The Wednesday Weekly Addiction + Recovery News Clips - June 8, 2022
The Wednesday Weekly is a collaboration of Sober Linings Playbook and Recovery in the Middle Ages Podcast.
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Highlights
National
Pennsylvania partners with Shatterproof to tackle stigma | 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals O.K.s employer health plan that limits SUD treatment and doesn’t meet current standards
Fentanyl
Colorado fentanyl seizures in first few months of 2022 exceed total for previous year | Tribal leaders sound alarm over fentanyl overdoses at Blackfeet Nation
State and Local
Tennessee recovery program serves new and expectant moms | Pennsylvania set to fine unlicensed recovery houses | Funding slow to come to support Oregon’s Measure 110 | British Columbia to decriminalize small amounts of some drugs
Studies/Research in the News
Discovery of cocaine receptor in brain could lead to new treatments | Pandemic contributed to racial disparities in access to buprenorphine | U.S. concern about addiction declines, even in areas hardest hit
Opinion
Gen Z less inclined to imbibe on alcohol
Books and Movies
Colton Haynes details addiction struggles in new memoir
Podcasts
Holly Whitaker (“Quit Like a Woman”) on Flourishing After Addiction | Katie Couric and Elizabeth Vargas (and guests) discuss alcohol and women on Heart of the Matter
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National
Altria’s Cigarette Addiction Is Becoming Unhealthier
Pressure is building on Marlboro maker to improve smoke-free brands now that spinoff Philip Morris International is eyeing U.S. market. For years tobacco companies have been fighting regulators more than each other. That might be about to change, and Altria in particular needs a new game plan. If Philip Morris International ’s $16 billion offer for oral nicotine pouch maker Swedish Match is accepted, U.S. cigarette makers will suddenly have a nimble new competitor.
Wall Street Journal - June 4, 2022
Court OKs denying coverage for mental health, substance-use care
If allowed to stand, a three-judge panel decision from the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will destroy the progress that has been made in helping ensure that patients receive the medically appropriate mental health and substance-use disorder care they need and deserve, physicians tell a federal appeals court.
American Medial Association - June 1, 2022
Small amounts of some drugs temporarily decriminalized in British Columbia amid opioid crisis
Small amounts of certain drugs like heroin, cocaine and meth will be decriminalized in British Columbia starting next year as the province grapples with rising opioid deaths.
The Hill - June 1, 2022
Hunter Biden's ex-wife Kathleen Buhle says his drug use 'became my own addiction'
Yahoo! - June 1, 2022
Anthem Foundation Funds Substance Use Disorder Programs
To increase care for mental health and substance use disorders, the Anthem Foundation is providing a large grant to various organizations focusing on prevention of substance use disorders and intervention for those struggling with substance abuse.
Health Payer Intelligence - May 31, 2022
Campaign Tackling Stigma Finds Success by Being Deliberately Different
Shatterproof, a national not-for-profit organization focused on ending the nation’s substance use disorder (SUD) epidemic, has found that 7 of the 9 most frequently cited drivers of SUDs are propelled by stigma, either entirely or at least in part. In 2020, the organization partnered with The Public Good Projects, Penn State University, and the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs to launch an evidence-based SUD stigma reduction campaign known as Life Unites Us. Shatterproof CEO Gary Mendell, spoke with Addiction Professional by email to explain how Life Unites Us differs from other stigma-reducing initiatives, what its organizers learned from the campaign’s first year, and what tactics can be replicated by other programs.
Psychiatry and Behavioral Health Learning Network - May 31, 2022
Master P announces death of his daughter, Tytyana Miller
"Our family is dealing with an overwhelming grief for the loss of my daughter Tytyana," the 55-year-old rapper, born Percy Robert Miller, wrote in an Instagram post on Sunday alongside a photo of an angel. "We respectfully request some privacy so that our family can grieve," he added. "We appreciate all of the prayers love and support. Mental illness & substance abuse is a real issue that we can't be afraid to talk about.”
ABC - May 31, 2022
National State and Local Studies in the News Opinion Reviews Podcasts Comments
Fentanyl
L.A. County raises alarm about mysterious blue pills after three girls nearly die
A bag of mysterious, deadly blue pills has prompted health and school officials to raise a countywide alarm this week after three 16-year-olds crushed a few, snorted them and nearly died — a dangerous development amid a pandemic-related rise in drug overdoses.
Los Angeles Times - June 3, 2022
Colorado fentanyl seizures this year already surpass all of last year, authorities say
Colorado authorities are seeing more fentanyl on the streets in the first months of 2022 than they did all of last year as a new law slated to take effect would bring stiffer penalties for those who deal and possess the drug. Law enforcement officials from across the state gathered Wednesday to reveal that more than 2 million dosages of fentanyl units were seized from January through May so far.
