U.S. More Likely toLegalizeMarijuana than Tennessee, Says Memphis Congressman
Congressman Steve Cohen hasn’t smoked pot in awhile — several decades, he estimates. However, that hasn’t stopped the Memphis representative from being an advocate for marijuana reform at the federal level. Cohen said Friday he expects federal marijuana reform to outpace Tennessee, though he said he doubts the MORE (Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment and Expungement) Act, which cleared his House Judiciary Committee this week, will be taken up by the U.S. Senate in 2019. The
New Court Program in East Tennessee Aims to Help Babies
DANDRIDGE, Tenn. — At the Jefferson County Juvenile Court, the cases have changed. Since the opioid crisis began, there have been more and more cases of neglect--and more and more cases involving young children. "We have two or three a month probably, that's conservatively speaking," Teresa Moyers, the court's director, said. Now Jefferson County is one of three counties in East Tennessee taking a new approach to infants in the child services system. The county just received
Harris County Announces Opioid Prevention Program
HOUSTON — The Harris County Public Health, Sheriff’s Office and Baylor College of Medicine will gather to announce the county’s new Opioid Overdose Prevention Program. HCPH has been awarded more than $2 million from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to aid in the prevention of opioid overdose in Harris County. According to the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences, in 2018, almost half of all drug overdose deaths in Harris County involved opioids, and drug
Helen Ross McNabb: Flood of Opioid Treatment Money Would be More Effective With Less Earmarking
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — An East Tennessee treatment center said if some of the flood of federal money to combat opioid addiction could be used for other addictions, it would benefit more people looking for help. Helen Ross McNabb provides addiction treatment for thousands of people each year. They're partially funded through federal dollars. While it's grateful for the funding it receives, the center says certain rules mean they can't help as many people as they want. Much like th
Man Indicted in OD Deaths of Two East TN Victims
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A Knoxville man faces federal charges in the 2018 overdose deaths of two unnamed East Tennesseans. Kevn Leon Catlett, 45, was being held Friday in the Blount County Jail on a count of distributing a mix of fentanyl and heroin that resulted in one person's death and another county of distributing fentanyl that caused another person's death. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Knoxville, a grand jury returned the indictment against Catlett on Oct. 16.
Drug Take Back Day
Middle Tennesseans disposed of hundreds of pounds of unused or expired medications as part of the most recent Drug Enforcement Administration’s national drug take back day. The initiative is one that local officials say helps to keep drugs away from teens and others who could abuse them, to combat dependence and avoid accidental overdoses amid a nationwide epidemic. DEA: Take Back Day addresses ‘crucial’ issues National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, which was Oct. 26, aims
Attorney Appointed for Woman Charged with Murder in Overdose Case
A Sumner County judge appointed an attorney to represent a woman charged with second-degree murder in connection to her ex-boyfriend’s fatal overdose. Chelsey Ann Davis, 28, is charged with murder in the death of Brandon Kyle McDuffee. The Sumner County grand jury indictment was filed Oct. 10. Judge Dee David Gay appointed local attorney Cindy Templeton to represent Davis at her arraignment Tuesday morning. Davis is due back in court for a settlement hearing on Jan. 16. McDuf
CEO Closes Book on Firm to Launch Inmate Ministry
Prison never rehabilitated Josh Smith. And he’s grateful for that. After retribution, incapacitation and deterrence, the fourth traditional purpose of incarceration — rehabilitation — is a misguided one, argues Smith, who has defied the odds in the 15 years since his release from a federal prison camp in Kentucky to become a multimillionaire entrepreneur. His company, Knoxville-based Master Service Companies, is now the region’s largest residential waterproofing and foundati
Impact of Opioid Crisis on TN Department of Children’s Services
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — From marijuana to meth to opioids, Amy Coble and her staff have seen it all when it comes to doing home visits where drugs may be involved. “We’ve been in homes where paraphernalia has been out in front of us when we walk in the door,” Coble said. “Sometimes it’s well-hidden,” Coble said. “Sometimes it’s hidden in different areas.” Coble is the director of investigations for the Department of Children’s Services. Like many other agencies, DCS is feel
Justice Department Announces $95M for Tennessee Safety
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The U.S. Department of Justice has announced approximately $95 million in awards to support public safety efforts in Tennessee. A news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee says the awards were announced Thursday in Nashville. They include nearly $2 million for the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s efforts to stop heroin distribution and methamphetamine trafficking. In addition, Memphis and Nashville are both re