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Seg. 1: How Tobacco Settlements Inform Opioid Lawsuits. Seg. 2: Kansas City Chiefs' New Hope.

According to the Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services, there was a 35 percent increase in opioid- or heroin-related deaths in the state from 2015 to 2016. In 2017 there were 951 opioid deaths, an increase of 4.7 percent from the previous year.
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According to the Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services, there was a 35 percent increase in opioid- or heroin-related deaths in the state from 2015 to 2016. In 2017 there were 951 opioid deaths, an increase of 4.7 percent from the previous year.

Segment 1: Government agencies suing pharmaceutical companies look to legal lessons learned from previous settlement against Big Tobacco.

A class-action lawsuit against tobacco companies in the late 1990s netted hundreds of billions of dollars, compensating states for costs associated with treating tobacco-related illness. Now, a comparable strategy could help defray the money cities, counties, and states are shelling out to deal with the opioid crisis. Today, an attorney involved in both cases explained the differences and similarities involved in each.


Segment 2, beginning at 20:08: How Mahomes compares to previous Chiefs' quarterbacks.

As a new quarterback quickly makes his mark on the Kansas City Chiefs offense, we discussed how Patrick Mahomes stacks up against the franchise's great gunslingers of the past. We also asked whether his scoreboard contributions will be enough to make up for a defense that's leaving a lot to be desired.

Copyright 2021 KCUR 89.3. To see more, visit KCUR 89.3.

Steve Kraske is an associate teaching professor of journalism at UMKC, a political columnist for The Kansas City Star and has hosted "Up to Date" since 2002. He worked as the full-time political correspondent for The Star from 1994-2013 covering national, state and local campaigns. He also has covered the statehouses in Topeka and Jefferson City.
Luke X. Martin is an assistant producer for KCUR's Up To Date.