The head of consulting giant McKinsey was ousted from his position after coming under fire for his handling of the firm’s $573 million settlement of claims related to the firm’s work for opioid maker Purdue Pharma. The executive, Kevin Sneader, had apologized for the company’s behavior, saying McKinsey fell short of its standards and did not acknowledge the unfolding opioid epidemic and the its terrible impact—and that did not sit well with executives who wanted Sneader to fight back rather than settle. McKinsey was facing criminal penalties for advising Purdue on ways to boost marketing of its highly addictive prescription painkillers that helped fueled the opioid crisis.
Meanwhile, a new study finds that use of methamphetamine and fentanyl surged during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in the Pacific region, and coincided with an increase in synthetic-opioid related deaths. The U.S. had the highest level of drug overdose deaths ever recorded for the 12-month period ending June 2020. And finally, not everyone is backing the rush to legalize marijuana in Connecticut: the state’s Police Chiefs Association says the move would lead to more driving under the influence arrests and underage marijuana use. The cops note that there is no definitive roadside test to determine whether a driver is under the influence of marijuana.