Fox - June 2, 2022
Tribal leaders sound the alarm after fentanyl overdoses spike at Blackfeet Nation
Overdose deaths disproportionately affect Native Americans. The overdose death rate among Indigenous people was the highest of all racial groups in the first year of the pandemic — and was about 30% higher than the rate among white people, according to a March study published in JAMA Psychiatry, co-authored by Joe Friedman, a researcher at the University of California, Los Angeles.
NPR - June 1, 2022
State / Local
Tennessee recovery program for new and expectant mothers enrolls 100+ since September
Ninety-eight Tennessee women died in 2020 during or shortly after pregnancy. More than a quarter of those deaths were tied to substance abuse. Numbers like that are why Firefly — a rigorous program at Vanderbilt University Medical Center — is helping mothers in recovery have a healthy pregnancy and postpartum experience.
News Channel 5 - June 2, 2022
Pennsylvania department sets fines for unlicensed addiction recovery facilities
Starting June 9, the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) will be able to issue fines of up to $1,000 per day for all unlicensed recovery houses that receive public funding.
San Francisco Examiner - June 4, 2022
Pennsylvania: Syringe Service program announced for Pittsburgh to decrease drug addiction health problems
In Pittsburgh overdose deaths are rising: from 2019 to 2020 overdoses increased in the city by 22%. In response, the city announced on Thursday its first syringe service program, one that would be located downtown right next to the Allegheny County Jail. Pennsylvania is one of only 10 states where syringe programs are still illegal at a state level. But, in Allegheny and Philadelphia, county ordinances allow these sorts of drug prevention programs.
WPXI - June 2, 2022
Money for Measure 110 addiction services finally arrives; Oregon auditors spot problems
State auditors issued a “risk” letter flagging issues even as the drug decriminalization act’s oversight council finished approving grant applications. After nearly six months of delays, funds are closer to reaching addiction services providers in Oregon. The council overseeing Measure 110′s rollout finished approving grant applications on Thursday and grantees should have their money by the end of the summer.
OPB - June 2, 2022
State 'back on track' in creating network of addiction treatment, prevention services, audit says
The state’s implementation of a new drug prevention and treatment network to help tens of thousands of people with addiction problems appears to be back on track after months of delays caused in part by mismanagement and misjudgment by the Oregon Health Authority. The system, part of Measure 110 which was approved in 2020, has been delayed in part by missteps by the Oregon Health Authority, an audit finds
Oregon Capital Chronicle - June 2, 2022
Florida: ISO, Drug similar to fentanyl, but 20X more potent finds way into Florida
A fairly new drug is finding its way into the U.S., and law enforcement personnel say it’s 20 times more potent than fentanyl. It’s called ISO, which is short for isotonitazene. The Drug Enforcement Administration says drug dealers are mixing it with other illegal drugs, making them more potent.
News4 JAX - June 2, 2022
Rhode Island: Why RISD students are designing spaces for people to safely do drugs
In July 2021, Rhode Island became the first state in the U.S. to legalize harm reduction centers, or places where people can safely use drugs. What [these spaces] should look like and how they should function, however, are unresolved questions. The Rhode Island School of Design set out to provide some answers through a student design studio, Design Beyond Crisis.
Fast Company - June 1, 2022
British Columbia to decriminalize small amounts of cocaine, heroin
The possession of small amounts of several illicit drugs, including cocaine and opioids such as fentanyl or heroin, will be temporarily decriminalized in British Columbia, the federal government said Tuesday, in what it cast as a “bold” step to “turn the tide” in the province’s overdose crisis.
Washington Post - May 31, 2022
National State/Local Studies/Research Opinion Reviews Podcasts Comments
Studies/Research in the News
Cocaine receptor found in brain could lead to new addiction treatments
Scientists at Johns Hopkins have identified a previously unknown mechanism of cocaine’s activity in the brain, which could open new types of treatment for addiction to the drug. Intriguingly, it seems to work differently in male and female mice.
New Atlas - June 6, 2022
Understanding Individual Vulnerability to Addiction
Addiction is a complex disorder influenced by genetics, reward circuitry, early life experiences, and social situations. The moral model erroneously attributes the cause of addiction to one's character. Decades of research indicate that neurological functioning and genes play a part in an individual's susceptibility to addiction.
Psychology Today - June 5, 2022
Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Buprenorphine and Extended-Release Naltrexone Filled Prescriptions During the COVID-19 Pandemic
This study found that the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with immediate decreases in filled buprenorphine prescriptions by members of racial and ethnic minority groups but not White individuals. These findings suggest that members of racial and ethnic minority groups had larger losses in buprenorphine access during the pandemic across payer types.
