The Wednesday Weekly Addiction + Recovery News Clips - July 13, 2022
The Wednesday Weekly is a collaboration of Sober Linings Playbook and Recovery in the Middle Ages Podcast.
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Highlights
National
Can psychedelics save the Mormon church? | National suicide prevention line overstretched | UT project to crowdsource OD data
Fentanyl
SLP discusses safe consumption site CA leg proposal with Senator Scott Wiener | Florida officials brace for fentanyl ODs
State and Local
Medication Assisted Treatment lacking in Pennsylvania jails | Oregon launches “Rethink the Drink” alcohol awareness campaign | Shatterproof launches ATLAS treatment locator in NJ | Recovery coaches team with police for OD follow up in Worcester, MA
Studies/Research in the News
Liver experts (hepatologists) recommend abstaining from alcohol at least 3 days per week
Opinion
RNC Chair blames fentanyl ODs on “Biden Border Crisis” | “Booze makes me a better parent” | “Having an alcoholic parent ruined my relationship with alcohol” | Toxic recovery myth of codependency
Books and Movies
Book: “Unmask Alice” reveals YA classic and first person account of addiction, “Go Ask Alice,” concocted by suburban housewife | TV: “How not to be a Junkie” examines addiction in LGBTQ community
Podcasts
”High Truths” discusses drugs and college | Narcotica tackles Naltrexone | The youth mental health crisis on Heart of the Matter | Scope of Practice explores behavioral health needs of firefighters
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National
One in Six Calls to National Suicide Prevention Lifeline End Without Reaching a Counselor
Health officials preparing to broaden the reach of a national mental-health crisis line are working to strengthen an overstretched network of call centers that didn’t connect with about one in six callers in recent years, a Wall Street Journal data review showed.
Wall Street Journal - July 11, 2022
New Alcohol Laws Take Effect in Florida, Virginia, California, and More
California bartenders will need to be certified, while Virginians can now bring up to three gallons of booze across state lines. A good number of new state laws pertain to the regulation of alcohol. And this year's new alcohol laws, like those that preceded them, are very much a mixed bag.
Reason - July 9, 2022
Psychiatrist Sentenced to 54 Months for Addiction Treatment Fraud
Psychiatrist Jose Santeiro, MD, of Miami Lakes, Florida, has been sentenced to 54 months in prison for engaging in a scheme that fraudulently billed about $112 million for substance abuse services that were never provided or were medically unnecessary, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) has announced.
Medscape - July 8, 2022
"Hangover pill" goes on sale in UK – but here's the problem with Myrkl
A new Swedish "pre-drinking pill" went on sale in the UK today. Widely referred to as the "hangover pill," the optimistically-named Myrkl is claimed to break down alcohol before it reaches the liver, preventing the formation of toxic acetaldehyde. It doesn't change the damaging effects alcohol can have on your stomach, but it appears to significantly reduce how much of the alcohol you consume your body gets access to. There is of course another, significantly more affordable technology available everywhere on the planet that can reduce the amount of alcohol that makes it into your blood and liver. It's called "put less alcohol in the largest hole in your face," and while it's proven unpopular over the centuries with the drinking public, it's completely agreed upon within scientific circles.
New Atlas - July 7, 2022
World Cup stadium stands will be alcohol free under Qatari curbs
Qatar's World Cup stadium stands are set to be alcohol-free, with beer sales outside arenas only allowed before and after some matches, a source with knowledge of plans for the soccer tournament said.
Reuters - July 7, 2022
Patients are turning to apps for therapy. But do digital mental health startups really help?
Many U.S. adults aren’t able to find help because of a shortage of therapists. So millions of people are turning to online companies such as BetterHelp that have sprung up in the last several years, advertising quick access to therapy. But veteran therapists and officials from leading mental health professional associations say there’s limited evidence of the new online providers’ effectiveness.
Los Angeles Times - July 7, 2022
Hayden Panettiere Reveals Addiction to Opioids and Alcohol: 'I Was in a Cycle of Self-Destruction'
For the first time, Hayden Panettiere is opening up about a secret addiction to opioids and alcohol that nearly cost her career — and her life.
People - July 6, 2022
With national data on drug overdoses lacking, University of Texas project looks to help provide a solution
Researchers are testing a program that would allow harm reduction groups to crowdsource data statewide. While the data relies on word of mouth, the researchers say it is more comprehensive than anything that exists now. A new Texas database called Texans Connecting Overdose Prevention Efforts aims to improve drug overdose tracking across the nation’s second-largest state.
