The Wednesday Weekly Addiction + Recovery News Clips - January 18, 2023
The Wednesday Weekly is a collaboration of Sober Linings Playbook and Recovery in the Middle Ages Podcast.
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Highlights
National
Time to put cancer warning labels on alcohol? | Rural clinicians urged to prescribe addiction medicine | 46 million Americans met SUD criteria in 2021
Fentanyl
Experts argue “open border” not to blame for fentanyl crisis | Birmingham, Alabama pub provides fentanyl test strips aimed at cocaine users
State and Local
Maine’s prison MAT program | Boulder, CO purchases recovery residence for recovering methamphetamine users | Oregon first state to legalize hallucinogenic mushrooms
Studies/Research in the News
RI study finds pharmacists can play key role in addiction treatment | Cannabis overdose visits to ER by elderly increase significantly in California
Opinion
Health insurers cut addiction treatment short | The pros and cons of “Dry January” | Let pharmacists prescribe addiction medicine
Books and Movies
Below Decks’ Captain Sandy Yawn’s new memoir recounts addiction/recovery | Zendaya wins Golden Globe for portrayal of young woman struggling with addiction in “Euphoria” | Third edition of “Alcohol: No Ordinary Commodity” soon to be released
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National State/Local Studies/Research Opinion Reviews Comments
National
It's time to put cancer warning labels on alcohol, experts say
No amount of alcohol is safe, says new report from Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction. The pressure on the government to put cancer warning labels on alcohol containers is growing, as experts say the majority of Canadians don't know the risks that come with consuming even moderate amounts. The latest catalyst is Canada's new Guidance on Alcohol and Health, which updates the 2011 Low Risk Drinking Guidelines. The Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA), which released its final report today, points out that no amount of alcohol is safe and that consuming any more than two drinks a week is risky. Experts say health warning labels should already be on alcohol containers, because the industry actually has a legal duty to clearly inform consumers of any risks — especially when those risks are not well known.
Canadian Broadcasting Company - Jan. 17, 2023
Naloxone is reaching more people than ever
As drug overdose deaths hover near record levels in the United States, naloxone is reaching more people than ever, and possible policy shifts could make it more accessible this year. But experts say the overdose-reversing medication is not a panacea for the country’s opioid epidemic. Research suggests that the naloxone supply needs to be much more prevalent and saturated throughout the population to make a significant difference in reducing overdose deaths.
CNN - Jan. 13, 2022
Addiction Treatment Proponents Urge Rural Clinicians to Pitch in by Prescribing Medication
Federal regulators approved Suboxone in 2002, opening an avenue for addiction treatment in towns without methadone clinics. Buprenorphine offers a practical alternative for Marshalltown, a town of 27,000 people surrounded by rural areas.
Hematology Advisor - Jan. 13, 2023
Lisa Marie Presley's Addiction Battles: 'It's a Difficult Path to Overcome'
Lisa Marie Presley — who died at age 54 — had previously spoken about her struggles with drug addiction, which took the life of her father Elvis Presley when she was 9 years old. Lisa Marie Presley — daughter of Elvis Presley and Priscilla Presley — died Thursday evening after being rushed to the hospital for a possible cardiac arrest earlier in the day, her mother confirmed to PEOPLE. She was 54. Prior to her death, Lisa Marie's setbacks were often in the spotlight, including her battle with addiction. The singer-songwriter first revealed her addiction to painkillers and opioids in the foreword for Harry Nelson's book The United States of Opioids: A Prescription for Liberating a Nation in Pain. "You may read this and wonder how, after losing people close to me, I also fell prey to opioids," wrote Lisa Marie, who saw both her father Elvis and ex-husband Michael Jackson die of complications from drug use.
People - Jan. 13, 2023
Shatterproof Partners with Crisis Text Line to Support People Struggling with Addiction
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, January is one of the most dangerous times of the year for drug-and-alcohol-related deaths. Additionally, more than one in four adults living with serious mental health problems also has a substance use problem. January is Mental Wellness Month which is why Shatterproof, a leading nonprofit dedicated to reversing the nation's addiction crisis, is kicking off a year-long partnership with Crisis Text Line. A national nonprofit organization, Crisis Text Line provides free, 24/7, high-quality text-based mental health support and crisis intervention in both English and Spanish. Shatterproof is the first substance use disorder organization to partner with Crisis Text Line. Through this partnership, a person who is in recovery or struggling with a substance use disorder can text "SHATTERPROOF" to 741741 to reach a trained Crisis Text Line volunteer Crisis Counselor.
