The Wednesday Weekly Addiction + Recovery News Clips - March 15
The Wednesday Weekly is a collaboration of Sober Linings Playbook and Recovery in the Middle Ages Podcast.
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Highlights
National
BORG in the U.S.A. | Opioid settlement hinders access to drugs for many conditions
Fentanyl
Wired: On the Trail of the Fentanyl King | How '“Tranq” made its way into fentanyl
State and Local
Colorado consider sober seating bill for sports venues | California prison program trains inmates to be addiction counselors
Studies/Research in the News
Opioid OD risk 10x’s higher for those leaving prison | US adults now favor legal cannabis over tobacco
Opinion
The right to non-religious rehab | A plea for court-ordered treatment
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National
Opioid Settlement Hinders Patients’ Access to a Wide Array of Drugs
Nearly a year after a sweeping opioid settlement imposed new requirements on the companies that provide medications to pharmacies, patients across the United States are having difficulty obtaining drugs to treat many conditions, including anxiety, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and addiction.
New York Times - March 13, 2023
Citizens’ Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) Calls for More Oversight after Recent Addiction Treatment Center Closures
After the closures of 16 addiction treatment centers in the wake of government healthcare fraud investigations, mental health industry watchdog, Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) International calls for more oversight with stronger penalties for fraud and for endangering patients.
AP - March 13, 2023
Mexican president blames fentanyl problem on U.S. and its ‘social decay’
Mexico’s president said Thursday that his country does not produce or consume fentanyl, despite enormous evidence to the contrary. President Andrés Manuel López Obrador appeared to depict the synthetic opioid epidemic largely as a U.S. problem, and said the United States should use family values to fight drug addiction.
Penn Live - March 9, 2023
BORG drinking going viral on Tik Tok. What on earth is a BORG?
BORG — which is pronounced like the aliens from “Star Trek” — is an acronym for “blackout rage gallon.” The drink going by this name is a mixture of water, alcohol, sweet flavorings and some hangover remedy, like Liquid I.V. or Pedialyte. The concoction has become increasingly popular on college campuses across the country, thanks at least in part to TikTok, where videos of students brandishing their jugs at parties and demonstrating how to make the beverage have been widely shared. BORGs made the news this month, when the University of Massachusetts Amherst and the Town of Amherst issued a joint statement regarding a “significant number of alcohol intoxication cases” that occurred during the Blarney Blowout, an annual off-campus event.
New York Times - March 9, 2023
Mississippi on track to ban 'gas station heroin' with opioid-like withdrawal symptoms
Tianeptine is known for being highly addictive and is not approved by the FDA. Mississippi is on track to join a growing list of states banning a pill, dubbed "gas station heroin," which can cause withdrawal symptoms similar to that of opioids. The pills have been dubbed "gas station heroin" since the substance is readily available at convenience stores and online.
Fox - March 9, 2023
'Sometimes you need a reality check': Cara Delevingne says she's 4 months sober
Cara Delevingne has revealed that she's four months sober, saying "sometimes you need a reality check." "This process obviously has its ups and downs," the 30-year-old British model and actress told Vogue as she opened up about her experiences with addiction and depression. "People want my story to be this after-school special where I just say, 'Oh look, I was an addict, and now I'm sober and that's it.' And it's not as simple as that. It doesn't happen overnight ... Of course I want things to be instant -- I think this generation especially, we want things to happen quickly -- but I've had to dig deeper."
CNN - March 9, 2023
Biden’s opioid policy paradox
Federal agencies may be working at cross purposes in their fight against the opioid epidemic, Krista and our Ben Leonard report. The Biden administration is implementing a new law to make it easier to prescribe drugs to treat opioid use disorder — even as one of its agencies, the Drug Enforcement Administration, subjects the drug to such strict regulation that many are reluctant to dispense it.
POLITICO - March 8, 2023
Health secretary signals support for new rule on buprenorphine
A federal proposal to impose new restrictions on a key addiction-treatment medication has caused an uproar in certain segments of the medical community. But health secretary Xavier Becerra seems to be on board.
Stat News - March 8, 2023
Report: Buying drugs on social media nearly as easy as calling an Uber
Social media companies’ “uneven” and at times ineffective rules against drug sales have made buying illicit substances online “nearly as convenient as using one’s phone to order a pizza or call an Uber,” a report released Wednesday by Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser found. The sweeping 182-page review outlines how gaps in policies and enforcement across digital platforms, along with evasive tactics by drug dealers, have enabled dangerous substances such as fentanyl to become readily available online.