Texas Tribune - July 5, 2022
Judge finds for 3 major U.S. drug distributors in landmark opioid lawsuit
A federal judge on Monday ruled in favor of three major U.S. drug distributors in a landmark lawsuit that accused them of causing a health crisis by distributing 81 million pills over eight years in one West Virginia county ravaged by opioid addiction.
NBC - July 5, 2022
Opioid treatment bill passes U.S. House; local doctors want easier access to medication
The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed a bill that would make it easier for doctors to treat addiction. Right now, to prescribe Buprenorphine substance abuse doctors or practitioners need a waiver from the Federal Drug Administration (FDA). This bill will work to change that process.
WHIO7 - July 5, 2022
The Mormon Church Is Imploding. Can Psychedelics Save It?
Although the Divine Assembly is not limited to former LDS members, or “post-Mormons” as they refer to themselves, the majority of the crowd by default is, and they’re aching for a new kind of spirituality to fill the void.
RollingStone - June 28, 2022
National State and Local Studies in the News Opinion Reviews Podcasts Comments
Fentanyl
SLP Insights Interview: California Senator Scott Wiener discusses harm reduction and his Overdose Prevention Program legislative proposal (SB 57)
When New York City officials began to release data about the lives saved by “safe injection sites” the city established late in 2021, I began to wonder about the likelihood my home state would follow suit with similar programs. To that end, I decided to reach out to California’s Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) for an interview to ask about his “Overdose Prevention Program” proposal, SB 57.
Sober Linings Playbook - July 8, 2022
60-hour shifts and an ER scramble: Fentanyl overdoses take 'toll' on TMH, Gadsden County EMS
A recent influx of patients from what law enforcement have labeled a "fentanyl overdose crisis" in Gadsden County has taken a toll on first responders and the area's largest hospital.
Tallahassee Democrat - July 8, 2022
Officers 'working feverishly' to prevent another mass fentanyl poisoning in Florida
Florida Department of Law Enforcement officials said Thursday that officers are "working feverishly” to prevent another mass fentanyl poisoning. That's after a county in the Panhandle had 19 overdoses of the potent synthetic opioid over the holiday weekend.
WPTV - July 7, 2022
Fentanyl poisoning's surprising signs: What parents and friends must know
Bystanders, according to some health experts, can help prevent these type of deaths — but they must be able to recognize the signs and have the correct tools to help.
Fox - July 6, 2022
State / Local
Pennsylvania: Addiction medication in Pennsylvania’s jails is often inadequate or nonexistent, new report finds
Researchers assessed the availability of opioid addiction medication in Pennsylvania’s 62 county jails.
Philadelphia Inquirer - July 11, 2022
California: More than 5,000 pounds of methamphetamine found in record-breaking seizure in Southern California
Four residents of Tijuana, Mexico, face federal drug trafficking charges in connection with a Southern California methamphetamine seizure that authorities say was "record-breaking" because of its size.
CBS - July 11, 2022
Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission to meet
A group selected last month to turn a massive settlement into action to combat opioid addiction will meet for the first time this week. The panel is charged with administering Kentucky’s portion of settlements finalized this year with drugmaker Johnson & Johnson and three major distributors. Half of Kentucky’s $483 million settlement will flow directly to cities and counties for opioid-abuse abatement efforts and the commission will oversee the state’s half.
AP - July 10, 2022
Oregon's new 'Rethink the Drink' campaign aims to change the conversation about alcohol
The Oregon Health Authority just launched “Rethink the Drink,” which it calls "an innovative statewide campaign to build healthier communities by calling attention to the harms caused by excessive alcohol drinking." Rethink the Drink asks people living in Oregon to consider the role of alcohol in their own lives and communities. OHA said Oregon is the first state in the country to launch a campaign of this scale, which will target adults aged 21 and older.
KTVZ - July 8, 2022
North Carolina Gov. Cooper signs bills addressing sexual assaults and alcohol
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper signed 11 bills on his desk into law Thursday, including legislation that addresses sexual assault, domestic violence and alcohol sales. With another signed bill, patrons of North Carolina’s standalone bars no longer have to become paid members of the establishments first to get a drink. State Alcoholic Beverage Control laws have for decades regulated what is commonly known as “private bars.”