TMCNET - Jan. 12, 2023
Offering addiction treatments in pharmacies could help combat the opioid crisis
A small study shows pharmacists could play a key role in getting addiction medication directly into the hands of more people who need it, but there are a lot of barriers to expanding the project.
NPR - Jan. 11, 2023
Digital Addiction: Should You Be Worried?
If you believe you may be addicted to your digital devices, you’re not alone. Check out these sobering stats: Worldwide, an estimated 210 million people suffer from social media addiction; Americans check their phone an average of 344 times per day, which is approximately once every 5.5 minutes; nearly half of Americans believe they are addicted to their cell phone; the average American will spend the equivalent of 44 days on their phone in 2022 – that’s nearly a month and a half!
Forbes - Jan. 11, 2023
Lawsuit pushes addiction case against social media firms
A major new federal lawsuit playing out this winter argues that social media platforms are "defective" products that can be held legally responsible for harms they cause to younger users. Plaintiffs in the more than 100 cases that have been consolidated to one federal courtroom say services like Facebook, TikTok, Snapchat and YouTube are addictive by design — and lawyers working on the case compare their work to the fight against tobacco or opioids.A new master complaint in the case, filed in the Northern District of California, is due to be filed next month.
Axios - Jan. 11, 2023
Surging opioid overdoses prompt more Americans to carry Narcan spray
The worsening opioid epidemic is prompting more people to carry a nasal spray that reverses overdoses and become de facto first responders in life-or-death situations. Naloxone and automatic external defibrillators located in public places allow ordinary citizens to stand in for medical professionals, even with little or no training. Every state has a naloxone access law, though the legal protections vary.
Axios - Jan. 11, 2023
46.3 Million in US Met Criteria for SUD Diagnosis in 2021
In 2021, 46.3 million people aged 12 or older in the US—about 16.5% of the nation’s population—met the applicable DSM-5 criteria for having a substance use disorder. Of those, 94% did not receive any treatment. The findings come from the 2021 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), which was released this week by the US Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). READ the 2021 NSDUH national report
Psychiatry and Behavioral Health Learning Network - Jan. 6, 2023
National State and Local Studies in the News Opinion Reviews Comments
Fentanyl
Is an ‘open border’ to blame for America’s fentanyl crisis?
Republicans blame poor border security for America’s fentanyl crisis, but experts tell a different story.
The Independent - Jan. 12, 2023
Fentanyl Town Hall at the Church of Scientology Because Young Lives Are Important
The Church of Scientology of the Valley opened its doors in a fentanyl town hall. The program included an overview of the Truth About Drugs campaign of Foundation for a Drug-Free World, the drug education initiative supported by the Church of Scientology and Scientologists.
KTLA5 - Jan. 12, 2023
Birmingham, Alabama pub posts drug awareness sign: ‘If you’re going to use cocaine…test it with fentanyl test strips’
Dave’s Pub, located in Birmingham’s Five Points South entertainment district, has taken a unique approach to creating drug awareness. John Parker, owner of Dave’s Pub says the sign is a bit tongue-in-cheek but is addressing a serious drug problem. The sign, posted in the restroom, reads: “Please! Don’t use cocaine in the bathrooms! But if you’re going to use cocaine…test it with fentanyl test strips. Ask your bartender with no judgment from us. – Dave’s Pub, Management and Staff.”
6 WBRC - Jan. 10, 2023
National State/Local Studies/Research Opinion Reviews Comments
State / Local
Maine: How Maine prisoners kicked addiction
America's sprawling network of more than 4,400 state prisons and local jails has emerged as a front line in the nation’s unrelenting opioid crisis, which killed more than 80,000 people in 2021 and has helped drag U.S. life expectancy to its lowest levels in a quarter century. POLITICO’s Krista Mahr traveled to Maine to examine the state’s efforts to wean prisoners off dangerous drugs like opioids and prevent fatal overdoses by prescribing medications like buprenorphine and methadone. The program, budgeted at $3.3 million for this year, has fundamentally changed the atmosphere at Maine State Prison, residents and prison staff told Krista. They said that the black market for drugs has dried up. There are fewer fights and fewer suicide attempts. The security staff and residents get along better.