Washington Post - March 8, 2023
Cameron Diaz Says Best Friend Drew Barrymore's Struggle with Alcohol Was 'Difficult to Watch'
Drew Barrymore's issues with alcohol were tough on her and her loved ones including Cameron Diaz. Barrymore, 48, opened up about turning to alcohol after her 2016 divorce from Will Kopelman in an interview with The Los Angeles Times published on Sunday. Diaz, 50, also spoke with the outlet and shared that Barrymore's journey was "difficult to watch." The two actresses' friendship began when a then 14-year-old Barrymore worked at a coffee shop that Diaz visited.
People - March 7, 2023
House proposal, Modernizing Opioid Treatment Access Act, would expand access to methadone
Methadone for opioid use disorder is only available at Opioid Treatment Programs (OTPs). OTPs can be difficult to access for many people, particularly those in rural regions, for individuals with limited access to transportation, and for patients in regions with few or no programs. In addition to expanding access to medication treatment, the Modernizing Opioid Treatment Access Act would also require the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and Drug Enforcement Administration to provide an annual report of the number of providers registered to prescribe methadone, patients prescribed methadone for OUD, and a list of states where physicians are registered to prescribe methadone.
Office of U.S. Senator Ed Markey - March 6, 2023
National State and Local Studies in the News Opinion Comments
Fentanyl (and Xylazine)
Feds knew for years fentanyl-tainted pills from Mexican pharmacies were killing Americans
Officials at the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and State Department have known for more than three years that some pharmacies in Mexico are selling counterfeit medications laced with illicit fentanyl — and that American tourists are overdosing and dying from them. Last month, a Los Angeles Times investigation found that some pharmacies in northwestern Mexico — including several in Cabo — are not only passing off fentanyl pills as legitimate oxycodone but also selling methamphetamine tablets as Adderall.
Los Angeles Times - March 11, 2023
I’m a former tranq user – I know the exact moment sellers started sneaking the zombie drug into fentanyl, it’s scary
A skin-rotting drug commonly known as "Tranq" has catastrophically hit the streets of Philadelphia and The U.S. Sun has exclusively revealed when it emerged. Public health officials are disturbed by the spread of Xylazine and the horrific wounds it inflicts on users. Speaking to The U.S. Sun, former tranq user Tracey McCann explained how dealers "sneaked" the dangerous drug into their supplies.
The U.S. Sun - March 11, 2023
On the Trail of the Fentanyl King
An Iraqi translator for the US military emigrated to Texas to start a new life. He ended up becoming one of the biggest drug dealers on the dark web. Today, Allawi sits in a federal prison in northern New York, where he’s serving a 30-year sentence. His case was the first prosecution for dealing fentanyl using the dark web and cryptocurrency in the American Southwest, and investigators described his operation as a bellwether for the growing counterfeit pill market in the US. Over the course of more than two years of email exchanges, he told me his story: a criminal odyssey whose seeds were planted thousands of miles away, on a US Army base in Iraq.
Wired - March 9, 2023
Xylazine in illicit drugs increasing overdose risk
The Los Angeles Department of Public Health has issued a health alert that warns residents of the increased risk of overdose and death associated with xylazine, which is becoming more present among illicit drugs in California. Xylazine is a sedative and muscle relaxant used by veterinarians to anesthetize animals. It can be cooked down into a powder form and mixed with illicit opioids such as heroin or fentanyl or pressed into counterfeit pills or sedatives.
KTLA5 - March 9, 2023
More children under 5 are dying from opioid overdoses, study finds
A new study published Wednesday in the Journal of Pediatrics reveals more children under the age of five are dying from overdosing on opioids. Researchers found in 2018 that opioids accounted for 52% of overdose deaths in young children, which is more than double from what it was in 2005 at 24%. The study concluded the drug of choice has also changed. With more awareness of the opioid epidemic, more doctors are prescribing less opioids. The result is more people are turning to heroin and fentanyl, thereby exposing children to them as well as opioids found within over the counter pain and allergy medications.
CBS - March 8, 2023
Xylazine Fears Grow as 'Zombie' Drug Spreads Across U.S.
Xylazine has been around since the early noughties as a veterinary tranquiliser, but is spreading across America at a rapid pace as a highly damaging and potent drug. It has earned its moniker as a "zombie" drug for its effects on those who use it: sedate behavior and, for those who consume enough of it, flesh that eats itself from inside out. Now found in 36 states and Washington D.C., according to one expert, its spread has been attributed to its cheapness and ability to enhance the high of other drugs it is cut with. But emergency responders are struggling to treat the wounds it produces.
Newsweek - March 7, 2023
State / Local
Colorado: Sober seating bill for Colorado sports, concert venues would set national precedent
State legislators plan to vote on a bill this week that would require “substance-free seating” for Colorado sporting events and concerts at venues with more than 7,000 seats, including stadiums, arenas and amphitheaters.
