so many talented and inspiring women entrepreneurs," said Allison Lin, Co-Founder of Like Air®. "This achievement reflects not only the hard work and passion of our entire team but also the support and loyalty of our customers who have been with us from the very beginning. As we continue to grow, our commitment remains to create snacks that bring joy and delight to families everywhere." This recognition marks the first time a Like Air® Founder has made the Inc. 500 list, adding to the company's growing list of achievements. In 2024, the brand was ranked #55 on the Inc. 5000 list of America's Fastest-Growing Private Companies, captivated a wide-ranging national audience on ABC's Shark Tank, and won UNFI's Summer 2024 Pitch Slam competition for innovative new products. Previously in 2023, the brand clinched 1st place in the Albertsons Cos. Innovation Launchpad Competition at Expo West, which paved the way for a significant 2024 expansion into over 1,500 Albertsons Cos. stores nationwide. "Female founders know what struggle is, but they're also experts of improvisation, adaptability, and creativity. The women featured on this year's list exemplify these qualities. Through times of uncertainty, their unwavering dedication and steadfast leadership are not only inspiring but vital to driving progress," said Inc. executive editor Diana Ransom. Several honorees will be featured in Inc. magazine's Female Founders issue, on newsstands March 18, 2025. To see the complete list of honorees, please visit: For more information on Like Air®, please visit and follow us on social media @likeairsnacks. For press inquiries, contact:Jaclyn AmaroPR, Like Air Snacksjaclyn@ About Like Air®: Like Air® launched in 2020 with the mission to improve better-for-you snacking without compromising flavor. The brand's signature puffcorn is better than traditional popcorn – it won't get caught in your teeth! All Like Air® is made in a nut-free facility and is free from eight of the major allergens, including wheat, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, fish, sesame and shellfish. Like Air's popular flavors Cinnamon Bun and Pancake are also dairy-free. Follow @likeairsnacks on Instagram to enter their signature daily giveaways and on TikTok for exclusive monthly flavor drops! For more information on Like Air®, visit About Inc.: Inc. is the leading media brand and playbook for the entrepreneurs and business leaders shaping our future. Through its journalism, Inc. aims to inform, educate, and elevate the profile of its community: the risk-takers, the innovators, and the ultra-driven go-getters who are creating the future of business. Inc. is published by Mansueto Ventures LLC, along with fellow leading business publication Fast Company. For more information, visit View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Like Air® Sign in to access your portfolio