Star News - July 8, 2022
Arizona: Opioid settlement to bring Arizona $540M
Opioids legally prescribed are at the heart of a $26 billion settlement. State Attorneys General settled with drug companies for addiction and deaths from over prescription of the powerful painkillers. Now we know Arizona’s share of the settlement.
KGUN9 Tucson - July 8, 2022
New York: Juul must face New York AG's lawsuit over teen addiction
Beleaguered e-cigarette maker Juul Labs Inc must face a lawsuit by New York's attorney general accusing it of fueling teen nicotine addiction in the state through deceptive and misleading marketing.
Reuters - July 7, 2022
NJ launches new tool in battle against substance use disorders
The state has launched a free, online tool aimed at giving people information about addiction treatment programs throughout the state. Known as ATLAS – Addiction Treatment Locator, Assessment, and Standards Platform – the online tool has an easy-to-use dashboard that allows users to search and compare participating addiction treatment options in New Jersey.
NJ 101.5 - July 7, 2022
Tweaks in state opioid funding could mean big changes for people with addiction
Past budgets provided funds for “substance use disorder treatment” or “recovery services,” but failed to be specific about details. Either term could apply to many forms of treatment, such as provision of housing or job training or having people participate in abstinence-only addiction programs. In the latest budget, state lawmakers defined treatment for opioid use disorder and included the medications that have been most helpful for people.
NC Health News - July 7, 2022
MT Medicaid patients to see greater access to substance use disorder treatment
Montana this week received federal approval for substance-use disorder treatment providers with 17 or more beds to bill Medicaid, an expansion providers called a “game changer” for combating addiction across the state.
Missoulian - July 7, 2022
California Assembly approves bill that would create legal drug injection sites in LA, Bay Area
The California Assembly on Thursday approved a controversial bill allowing Los Angeles, Oakland and San Francisco to set up places where opioid users could legally inject drugs in supervised settings. The move follows more than a year of legislative consideration, with proponents saying it would save lives and detractors saying it would enable drug addiction.
ABC7 - July 2, 2022
Worcester, MA: Recovery coaches help police follow up after overdoses
Worcester County police departments have a new tool to help address the opioid crisis. They’re partnering with the district attorney's office to have recovery coaches assist officers with well-being checks following overdoses.
Spectrum1 - June 21, 2022
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Studies/Research in the News
Data-Driven Research with UConn’s Dr. Jane Ungemack
Dr. Jane Ungemack has studied substance abuse and at-risk youth since joining the University of Connecticut School of Medicine in 1995. The majority of her work has been done hand-in-hand with state agencies, supporting their work and testing the effectiveness of potential solutions to tough public health challenges.
UConn Today - July 7, 2022
Liver experts: abstain from alcohol at least three days in a row every week
Hepatologists (liver, gallbladder, bile ducts, and pancreas specialists) say the healthiest amount of alcohol to consume is none at all, but acknowledge that this is unrealistic for most people. Instead, the world’s leading experts at the 2022 International Liver Congress in London have some advice for those who are unwilling to give up drinking altogether: be kind to your liver and abstain from alcohol at least three days in a row every week.
El Pais (English Edition) - July 6, 2022
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Opinion
Opinion: Biden's Deadly Border Crisis by Ronna McDaniel, Chair, Republican National Committee
Lethal drugs are flowing into our country at an alarming rate, with only a fraction being intercepted. Thanks in part to the Biden border crisis, drug overdoses in America reached an all-time high in 2021 and fentanyl overdoses are now the leading cause of death for Americans 18-45 years old.
Newsweek - July 11, 2022
Booze Makes Me A Better Mom
Drinking booze makes me a better mom. Before you immediately start judging me, hear me out. Growing up, my mom never drank around us; actually, she really never drank at all. Looking back, I think she really could've used a cocktail on occasion. Dad He was always extremely happy and jolly after one or two drinks. Today, I love nothing better than to enjoy a beer with my dad and laugh our faces off. Now that I'm a parent and a full-time working mom, I really enjoy a glass of wine in the evening as a way to wind down.