POLITICO - Jan. 13, 2023
Colorado: Boulder is buying a home for people to live in and recover from methamphetamine addiction
Two months before the use of methamphetamines shut down the library last month, the City and County of Boulder started implementing a program to help people wean off the highly addictive stimulant that has communities scrambling for solutions. The relatively cheap and readily available drug contributes to homelessness, overdose deaths and incarceration rates. In October 2022, Boulder County repurposed one of its office buildings to provide temporary out-patient drug addiction treatment, including for people who are addicted to methamphetamine. City of Boulder officials said this week they are in the process of closing a deal on a home. If all goes as planned, the recovery home could be up and running in a matter of months.
KUNC - Jan. 12, 2023
Oregon Becomes First State To Legalize Magic Mushrooms
On January 1, Oregon legalized the adult use of Psilocybin, often called “Magic Mushrooms,” amid recent research showing tentative promise for treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, end-of-life anxiety, and other mental health conditions. However, while research suggests promising results for mental health treatment, there are still concerns about the lasting side effects of Psilocybin misuse, as there is not enough data yet to measure the lasting impacts. Oregon’s Ballot Measure 109, passed in November 2020, allows the Oregon Health Authority to license and regulate the manufacturing, transportation, and sale of Psilocybin products and to oversee Psilocybin services.
Addiction Center - Jan. 11, 2023
Washington: Pierce County prosecutor calls for state to change drug, police pursuit laws
As the state legislature wraps up its second day, Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney Mary Robnett is calling for some changes. Robnett wrote a letter last November stating that the reforms of 2021 have led to a growing sense of lawlessness in Pierce County. “We’re dealing with crime rates here in Tacoma that are increasing astronomically,” she said. So far, 16 mayors have signed onto Robnett’s letter. Robnett’s letter focuses on two major policies that she ties to the county’s crime spike: police vehicle pursuits and drug possession. Robnett highlighted the 2021 Blake decision from the State’s Supreme Court. She said the decision has made Washington’s drug policies obsolete, which is problematic when it comes to drugs like methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl. “When they ruled that the possession of narcotics statute was unconstitutional, it effectively legalized drugs. It made the drug laws unenforceable,” Robnett said.
King5 - Jan. 10, 2023
Oregon: Peer mentors are key to Oregon’s Measure 110 success, but they are working in a broken system
About 1,900 people in recovery have been hired to help those struggling with addiction find their way to sobriety, but with too few places to send people to safely detox or receive treatment there’s no clear path to success. The peer model is an evidence-based approach that is increasingly used around the country. Now, using money generated through Oregon’s 2020 drug decriminalization law, Measure 110, a state-appointed council is pouring money into hiring many more peers as part of a shift toward treating addiction as a health care issue. Increasingly, peers across Oregon are connecting with people in need through street outreach and working in addiction care, mental health or homeless services, hospitals and jails.
OPB - Jan. 9, 2023
National State/Local Studies/Research Opinion Reviews Comments
Studies/Research in the News
Pharmacists Can Be Key to Helping Folks Kick Opioid Addiction
Pharmacists could play an important role in helping curb the U.S. opioid epidemic, a new study suggests. Researchers studied the impact of a Rhode Island law allowing specially trained pharmacists to prescribe buprenorphine, a medication used to treat opioid use disorder. The study began with 100 patients who received the medication at a pharmacy. After they were stabilized, 58 were randomly selected to receive further care either through the pharmacy or in a clinic or physician’s office. After one month, the pharmacy group had dramatically higher rates of continued care. About 89% were still receiving care, compared to 17% who had switched to a physician or clinic. “Dramatically increasing capacity to provide good, lifesaving treatment for people with opioid use disorder through pharmacies is an approach that could be ramped up today,” said principal researcher Traci Green, co-director of Rhode Island Hospital’s Center of Biomedical Research Excellence on Opioids and Overdose in Providence. “It’s a game changer.”
U.S. News and World Report - Jan. 13, 2023
Study taps pharmacies as addiction treatment option during opioid crisis
There are medications that help people addicted to opioids stop using these powerful drugs and avoid a potentially deadly overdose. But fewer than 15% of patients who could benefit receive them. Researchers in Rhode Island tested one possible remedy. They created an addiction care program in six pharmacies. Results from the study, published Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine, show patients were 72% more likely to continue treatment for a month at a pharmacy than patients who received the same care in a more typical outpatient program. The risk of an overdose or an emergency room visit for other reasons were roughly the same for patients in both settings.