Denver Post - March 13, 2023
California: California prison program trains addiction counselors
Options Recovery Services helped develop the program and now operates its seven sites across the state. She went on to talk about the labels that could weigh the men down: Criminal. Addict. Failure.Now, she said, these graduates had taken a chance and earned the right to be labeled something different: “Substance use disorder counselor,” or “professional healer.” It was a new label they needed to carry forward, she said, because “there’s so many hurting individuals carrying those negative labels that need your help.”
Los Angeles Times - March 12, 2023
Kentucky: Leaders and addiction specialists urge for immediate action as fentanyl use spikes
Fentanyl has grabbed the attention of leaders nationally and statewide. Kentucky House Bill 353, which would decriminalize fentanyl testing strips and other testing tools, passed through the House as the need for action grows.
WYMT - March 12, 2023
Oregon Opioid Settlement Board approves $17 million to fight addiction crisis
Oregon will put $17 million from opioid settlement money toward efforts to research, prevent and treat addiction and provide free supplies to community organizations that help people reverse overdoses and avoid diseases, state officials announced Friday. The money will be dispersed during the next two years. The Opioid Settlement Prevention, Treatment and Recovery Board approved the expenditures in a vote last week. State lawmakers created the board to shepherd the millions of dollars Oregon will get from multi-state settlements in 2022 that involve pharmaceutical companies, pharmacies and distributors involved in the production, sales or distribution of opioids.
Oregon Capital Chronicle - March 10, 2023
Pennsylvania: Addiction specialists urge action on opioid crisis in rural Pa.
Lawmakers held a public hearing in Harrisburg Thursday to brief officials on the continued impact of the state’s opioid crisis in rural communities. Addiction specialists, treatment providers and law enforcement gave testimony in front of the bicameral Center for Rural Pennsylvania, a legislative agency that acts as a policy resource for members of the statehouse. In 2020, 3.4 million residents — or just over a quarter of Pennsylvania’s total population — lived in rural counties, according to the nonpartisan organization.
WESA - March 10, 2023
North Carolina: How Medicaid expansion could help victims of opioid crisis
Medicaid expansion looks more likely than ever to pass into law, and experts say it’s crucial to tackling the opioid epidemic in North Carolina, where there has been a rise in the use of deadly synthetic drugs such as fentanyl. Those same experts agree, though, that Medicaid expansion alone is not enough to curb the rising rate of deaths. “North Carolina is known throughout the country for being a desert of available services,” said Ward Blanchard, president and founder of the Blanchard Institute, in Charlotte, which provides outpatient treatment to about 300 people a year. “… Licensed residential centers and detox centers are few and far between.
The News & Observer - March 10, 2023
Ohio: Majority of overdose deaths in Butler County prompts sheriff to visit U.S. southern border
Earlier this month, Sheriff Jones visited the southern border in Cochise County, Ariz. where he participated in multiple ride-alongs with law enforcement. Jones said the point of this trip was to educate people about current border operations and to learn more about how illegal drugs are coming into the United States, especially fentanyl.
Journal-News - March 10, 2023
West Virginia overdose deaths decrease from 2021, Wood Co. still sees steady overdose deaths
A recent study shows that West Virginia is seeing a decrease in overdose deaths. However, law officials in Wood County say that overdose deaths are still steady in the area. The statistics were provided by “Quotewizard” and shows that W.Va. has an 11 percent decrease in overdose deaths when comparing 2022 to 2021, the second-largest decrease amongst states in the U.S.
WTAP - March 9, 2023
Minnesota Senate committee advances bill requiring schools keep supply of overdose reversal drug naloxone
All Minnesota school districts would keep a supply of opioid overdose reversal medication naloxone under a bill that advanced at the state capitol Thursday. A panel of lawmakers on the Senate Education Committee approved a measure requiring schools keep two doses of the opiate antagonist nasal spray, known by the brand name Narcan, in each of their buildings. The state would reimburse for the costs.
CBS - March 9, 2023
Pennysylvania: Tranq has become a bigger part of Philly’s street fentanyl supply. The wounds left behind are killing people
The need for help has become more urgent over the last three years, as the animal tranquilizer xylazine, also called tranq, has become a bigger part of Philly’s street fentanyl supply. Xylazine can cause large wounds that won’t heal, no matter where you inject it and they can appear even if you snort it or smoke it. Infections are common and can even lead to amputations.
