The Wednesday Weekly - Addiction + Recovery News, March 9, 2022
The Wednesday Weekly is a collaboration of Sober Linings Playbook and Recovery in the Middle Ages Podcast.
Highlights
National
Sacklers, Purdue Pharma agree to new settlement | Biden addresses addiction, overdose epidemic in SOS address | Shatterproof: Click here to support the MATE Act
Fentanyl
A synthetic opioid more powerful than fentanyl? | More law enforcement seizures and more murder charges for fentanyl-related deaths
State and Local
Idaho to crack down on illegal drug supply | Tennessee bill to legalize fentanyl test strips | Alaska bill would require mandatory drug education — with an emphasis on opioids — for teens
Studies/Research in the News
A link between medical marijuana sales and opioid deaths? | How opioid use affects offspring of rats | Study finds overdose deaths hit black and brown communities disproportionally | Alcohol risks increase with age | Impact of alcohol on the brain
Opinion
Author sees own struggle in HBO’s “Euporia” | Friends reflect on the death of author, activist and person-in-recovery, David Poses
Books and Movies
TV: What “Euphoria” gets right about addiction and withdrawal
Podcasts
RMA and Addicted Mind discuss the passing and the work of author/activist David Poses | Author Sam Quinones on Dopey
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National
Doctors, companies push to keep looser, pandemic-era rules for prescribing opioid addiction treatment via telemedicine
It got a lot easier for patients with opioid addiction to get their medication remotely during the pandemic — and now addiction doctors and telehealth companies are pushing Congress to make those flexibilities permanent.
Stat News - March 7, 2022
'It's a no-brainer': Rising adolescent overdoses prompt calls for schools to stock naloxone
School nurse Katie Straub felt the weight of each second go by as she waited for paramedics to arrive. A student had overdosed on opioids, and the school didn't have naloxone, a drug that counteracts the effects of an opioid overdose.
USA Today - March 5, 2022
Purdue Pharma, states agree to new opioid settlement
Purdue Pharma, the producer of the drug OxyContin, reached a new settlement with states and droves of local governments amid a court battle over the country's role in the opioid crisis. The settlement, filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in New York, was agreed upon by the right states and D.C. after the Sackler family, which owns Purdue, said they would contribute more cash, according to The Associated Press. The settlement puts several stipulations on the Sackler family, including issuing an apology, a cash contribution of $6 billion, giving up control of the company and releasing more company documents. The settlement stipulates that the family cannot resist attempts to remove the Sackler name from buildings, and the agreement creates a fund of $750 million for families and survivors. However, a judge still needs to approve of the agreement. In exchange for these conditions, the Sacklers would be protected from civil lawsuits pertaining to their alleged role in the opioid crisis. The deal does not prevent the family from facing criminal charges, but the AP notes that there's no indication that any are forthcoming.
The Hill - March 3, 2022
Former NBA player Chris Herren on addiction, recovery
Tobacco-Free Amarillo (TFA) hosted an event Wednesday night with former NBA player Chris Herren as a guest speaker on the topic of addiction.
Amarillo Globe-News - March 3, 2022
Biden’s State of the State: Addressing Addiction and the Overdose Epidemic|
President Biden outlined the decisive actions his Administration is taking to address addiction and the overdose epidemic and laid out a vision for how his Administration will continue to expand evidence-based prevention, harm reduction, treatment, recovery, and supply reduction approaches to save lives.
White House - March 1, 2022
Support the Medication Access and Training Expansion (MATE) Act
It’s a bipartisan bill that will make addiction training part of mainstream health care, ensuring that all DEA-controlled prescribers have a baseline knowledge of how to prevent addiction and how to identify, treat, and manage patients who have substance use disorders. This bill is a critical step toward fundamentally improving how addiction is treated in the United States. Contact your representatives with a few quick clicks and make your voice heard.
Shatterproof - March 4, 2022
National State and Local Studies in the News Opinion Reviews Podcasts Comments
Fentanyl
‘That could never happen to me — until it happens’: C.O. teen speaks out after fentanyl overdose
“When you’re doing it, it seems so harmless, and you’re like, ‘I’m fine. That could never happen to me’ -- until it happens.”
KTVZ News - March 3, 2022
Nashville grandparents charged with murder in connection with grandson’s fentanyl-related death
Two East Nashville grandparents are facing first-degree murder charges following the fentanyl-related death of their 20-month-old grandson last year.
WKRN - March 3, 2022
Feds seize 150K counterfeit pills made with fentanyl, 20 pounds of fentanyl powder in record Oregon seizure
Narcotics agents have seized about 150,000 counterfeit oxycodone pills made with fentanyl and about 20 pounds of fentanyl powder in what federal authorities believe is the largest seizure of the drug in the state’s history.
Oregon Live - March 3, 2022
Man charged with murder after 15-year-old overdosed on fentanyl
A 21-year-old Madisonville man is facing murder and drug trafficking charges after deputies say a 15-year-old girl died.