WBUR - Jan. 11, 2023
New insights on the neural mechanisms underlying compulsive drug use during cocaine addiction
In a new study now published in Science Advances, Yang Chen and a research team in medical sciences, biomimetic drugs, and neuroscience in China conducted several experiments with animal models to understand specific neural mechanisms behind cocaine addiction.
Medical Xpress - Jan. 11, 2023
Stoned California Seniors Headed to ERs By the Thousands: UCSD Study
According to the study conducted by the University of California San Diego School of Medicine, just 366 Californians over the age of 65 visited ERs in 2005 for cannabis-related concerns. By 2019, that figure had skyrocketed nearly 3200%, when 12,167 seniors made trips to emergency rooms for that reason.
NBC7 San Diego - Jan. 10, 2023
National State/Local Studies/Research Opinion Reviews Comments
Opinion
For addiction treatment, longer is better. But insurance companies usually cut it short
Treatment for substance use disorder (SUD) — and for mental illness as a whole — face limited covered benefits, delays in access to treatment, and denials of care at higher rates than medical and surgical care, despite federal efforts to drive parity for mental health, which extend back as far as 2008. Decades of research point to longer treatment as the number one predictor of addiction treatment outcomes. Yet what insurers will pay for contradicts those best practices because they remain shortsighted, often approving the minimum number of treatment days to reduce upfront costs.
Stat - Jan. 13, 2023
Let Pharmacists Prescribe Addiction Medicine
Pharmacists can offer more equitable access to life-saving drugs — if states cut some red tape.
Boston Globe - Jan. 12, 2023
Dry January: The Good, The Bad, and The In-Between
For people who drink socially and moderately (and do not have substance use disorder), Dry January can be a nice way to jumpstart a healthy lifestyle in the new year. For people for whom drinking has become a problem, quitting for a short period of time can mask a real issue. The accomplishment of succeeding at a sobriety challenge leads some folks to dismiss warning signs of alcoholism.
Shatterproof - Jan. 11, 2023
The DEA Needs To Do More, Not Less, To Combat Opioid Abuse | Jim Crotty, Former Deputy Chief of Staff, DEA
Stories of patients committing suicide after losing access to prescription opioids are indeed tragic, and federal, state, and local authorities must do more to address the elevated risk of overdoses and ensure continuation of care for those impacted by disruptions to treatment. But these isolated incidents, however tragic, should not be used to upend otherwise sound drug policies designed to protect the American public from drug addiction and abuse.
Newsweek - Jan. 11, 2023
This 20-year-old drug can be addictive but it’s critical in the war against opioid addiction
More than 20 years ago, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Suboxone and Subutex, two prescription drugs that use the opiate-based medication buprenorphine to treat opioid addiction. In those same two decades, drug overdoses rose to become the leading cause of acidental death in the U.S.
NJ.com - Jan. 10, 2023
National State/Local Studies/Research Opinion Reviews Comments
Books and Movies
Third edition of Alcohol: No Ordinary Commodity soon to be released
An international collaboration of addiction health researchers is out with updated findings on how social, cultural, and environmental factors influence alcoholism and harmful drinking, plus policy recommendations to address them. UConn School of Medicine Professor Emeritus Thomas Babor is a lead author of the third edition of Alcohol: No Ordinary Commodity.
UConn - Jan. 12, 2023
'Below Deck' 's Captain Sandy Yawn Has 'No Shame' About Former Addiction: 'I Should Have Been Dead 10 Times Over'
"I look back and go, 'Wow, I actually climbed out of hell and now look at my life,'" Yawn tells PEOPLE of writing Be the Calm or Be the Storm, "I learned that art of self-leadership and I got sober." In her book Be the Calm or Be the Storm, Yawn hopes to help others succeed in the face of adversity by detailing how she overcame hitting the "rock bottom" of addiction and rose through the ranks as a groundbreaking leader in the maritime industry.
People - Jan. 10, 2023
Zendaya Reacts to Golden Globe Win for Best Actress in a Drama Series for 'Euphoria'
“My greatest hope for ‘Euphoria’ is that it could help heal people,” said Zendaya. The two-time Emmy winner earned her first Golden Globe on Tuesday for her lead role as Rue Bennett in HBO's Euphoria, taking home the award for Best Actress in a Television Series -- Drama. Zendaya made history (again) in September when she won her second Emmy for Euphoria, becoming the youngest two-time lead acting winner for her turn as teenage drug addict Rue.
ET - Jan. 10, 2023
National State/Local Studies/Research Opinion Reviews Comments