LOS ANGELES – Medical marijuana could be the answer to overcoming the nation's opioid epidemic, but so far the only evidence cannabis can relieve pain comes from patients. "I turned to cannabis in lieu of pills, and I've never turned back," Pinnamaneni said. They can't function on a day to day basis without medical marijuana," Wald said. Pinnamaneni and Jordan, who both now work for Triple Seven, swear by the power of pot to relieve pain. The laws are different in every state, but at least 30 states have legalized some form of medical cannabis.

The Harris County Sheriff's Office and other local law enforcement agencies announced earlier in July that officers will no longer conduct "field tests" of suspected drugs due to the dangers of possible exposure to fentanyl and Carfentanil. The sheriff's office held a news conference at 1 p.m. Tuesday about the actions planned to protect deputies and the public from exposure to opioids. In effort to protect law enforcement officials, the department has purchased 264 nasal spray doses of the antidote Narcan to reverse the side of affects of opioid overdose. The antidote is not only to be used to protect law enforcement officers, but also for the community. The sheriff's office said there has only been one overdose in the Houston area.

AUSTIN, Texas – Texas has been awarded $27.4 million in federal funds to combat opioid-use disorders, officials announced Friday. The money will help the state’s efforts aimed at preventing and treating prescription and illicit opioid dependence, according to a news release. Of the more than 33,000 opioid-related deaths in the United States in 2015, 1,186 took place in Texas, officials said. The $27.4 million in grant money will be used for prevention, training, outreach, treatment and recovery support services. The following groups are especially at-risk for opioid-use disorders: those in major metro areas, women who are pregnant and postpartum and people with a history of prescription opioid misuse.

MILWAUKEE COUNTY, Wisconsin – A 4-year-old died Friday of a suspected opioid overdose in Milwaukee County. The Milwaukee County medical examiner's office believes Tyranne Beckless died from an overdose on prescription pain pills or heroin. Tyranne Beckless would be the seventh child under the age of five to die of an opioid overdose in Milwaukee County, in the last year and a half. He said to be aware that it is not just illegally-obtained pills, or heroin that come into question. So making sure you're not medicating them with someone else's medications or sharing medication," Keuhnel said.