14News - March 2, 2022
Synthetic opioids stronger than fentanyl have cropped up in the US
A group of synthetic opioids called nitazenes, even more powerful than fentanyl in some of forms, cropped up in the nation’s drug supply in 2019. While there’s no indication at this time nitazenes will become more prevalent than fentanyl, the drug’s emergence has some worried more potent synthetic opioids will continue proliferating throughout the country.
The Hill - March 1, 2022
State / Local
Vermont: Addiction recovery centers ask for more state dollars as they face difficulty hiring, keeping workers
Recovery centers are asking the state to increase their yearly funding in order to sustain their work, starting with providing workers better pay and offering job benefits.
VT Digger - March 6, 2022
Mainers gather for Black Balloon Day, marking 636 overdose deaths in 2021
Members of the Maine recovery community advocate for an amendment to the state Good Samaritan Law that would protect anyone at the scene of an overdose from punishment for nonviolent crimes.
Sun Journal - March 6, 2022
California: How S.F.’s court system fails to treat combined addiction and mental illness
Newsom wants to create an alternative court for substance abuse. San Francisco already tried it. San Francisco’s efforts to get people who suffer from both mental illness and addiction off the street and out of jail has failed many of the people it aims to protect.
San Francisco Examiner - March 4, 2022
Florida mental health, substance use disorder bill sent to Gov. DeSantis to sign
A bill aiming to change how Florida handles the care of mental illness and substance use disorders has been sent to Gov. Ron DeSantis to sign into law. The bill would make changes to who can help someone in recovery, and adds mental health disorders to what can be treated by state-certified counselors. Senate Bill 282, which focuses on mental health and substance use disorder treatment, passed both chambers of the Florida Legislature unanimously. Should DeSantis sign the bill into law, peer specialists, who work with individuals treated for substance use disorders, mental health illnesses, or a combination of “co-occurring disorders” for up to 180 days would be subject to background screenings, under law.
WFLA - March 4, 2022
Idaho: Gov. Brad Little kicks off "Operation Esto Perpetua" to tackle illegal drug access in Idaho
Gov. Brad Little is taking action to try and cut down on illegal drug availability in Idaho. Inside the Statehouse Thursday, Little held a press conference kicking off “Operation Esto Perpetua” which is the new strategy he announced during his State of the State address. The plan includes a law enforcement panel and a citizens action group on fentanyl and Little wants Idahoans to participate.
KIVI TV - March 3, 2022
Nevada: North Las Vegas jail offering addiction treatment
The City of North Las Vegas has launched a new program in its Community Correctional Center that it hopes will reduce recidivism and prevent inmates from escalating from misdemeanors to more serious crimes because of addiction.
3 News - March 3, 2022
Tennessee Senate okays bill legalizing harm-reducing fentanyl testing strips
Fentanyl testing strips moved one step to no longer being illegal in Tennessee after the Senate passed a bill to legalize the harm-reduction tool used to fight the growing opioid crisis.
Commercial Appeal - March 3, 2022
Portland bar offers free test strips for drug users as overdose prevention tool
In a tragic, historic year for drug overdose deaths, one southeast Portland bar is arming itself and its customers with an overdose prevention tool (fentanyl test strips).
Komon News - March 3, 2022
New York: Jefferson County jail sued over access to addiction treatment
Jefferson County is being accused in federal court of needlessly forcing people at its jail into harmful withdrawals by banning a medical treatment for opioid addiction.
WRVO Public Media - March 2, 2022
Alaska: Parents push for Kellsie’s Law to save children from addiction
Alaskan families who have lost children to drug addiction and overdoses are pushing for something they say could save lives: mandatory drug addiction education with an emphasis on opioids.
Alaska’s News Source - March 2, 2022
Pennsylvania: Chesco Addicts No Longer Fear Police
Chester County has joined Attorney General Josh Shapiro's Law Enforcement Treatment Initiative to help addicts recover.
Patch.com - March 2, 2022
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Studies/Research in the News
One drink per day can shrink your brain, study says
Just one pint of beer or average glass of wine a day may begin to shrink the overall volume of the brain, a new study (which published Friday in the journal Nature.) has found, and the damage worsens as the number of daily drinks rises.
CNN - March 4, 2022
Why Age and Alcohol Don’t Mix
During the pandemic, 14 percent of older adults reported drinking more, according to a national survey by University of Michigan researchers. Of those ages 50 to 80 who do drink, 23 percent downed three or more drinks in a typical session. Alcohol is especially unhealthy for people our age because we can’t process alcohol — or deal with its effects — as well as we used to, says Alexis Kuerbis, an associate professor at Hunter College of the City University of New York, who has studied alcohol and other substance use among older people.