Journal of American Medical Association - June 1, 2022
One Out of 7 Israelis Suffers From Addiction, and Most Don't Receive Treatment
One out of every seven Israelis suffers from some form of addiction, according to a survey released on Tuesday by the Israel Center on Addiction. The report from the addiction center estimates that almost 15 percent of Israelis suffer from addiction, and over 90 percent of them do not ask for treatment. Over the past five years, since the last time it was measured, addiction to sex and pornography has increased by 34 percent and addiction to drugs, mostly marijuana, and prescription medicines is up by 15 percent. In 2018, the center estimated the rate of addiction at about 10 percent. The new report is based on an internet survey that included some 3,300 respondents, who were a representative sample of the adult population in Israel aged 18 to 70.
Haaretz - June 1, 2022
New study suggests shame and guilt can hamper recovery from stimulant addiction
Many people who struggle with addiction feel a lot of guilt and shame over their use. A new study published in PLOS One suggests that independent of depression, this shame and guilt can be significant barriers to reducing drug use, which has considerations for recovery.
PsyPost - May 31, 2022
Concern about drug addiction has declined in U.S., even in areas where fatal overdoses have risen the most
The share of Americans who see drug addiction as a “major problem” in their community has declined in recent years, even as drug overdose deaths in the United States have risen sharply. Public concern about addiction is down even in the parts of the U.S. where drug overdose death rates have increased the most. It’s not clear why public concern about drug addiction has declined in recent years, even in areas where overdose death rates have risen quickly. The increase in overdose deaths may also be overshadowed, particularly amid the high number of deaths attributed to the coronavirus outbreak (though, as of this month, far fewer see the virus as a very big problem facing the country).
PEW Research- May 31m 2022
Many young sarcoma patients continue using opioids after treatment
When a teen or young adult has sarcoma, a type of cancer in the bones or soft tissues, a doctor will often prescribe opioids for the pain. A new study found that nearly a quarter of those young people continue to take opioids after their treatment is done.
UPI - May 31, 2022
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Opinion
What Do Zoomers Like? Pot or Shrooms, Not Booze
Gen Z, the meme-hungry, gender-fluid generation that’s already reshaping everything from social media to shopping, is also redefining how society unwinds. Of people aged 18 to 24, 69% prefer marijuana to alcohol, according to a recent survey by New Frontier Data, a cannabis research firm.
Bloomberg - May 31, 2022
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Books and Movies
Colton Haynes Reflects on Alcohol Addiction in Deeply Personal Memoir Miss Memory Lane
Colton Haynes is getting candid about alcoholism in his new memoir, Miss Memory Lane. In his new book released May 31, the actor shared his deeply personal struggles with alcoholism and his complicated relationship with his mother who was also an alcoholic. Throughout the book, he shares all of the pressures that led him to rehab in 2018. The 33-year-old also recalled how he often turned to booze while his mother suffered complications from cirrhosis of the liver due to alcoholism.
E News - May 31, 2022
Bobby Brown, now sober, is sharing his life story in documentary titled ‘Biography: Bobby Brown’
After facing addiction and deep sadness, Bobby Brown has found some peace – and is finally sharing his story. The R&B singer is reflecting on his decades-long career – along with the many triumphs and tragedies that came along with it – in a new tell-all documentary on A&E premiering on May 30 titled "Biography: Bobby Brown." In the televised sit-down, the 53-year-old reflects on his tumultuous childhood in Boston, his rise to stardom, a crippling battle with addiction, his ill-fated marriage to America’s sweetheart Whitney Houston, the deaths of his two young children and how he managed to find love again.
Fox - May 30, 2022
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Podcasts: The Weekly Roundup
Flourishing After Addiction with Carl Erik Fisher, M.D. – Many Pathways to Holistic Recovery w/ Holly Whitaker
Today’s guest, Holly Whitaker, is a fierce, passionate, and incisive writer who has charted an adventurous path out of eating disorders and addiction. Holly is perhaps best known for her 2019 book, Quit Like a Woman, and she also got a lot of attention around that time for a controversial New York Times opinion piece called "The Patriarchy of Alcoholics Anonymous." We talk about her own experience of addiction and recovery, how 12-step recovery saved her life at first, but then how she charted a course to a different pathway. We discuss the complicated matter of distinguishing between the program of AA and the institutions around AA—and, what it was like to write openly about all this.
Heart of the Matter - BONUS EPISODE: Katie Couric interviews Elizabeth Vargas on Next Question Podcast!
Join us for a bonus episode! Elizabeth recently joined Katie Couric for her podcast Next Question with Katie Couric to discuss the increasing use of alcohol, particularly among women, during the COVID-19 pandemic -- why women are drinking more now than ever; what factors may cause an increase in alcohol consumption; and what recovery looks like. Elizabeth and Katie also speak with two women in recovery, Khadi Oluwatoyin and Emily Paulson, who have created recovery spaces; as well as Dr. Louise Stanger who gives insight on how to support a loved one with a substance use disorder.
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