CNN - March 8, 2023
Oregon bill could make overdose reversal drug easier to access
House Bill 2395, introduced by Rep. Maxine Dexter, D-Portland, aims to combat a surge in opioid deaths by making the overdose reversal medication naloxone more readily available to the public, among other provisions. Naloxone, also known by its brand name Narcan, can be administered via a nasal spray after fentanyl, heroin or other opioids are ingested to prevent a fatal overdose.
OregonLive - March 8, 2023
Studies/Research in the News
Med's Pamela Davis and Rong Xu research FDA-approved anesthetic ketamine
New research by School of Medicine professors Pamela Davis and Rong Xu found the FDA-approved anesthetic ketamine possibly holds promise to treat cocaine addicition. “This study is a great example of addressing an intractable problem by the creative use of (artificial intelligence) using different sources of data,” Davis said. “It is our hope that this approach will suggest therapeutic approaches for other difficult problems.”
Case Western Reserve University - March 10, 2023
IU opens research institute addressing stigma around mental health
A new research institute at Indiana University, made possible by a $3 million donation from the Jim Irsay family, has formally launched its mission to become a leading national center for addressing the stigma surrounding mental illness and other health issues such as HIV, epilepsy, cancer, dementia and addiction.
Indiana University - March 9, 2023
Americans now favor legal cannabis over legal tobacco
More Americans now favor legal cannabis than legal tobacco, surveys show, signaling a sharp societal shift from an era when cigarette-smoking was legal pretty much everywhere and pot-smoking was legal absolutely nowhere. Fifty-seven percent of American adults would support “a policy prohibiting the sale of all tobacco products,” the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported in a research brief last month.
The Hill - March 8, 2023
Opioid overdose risk 10 times greater for those recently released from prison, research shows
People recently released from prison in Oregon face a risk for opioid overdose 10 times greater than the general public, according to a new study led by an Oregon State University College of Pharmacy scientist. The research by Dan Hartung of OSU, Elizabeth Needham Waddell of the Oregon Health & Science University-Portland State University School of Public Health and Katherine A. Kempany of the Oregon Department of Corrections underscores the need to help adults formerly in custody stay safe – especially during the first two weeks after release from incarceration when their opioid overdose risk is double that of any other time period.
Oregon State University - March 7, 2023
National State/Local Studies/Research Opinion Reviews Podcasts Comments
Opinion
Faith Healing Should Not Be Mainstream Treatment for Addiction: People Have a Right to Nonreligious Rehab
In December, Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York unexpectedly vetoed a bipartisan bill that would have required judges to inform drug court participants of their right to choose nonreligious rehabilitation. The governor didn’t dispute that New Yorkers are entitled to secular care when ordered to treatment. Rather, she said she nixed the bill because disclosure requirements could become a burden for judges. But the omnipresence of religious addiction programs — and the rarity of therapies that don’t preach reliance on God — is a burden for people with addiction.
New York Times - March 11, 2023
My addicted son might still be alive if the court had ordered treatment
Of course, my son’s death is not the fault of the court. However, courts and judges can help. They can give addicted individuals a chance to get clean and sober by ordering treatment. If you find yourself facing addiction in a family member or loved one and you get the chance, ask for court-ordered treatment.
The Tennessean - March 10, 2023
Drug Czar Should Be a Cabinet-Level Position
The drug czar, who leads the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), coordinates the nation's response to the drug crisis, in part by crafting the National Drug Control Strategy and certifying the budgets of the federal drug control agencies. ONDCP coordinates the drug-related efforts of 19 federal agencies, many of which have their own seats in the Cabinet. Cabinet-level status would empower the drug czar to cut through bureaucratic red tape, allowing them to better lead a whole-of-government response to our nation's drug crisis.
Newsweek - March 10, 2023
Destroy the Mexican Drug Cartels
As this column noted last week, one straightforward and potentially highly effective policy the Biden administration should announce would be to designate the leading drug cartels as State Department-recognized Foreign Terrorist Organizations. Doing this would allow the U.S. government to use various means to financially suffocate the cartels and deprive them of their funding sources. It would also aid law enforcement.
Newsweek - March 10, 2023
Why New Haven needs to rethink its approach to the opioid crisis
We should not have a methdone clinic within 500 feet of a school, particularly one that APT staff and local drug dealers have told me is “the most lenient,” and the “most unstable.”This is not about stigmatizing a population of people. This is about what works and what doesn’t. When it comes to public health approaches to the opioid epidemic, it is imperative that our residential neighborhoods be respected. That goes for methadone clinics, as well as safe-use injection sites, which several sources have told me the city is considering implementing. There needs to be a coordinated response across the state that is not skewed towards shifting the burden fully to urban centers, and in particular underserved communities.
CT Insider - March 7, 2023