AARP March 4, 2022
How Opioid Use Affects Offspring in Rats
For years, researchers at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine have examined the effects of opioid use in rats to better understand the drugs’ effects in humans. New research from scientists at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine suggests opioid use before pregnancy—even if not used during pregnancy itself—could result in a higher likelihood that a mother’s male offspring will develop type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome, conditions that increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Tufts Now - March 4, 2022
Legal medical marijuana sales linked to increased opioid deaths
Economists found that legal, medical marijuana access has been linked to increased opioid-related deaths in a new study, contrary to earlier findings. Medical marijuana legalization was linked to 15% to 29% higher rates of opioid-involved fatalities from 1999 to 2019, two economists from the University of Virginia concluded in a new paper circulated in early March by the National Bureau of Economic Research.
Washington Examiner - March 3, 2022
Black and brown communities had highest increases in drug overdose death rates during pandemic, study says
Drug overdose death rates in the United States soared during the Covid-19 pandemic, and a new study suggests that Black and brown communities were hit hardest. Black people had the largest percentage increase in overdose death rates in 2020 -- overtaking the rate among White people for the first time since 1999 -- and American Indian or Alaska Native people had the highest overdose death rate of any group in 2020, according to the study, published Wednesday in the journal JAMA Psychiatry.
CNN - March 2, 2022
Stopped Early, Teen Drug Abuse Won't Harm Life Success
If they quit early on, there's a good chance that teenage drug abusers can still succeed in life, researchers say. The findings show the importance of stopping drug use by early adulthood in order to protect future health and well-being, according to Jake Najman, a professor at the University of Queensland in Australia, and co-author of a new study.
Consumer Health News - Feb. 23, 2022
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Opinion
Will There Ever Be a 'Cure' for Addiction?
A silver bullet in the form of a pill or vaccine is not likely to ever exist. So think of this week’s Giz Asks—wherein we investigate whether there could ever be a cure for addiction—as a kind of thought experiment. Below, our experts weigh in.
Gizmodo - March 7, 2022
I See My Own Struggles Onscreen in 'Euphoria'
While "Euphoria" is full of talent, in front of and behind the camera, at its core the show is the story of the grief, drug addiction and depression of Rue Bennett, portrayed exhilaratingly by lead actress Zendaya.
CNN - March 4, 2022
‘My Heart Was Broken’
Friends remember Philipstown author David Poses. After Alex Colyer lost her best friend to addiction in January 2020, she found David Poses. It was Poses’ book, The Weight of Air: A Story of the Lies About Addiction and the Truth About Recovery, she read after launching the Albertus Project, a nonprofit formed to help addicts in honor of her friend.
Highlands Current - Feb. 25, 2022
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Books and Movies
What "Euphoria" Gets Right About Addiction and Withdrawal
For anyone who has been around addiction, "Euphoria" paints a terrifying yet realistic picture. The show's creators worked with experts who treat substance use disorders to craft this story as accurately as possible.
MSN.com - March 2, 2022
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Podcasts: The Weekly Roundup
Let’s Talk Addiction and Recovery (Hazelden Betty Ford) – What Can You Expect to Happen during the Treatment Process
Hazelden Betty Ford Vice President Tessa Voss and Clinical Director Cecilia Jayme answer questions about what to expect in treatment.
Recovery in the Middle Ages – “The Weight of Air” by David Poses
Mike and Nat dive into a review of David Poses groundbreaking 2021 work, The Weight of Air: A Story of the Lies about Addiction and the Truth about Recovery. In The Weight of Air, Poses chronicles his struggle to overcome mental illness and addiction. Tragically, Poses passed away at the end of February. Mike and Nat use the review of his book as a launching-off point for a discussion about depression and anxiety and how recovery from substance abuse doesn’t make other pre-existing mental illnesses magically disappear. PLUS, Grant drops a Big Three segment into this week’s show, the Monksters speak about their experiences with depression and anxiety and Recovery in the News looks some quasi-scientific claims being made by the weed industry in Pennsylvania.
Dopey – Dave interviews Author Sam Quinones (“Dreamland,” “The Least of Us”) and discusses with Erin Khar
his week on Dopey! We are joined by legendary journalist, storyteller, former LA Times reporter, and author - Sam Quinones. Sam comes on to tell us all about the current climate of struggle around the fentanyl epidemic and it's impact on America. Sam initially made a huge impact on the addiction/recovery community with his award winning book; Dreamland: The True Tale of America’s Opiate Epidemic. His most recent book is called 'The Least of Us: True Tales of America and Hope in the Time of Fentanyl and Meth.’ PLUS Dopey super friend, unlicensed advice columnist and Strung Out author, Erin Khar joins us and we hang out and read emails!
The Addicted Mind Podcast - Bonus: Finding the Treatment That Works for You with David Poses
Today’s episode is a replay of an interview with David Poses, who recently passed away, in honor of his life and legacy. A writer, speaker, and activist, David was a tireless advocate for all who struggled with mental health or addiction issues. David is the author of The Weight of Air: A Story About the Lies of Addiction and the Truth of Recovery.
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