Addiction

On this West Virginia Morning, we speak with a professor of musicology at West Virginia University who is also the editor of a book called, “The Opioid Epidemic and U.S. Culture: Expression, Art, and Politics in an Age of Addiction.” The book collects 23 essays by academics, artists, and activists about how art and the opioid epidemic overlap.

Nicholas County was the latest to celebrate the first graduation ceremony from its family treatment court program, which works to reunite parents and children separated by addiction.

OxyContin’s maker may be bankrupt, but it’s spent more than $200,000 to keep 20-year-old court records sealed.

This week on Inside Appalachia, we talk with folks who are planting seeds of change — literally and figuratively. While many are finding joy through their gardens and food work, there are some people in Appalachia who are going through some of the most challenging times of their lives.

West Virginia consistently has one of the worst rates of drug overdose deaths in the nation, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data show that toll has only been increasing in recent years. The West Virginia Center for Budget and Policy released a report on the economic toll of drug-related deaths and illnesses on the state. The center estimates that in 2019, that amount was more than $11 billion.

On this West Virginia Morning, the pandemic forced people in substance use treatment into isolation, but human interaction is a key part of recovery. We explore the impacts. Also, we have a conversation with an author who wrote about the first Black woman in the United States who was a licensed racehorse trainer.

Within the past decade, the number of children in the state’s foster care system has increased by 67 percent. Approximately 7,000 children are in state custody. The system swelled as the opioid drug epidemic took a significant toll on West Virginians. Parental drug use has been a factor in many cases where children were removed from their homes.

Human beings are social creatures, but the pandemic is making it difficult to interact with one another. It is also bringing to light just how important…

On this West Virginia Morning, we consider the challenges colleges and universities are facing as the fall semester approaches. Also, in this show, we…

On this West Virginia Morning, we explore how the coronavirus pandemic is affecting substance use treatment and recovery.The coronavirus pandemic…