Cannabis-Derived Drug Gains Full Federal Approval, Some CBD Reclassified
There’s good news for hemp growers across the U.S. who are preparing for harvest. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration removed some cannabidiol, or…
Why Your Sense Of Smell Could Be A Clue To Alzheimer’s Disease
Your sense of smell may give doctors early clues as to whether you’ll deal with Alzheimer’s disease. Since there’s no cure for Alzheimer’s disease,…
When Insurers Deny Mental Health Coverage, Families In Crisis Struggle Even More
When Matthew Timion needed to get his son treatment for mental illness, he did not anticipate it would be so hard to get the insurance company to pay…
U.S. Voters Say Government ‘Needs To Do More’ For Rural Broadband, New Poll Finds
A new poll suggests 72 percent of voters, regardless of party affiliation, believe Congress and federal regulators “need to do more” to bring high-speed internet to rural Americans. The survey, done by by the organization Connect Americans Now, which advocates for using TV frequencies for wireless internet, comes just a few weeks before the midterm elections….
Medical foods are vital for a rare disease. Why doesn’t insurance cover them?
Every day, Amanda Moller scoops powdered formula out of a can and shakes it up with water from her kitchen sink in University City, Missouri, a suburb…
Data Show Opioid Prescriptions Declining In IL
There is some good news in the fight against opioid abuse in Illinois. Doctors prescribed fewer opioids to patients in 2017 than 2016, according to numbers from the statewide prescription monitoring program. The database can’t track illegal narcotic use, but the drop in prescriptions is still widely seen as a good sign as the majority…
With Insulin Prices Soaring, Some Diabetics Turn to Dangerous Work Around
Nicole Smith-Holt’s son Alec was 23 when he started feeling sick. His muscles cramped. He was lethargic. He woke up multiple times every night to use…
Battling Drug Addiction: What Comes After Detox?
Like many states, Illinois is battling an opioid epidemic. Loran Owens, who lives in Franklin county in Southern Illinois, knows what the epidemic is…
If It Ain’t Got That Zing: A Weekend At The International Horseradish Festival
Two counties in southwestern Illinois grow the majority of the nation’s — possibly the world’s — horseradish. The city of Collinsville, population 25…
U.S. County Jails Step Up Mental Health Screening To Keep Inmates From Coming Back
DeVonte Jones began to show signs of schizophrenia as a teenager. His first public episode was nine years ago at a ball game at Wavering Park in Quincy,…
Suicide A Driver Of Gun Deaths In Rural America
The national conversation around gun violence generally centers around mass shootings, school shootings and gang activity. These problems need to be addressed, but may overshadow the largest group affected: suicide victims.
Listening About Guns
What I heard at both events: safety concerns, frustration with legislators and calls for action around gun laws. Hope for children, love for community and citizens flexing their civic muscles. In my role as Illinois Newsroom Engagement Strategist, I attended two events related to the debate over guns. At March 24th’s “March for Our Lives”…
The Surgeon General Wants Us All To Carry Narcan, But It Can Be Hard To Get
It was a scheduling mishap that led Kourtnaye Sturgeon to help save someone’s life. About four months ago, Sturgeon drove to downtown Indianapolis for a…
For Chronic Pain, A Change In Habits Can Beat Opioids For Relief
There’s a growing consensus among pain specialists that lifestyle changes can be more effective than drugs in managing chronic pain. But the alternative approach requires patient commitment.
As States Embrace Cannabis As Opioid Alternative, Science Lags Behind Policy
Across the country, states desperate to prevent opioid addiction are considering medical cannabis as a solution.