Family members of the Sackler family who own OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma, and the company agreed to pay $7.4 billion in a new settlement to lawsuits over the toll of the strong prescription painkiller. The deal replaces a previous settlement deal that was rejected last year by the U.S. Supreme Court. Attorney General JB McCuskey from West Virginia agreed to the deal but had cruel words for the company and to its owners. The new settlement could close a chapter in a legal drama over the toll of an opioid crisis that a few experts believe began after OxyContin hit the market in 1996. Opioids have been connected to hundreds of thousands of deaths in the U.S. While the settlement will not bring the Sackler family financial ruin, members of the Sackler family have been cast as foes and have seen their name removed from art galleries and universities around the globe because of their role in the privately-held company. The Sackler family continued to deny claims of any problematic instances. Read more about this settlement deal here: Purdue Pharma, Sackler family members reach new opioid settlement | AP News.

Thanks to everyone who donated casseroles, we've successfully made our February delivery of casseroles to ODB. Next ODB distribution of casserole pans will be after Masses on 3/8/25-3/9/25

The article highlights that there has been an increase in deaths related to alcohol. The CDC has reported tgat the best remedy to cure alcohol abuse and alcoholism is sobriety. Researchers have proven that decrease the amount of alcohol intake assists with your health in a positive way. Ex: lower blood pressure, better liver function, and "a better quality of life." The article explains the term, "soberish", which is the term defined as limiting one's alcohol intake and being more aware of its effects on one's mood and health. In other words, it means to be more mindful of one's drinking, alcohol consumption, and to stay away from alcohol altogether.

The article highlights that there has been an increase in deaths related to alcohol. The CDC has reported tgat the best remedy to cure alcohol abuse and alcoholism is sobriety. Researchers have proven that decrease the amount of alcohol intake assists with your health in a positive way. Ex: lower blood pressure, better liver function, and "a better quality of life." The article explains the term, "soberish", which is the term defined as limiting one's alcohol intake and being more aware of its effects on one's mood and health. In other words, it means to be more mindful of one's drinking, alcohol consumption, and to stay away from alcohol altogether.

Thanks to everyone who donated casseroles last week, we were able to make our January delivery to ODB. We still need 7 casseroles for our February delivery. If you took a pan, please return your frozen casseroles to the Parish freezer by Sunday, February 2nd. Please contact Bob at crhoopert@zoominternet.net if you have any questions.

In 2024, there was a decrease in teen deaths that were associated with drug overdoses as well as a decrease in teen vaping. A recent natural survey conducted that teen drug addiction has not ricocheted since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak. Twenty-four thousand students from middle school and high school through the grades 8,10, and 12 across the country, were examined and the results displayed a significant decrease of exposure to drugs and a strong decline in the number of students using alcohol or various drugs

In 2024, there was a decrease in teen deaths that were associated with drug overdoses as well as a decrease in teen vaping. A recent natural survey conducted that teen drug addiction has not ricocheted since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak. Twenty-four thousand students from middle school and high school through the grades 8,10, and 12 across the country, were examined and the results displayed a significant decrease of exposure to drugs and a strong decline in the number of students using alcohol or various drugs.

Highlighting the economically effects of drug use and drug relapses in the United States. The article provides the exemplary state of Kentucky, specifically the city, Louisa. Over a million individuals in the US are arrested each year due to drug-related circumstances, and it can be more challenging to get back on their feet instead of the side-affects that come with the drug relapses.Kentucky has more residential treatment beds per person than all the other 49 states in the country. The program, Addiction Recovery Care (ARC), whose motto is “Crisis to Career,” has treated tens of thousands of people in addiction since its founding in 2008. Read more to learn about the impacts of drug use and recovery rates in Kentucky and the U.S.

Thank you to all parishioners who donated groceries and money for th ODB Thanksgiving and Christmas Food projects!

Effects of taking the drug, buprenorphine, used to help pregnant women and parents with opioid addiction. Research has assured that there are other helpful options to assist with opioid drug addiction that are less intensive, such as the approach of Eat, Sleep, Console (ESC). ESC and the program, Project CARA. These two methods have allowed mothers and parents to have positive results with family care in and outside of the home.

Numerous of new security measures are being made and are planned to be in full operation inside Harford public schools by the end of 2024. Some of the specific security enhancements can be read in the full article. Each school in Harford County is scheduled to have the new security enhancements, but the names of all the schools are not listed at this time. These updates will allow guidance and safety for parents and their children as well as provide an extra level of security for the public schools in Harford County.

This article explores the new security enhancements in Harford County schools and the non-invasive procedures that the schools are taking to prevent issues and implement security procedures.

How to help individuals survive by limiting the negative and unfair beliefs connected with substance abuse. The article provides the program, The National Overdose Prevention Network, NOPN and Shatterproof, a national nonprofit organization committed to changing addiction treatment and understanding the stugma connected with substance use disorders, SUD.

A new CDC report reveals a significant drop in teen tobacco use, driven by a decline in e-cigarette consumption, reaching its lowest point in decades. However, the rise of nicotine pouches like Zyn, popularized on social media, poses a new challenge in the fight against youth nicotine addiction.

Maryland has seen a notable increase in cannabis-related emergency department visits, with 816.9 visits per month in 2024, prompting the launch of a new public health dashboard to track these trends. The rise may reflect both increased cannabis use and reduced stigma, highlighting the need for public education on safety, especially for children and non-regulated products.

As the Covid-19 pandemic reshaped daily life, Americans turned to alcohol in growing numbers, with heavy drinking rates continuing to rise through 2022. This troubling trend, seen across all demographics, reflects the long-term impact of stress, isolation, and uncertainty, with serious health risks that may take years to manifest.

For decades, people have quietly sought therapy in fear of encountering judgment from friends, family, or coworkers, hiding their struggles with mental health behind closed doors. In this insightful reflection, a retired clinical psychologist explores the three types of stigma that keep mental health sufferers isolated and urges for greater openness, understanding, and support in an era where the need for mental health care is at an all-time high.

Fentanyl smuggling is no longer just the domain of immigrants or cartels—U.S. citizens are increasingly being recruited as mules to carry the deadly drug across the border. With cartels offering quick, high-paying jobs and exploiting the loopholes in border security, thousands of Americans are unwittingly contributing to the fentanyl crisis, making the problem harder to combat.

Families, please not that there is NO CFF tomorrow, 11/5/2024 since Harford County Schools are closed for Election Day.