A tough-on-crime approach is back in US state capitols

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Within minutes of his inauguration Monday, new Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe unleashed a volley of orders targeting crime. The tone-setting move reflects a national trend. After a period of relaxed sentencing laws, a tough-on-crime approach is back in...

US 'notorious markets' report warns of risks from online pharmacies

BANGKOK (AP) — Nearly all of the world’s 35,000 online pharmacies are being run illegally and consumers who use them risk getting ineffective or dangerous drugs, according to the U.S. Trade Representative’s annual report on “ notorious markets.” The report also singled out 19 countries...

Kentucky reaches $110 million deal with Kroger to settle its opioid lawsuit

Kentucky will receive $110 million to settle its lawsuit accusing one of the nation’s largest grocery chains of helping fuel the opioid epidemic, the state's attorney general said Thursday. The state will use the money it is getting in its settlement with The Kroger Co. to combat...

2 Indian companies charged with smuggling chemicals used in making fentanyl

NEW YORK (AP) — Two pharmaceutical companies based in India were charged Monday with smuggling chemicals used in the production of the deadly drug fentanyl, federal prosecutors in New York announced. Raxuter Chemicals and Athos Chemicals were charged in separate indictments with...

Medical examiner says a Hawaii crime boss died of a drug overdose while in federal detention

HONOLULU (AP) — A Hawaii crime boss who died in federal detention this month was killed by an opioid overdose, Honolulu’s medical examiner said Tuesday. Michael Miske, 50, died of “toxicity of fentanyl and para-fluorofentanyl,” the medical examiner’s office said in a...

Fentanyl fuels record homeless deaths in Oregon's Multnomah County, home to Portland

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Fentanyl fueled a record number of homeless deaths last year in Oregon's Multnomah County, home to Portland, according to an annual county report released Friday that officials described as showing the peak of the fentanyl crisis in the area. The report found...

DOJ files complaint against CVS for facilitating unlawful sale of prescription opioids

The Justice Department unsealed a civil complaint Wednesday alleging CVS Pharmacy Inc. and various subsidiaries filled “unlawful” prescriptions in violation of the federal Controlled Substances Act. The complaint also says CVS sought reimbursement from federal health care...

West Virginia's state health officer resigns but will continue opioid nonprofit work

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — West Virginia's state health officer, who was recently reelected as a leader of the private nonprofit charged with distributing much of the state’s opioid settlement dollars, has resigned. Dr. Matt Christiansen' s final day with the state health...

McKinsey & Company agrees to pay $650M for helping Purdue Pharma boost opioid sales

BOSTON (AP) — McKinsey & Company consulting firm has agreed to pay $650 million to settle a federal investigation into its work to help opioids manufacturer Purdue Pharma boost the sales of the highly addictive drug OxyContin, according to court papers filed in Virginia on Friday. ...

McKinsey & Company agrees to pay $650 million to settle US investigation into opioids work, court papers say