Overdose
Incidents of drug overdose and related news
Latest stories
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Fayetteville police urge community members to carry Narcan due to extreme opioid overdoses
The Fayetteville Police Department said they have seen an increase in drug overdoses from synthetic opioids in the past several months. Police are encouraging community members to carry Naloxone (Narcan). It is a nasal spray that will rapidly reverse an opioid overdose and restore breathing.
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Fact-check: Did drug overdose deaths decrease because Trump 'sealed the border'?
In an Aug. 24 speech Brewer, Maine, Vice President JD Vance said the Trump administration’s border strategy kept drugs out of the country and saved lives.
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Recorded overdoses in NC down 27% midway through 2026. Local departments warn of fentanyl spike
This comes six months after WRAL reported that North Carolina, as a state, saw another consecutive year of declining opioid and fentanyl overdose numbers.
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Death by distribtion trial begins for man accused of selling fentanyl before Carrboro man's overdose
Jeremiah Hargrove is one of seven people to ever be charged with death by distribution in Orange County.
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NC overdose deaths trend down, UNC Street Drug Analysis Lab becomes national resource for testing
For years, overdose deaths in North Carolina have been falling, part of a broader national trend that researchers say is being driven in part by better information, stronger community partnerships and early intervention efforts.
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All school buses in Nash County to be equipped emergency overdose kits, district says
The district said the investment, which is around $21,435.60, was made possible through the support of the county, the Nash County Board of Commissioners, the Nash County Opioid Settlement Advisory Council and the C.A.R.E. Coalition.
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WRAL Investigates: Opioid overdoses, fentanyl deaths decrease for second straight year in Triangle
An analysis of state health data shows that opioid overdose hospitalizations have decreased by more than 20% in the last year, marking two consecutive years of declining emergency department visits in North Carolina.
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Nurse at Harnett County correctional facility overdoses, charged with possessing cocaine
A nurse at Harnett Correctional was charged with possessing cocaine after police said she overdosed on drugs while at the facility.
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New website shows where Naloxone access falls short
Narcan has reversed countless overdoses. WRAL News looks at a new tool helping connect more people to the spray.
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“Every life is worth saving”: How a UNC researcher’s website is connecting communities to naloxone
Delesha Carpenter's personal tragedy has fueled her mission to combat opioid overdoses through increased naloxone access. Her new website with UNC maps naloxone availability across NC's 100 counties.
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R. Kelly legal team says overdose was part of assassination attempt
R. Kelly's legal team says his safety is at risk after he was hospitalized in what they call an assassination attempt by the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
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R. Kelly hospitalized after alleged overdose in prison
Court documents state R. Kelly was rushed to Duke University Hospital on June 13 after allegedly overdosing on medications while incarcerated at the Federal Correctional Institute in Butner.
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R. Kelly rushed to Duke University Hospital in Durham after alleged prison overdose
Court documents state R. Kelly was rushed to Duke University Hospital on June 13 after allegedly overdosing on medications while incarcerated at the Federal Correctional Institute in Butner.
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How much to fight fentanyl: Stein asks for special unit funded by state budget
As North Carolina battles the ongoing fentanyl crisis, Gov. Josh Stein calls for a dedicated unit to crack down on trafficking, despite an encouraging 30% drop in overdose deaths since 2023.
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Edgecombe County paramedics warn about new drug detected in local pill supply
Edgecombe County paramedics are on high alert about carfentanil, a new highly potent synthetic opioid recently found in local pressed pill samples. Detected in April, the presence of carfentanil—though only comprising two percent of the pills—poses a significant overdose risk.
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Woman charged after 11-month-old child overdoses on fentanyl, cocaine
According to court documents, 28-year-old Alyssa Washington intentionally left a straw containing fentanyl and cocaine in reach of her 11-month-old baby.
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Union County opens autopsy center to help address medical examiner backlog
Investigations of overdose deaths lead to more autopsy requests, straining the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. But Union County has a unique solution.
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As ODs strain medical examiners, one county opens autopsy center to hasten justice
Investigations of overdose deaths lead to more autopsy requests, straining the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. But one county has a unique solution.
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3 American women found dead in a Belize hotel may have overdosed on drugs, police say
Three American women were found dead over the weekend in a beach resort in Belize, police said Monday, and officials were investigating the deaths as possible drug overdoses.
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An Overdose Antidote Becomes a Tricky Issue at Some Nightclubs
NEW YORK -- On a Thursday night in October, Ryan Carlos set off the metal detectors at the door of Brooklyn Steel, a popular music venue in Williamsburg. A security guard pulled him aside, patted him down and instructed him to turn out his pockets.
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NC data shows decline in overdose deaths
North Carolina has experienced a significant decline in suspected overdose deaths, with 224 fatalities reported in September 2024, compared to 353 in September 2023. While health experts are investigating potential factors behind this decrease, overdose deaths remain higher than pre-pandemic levels.
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Operation Vapor Trail: Task force raids businesses in crackdown on illegal vape stores in Cumberland, Robeson
The operation, which targeted 107 vape stores across both counties, aims to seize products with THC levels above 0.3%, which is illegal in North Carolina.
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Man connected to fentanyl overdose death of Wilson teen appears in court on Tuesday
The man accused of killing a teenager through fentanyl distribution appeared in court on Tuesday in Wilson County. Albert Wilson Green, 23, appeared before a judge on Tuesday. In May, authorities charged Green in connection to the 2023 death of a 17-year-old in Wilson.
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Man arrested for selling drugs linked to 2023 overdose in Carrboro
Jerimiah Hargrove, 20, of Selma, is charged with death by distribution and selling a Schedule II controlled substance.
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Raleigh mother and unborn child's suspected fentanyl deaths a dark reminder of drug's pull
Newly-released warrants reveal a Raleigh mother and her unborn baby were among the latest overdose cases as they each died from fentanyl overdoses. The latest data serves as a warning for parents.
