The New Hanover Regional Medical Center health system and Physician Group changed opioid prescribing guidelines in 2017. In the second year, the number of prescribed pills dropped by nearly 27-percent, resulting in more than 1.1 million fewer pills, according to a news release from NHRMC.

State Attorney General Josh Stein announced that his office reached a $1.25 million settlement with a Wilmington physician and her practice over allegations involving the submission of fake claims for addiction treatment to the North Carolina Medicaid program.

Federal funding is coming to Wilmington to help fight the opioid epidemic.

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper and Attorney General Josh Stein are among featured speakers at a two-day in-state gathering of experts in the fight against opioid addiction and abuse.

After a decade of addictive drug behavior which culminated in the use of opioids, Krista Turner found herself at a crossroads--either abort her unborn baby and continue abusing opioids or carry her baby full term and get help to stop her dependence on drugs. She chose the latter.

This year they've brought together law enforcement and clinical figure heads who each and every day combat the opioid drug epidemic.

The shutdown raised concerns in the health community across the Cape Fear. Pharmacists are running low on controlled substances and some patients are unable to get their prescriptions. 

Purdue Pharma, the maker of OxyContin, has received a patent designed to treat opioid addiction.

This symposium comes after months of planning by the Congressman and other.