Alcohol & Substance Abuse

As more Alaskans seek treatment for opioid use disorder, the state is taking measures to ensure enough medical providers are there to help. 

They tried talking things through with Abby. They got her into counseling briefly. They reported a store they suspected of selling booze to her daughter and other teenagers. And eventually, tough love.

In response to concerns about monitoring service Bark for Schools, the Juneau School District is providing options to families.

One drug enforcement operation this summer seized 204 packages containing almost 48,545 illicit or unlawfully diverted pills. Almost all of those pills, 44,580, were tramadol. One DEA agent estimates around 100,000 pills are arriving in Alaska every month.

In Anchorage, there are worries that vetoes to addiction treatment facilities and a homeless assistance program could exacerbate a problem that’s already worsening.

The Anchorage Assembly voted unanimously Tuesday night for a new measure that makes it illegal to sell cigarettes, electronic smoking devices and other similar products to anyone under 21 years old.

A trip to the emergency room can be a crucial window to assist people in their recovery. Now some providers are giving patients a medicine to ease the transition so they can seek additional care. Recently, a hospital in Juneau completed one year of this program with encouraging results.

As prospects for a veto override look increasingly slim, organizations that provide aid to low-income, homeless and other needy Alaskans say they’re facing increasingly difficult choices.

Anchorage homeless shelters and services are bracing for cutbacks and closures after Gov. Mike Dunleavy announced hundreds of millions of dollars in line-item state budget vetoes Friday.

U.S. Attorney General William Barr declared a law enforcement emergency in Alaska on June 28. The announcement follows a visit to the state where he saw firsthand how many rural communities have little-to-no public safety presence.