Your Tango - July 9, 2022
Having an alcoholic parent ruined my relationship with booze
The truth is that I’ve witnessed firsthand what alcohol can do to a person and how it can alter their personality to a point where you can no longer recognize them. For me, it was a parent. I can’t remember when the addiction took hold but I know that it’s there in every memory I have of them. Nights of being babysat until early morning; my mother stumbling in and passing out on the floor while I’d be put to bed by my babysitter and told not to worry.
Metro UK - July 9, 2022
Codependency Is a Toxic Myth in Addiction Recovery
The influence that the concept of codependency has had on addiction treatment and policy has been toxic — and its tenets are not supported by data.
New York Times - July 8, 2022
Patrick Kennedy is still fighting for mental health — his own and his country's
Against the advice of his famous dad, Sen. Ted Kennedy, Patrick went public about his alcohol addiction. It has at times been a tumultuous journey, but he is today one of the country’s foremost mental health advocates. Legislation he created is a key reason that illnesses such as depression, anxiety and addiction are now covered the same as physical disease.
MSN.com - July 4, 2022
Institutionalizing her son was the only option, a mother thought. Now she’s fighting to bring him home
While many Washington youths are living inside hospitals waiting for an inpatient psychiatric bed, as The Seattle Times has reported, Charlie’s situation illustrates how hospitals have also become a warehouse for young people whose families believe they can and should live at home with proper support.
Seattle Times - July 3, 2022
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Books and Movies
‘Go Ask Alice’ diary was made up by a suburban housewife
In 1971, young-adult classic “Go Ask Alice” shocked readers with its frank depiction of an American girl’s descent into rampant drug addiction. One of the most censored books in school libraries, “Go Ask Alice” became a rite of passage for young American readers, fueling the War on Drugs and spawning a gritty new YA literary genre. The result of a seven-year investigation is “Unmask Alice” (BenBella Books), out now —the first full unraveling of the “Go Ask Alice” myth. It’s a story of ambition, deceit and a gullible public, hungry for morality tales.
New York Post - July 9, 2022
Filmmakers focus on addiction in LGBTQ community with 'How Not to Be a Junkie'
The forthcoming series, “How Not to Be a Junkie,” from creative duo Andrea Metz and Michelle Peerali, centers on a young woman, Lex (Ally Ioannides), and her struggles to get sober. Based on Metz’s own, almost decadelong battle with addiction, the series shifts between its central character’s childhood in Dubuque, Iowa, and her early twenties in San Diego, at the height of her heroin use.
Today - July 8, 2022
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Podcasts: The Weekly Roundup
High Truths on Drugs and Addiction: Dr. Louis Profeta on Drugs and College
What does Dr. Profeta tell college kids about drugs? He shows them what it's like for him, as an emergency physician, to tell their parents they died of an overdose. That's the worse horror for a doctor. Dr. Louis M. Profeta is a nationally recognized, award-winning writer and Emergency Physician at St. Vincent Hospital of Indianapolis. He is clinical instructor of Emergency Medicine at Indiana University and Marian University Schools of Medicine. A graduate of Indiana University and its School of Medicine, Dr. Profeta completed his post-graduate training in Emergency Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh. He is a dynamic and sought-after public speaker and writer as well as a frequent guest on TV and radio who has gained critical acclaim for his essays on topics such as his eye-opening look at our national preparedness for influenza pandemics in What Scares Me More than Ebola.
Heart of the Matter - Harold Koplewicz: Addressing the growing youth mental health crisis
Elizabeth Vargas is joined by actor Harold Koplewicz, president and medical director of the Child Mind Institute.
Scope of Practice - Removing Cultural Brainwashing: The Behavioral Health Needs of Firefighters
Inspired by the public response to the death of a New Britain, CT Firefighter, we talk with Jeffrey Dill, Founder of the Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance in Las Vegas about the culture of those keep our communities safe and how we need to move past the "cultural brainwashing" that tells them (and the public) to deal with the terribly difficult aspects of the job on their own.
Narcotica - Oh No! Not Naltrexone! with Nancy Curran
Narcotica co-hosts Zachary Siegel and Troy Farah speak with Nancy Curran, a nurse practitioner who has been practicing for 5 years in an OBOT clinic in the Lowell Massachusetts area, treating both opioid and alcohol use disorders. She prescribes buprenorphine (both Suboxone and Sublocade), as well as naltrexone (Vivitrol). She also treats patients who need Hep C treatment. Nancy is passionate about advocating for and educating her patients on their medication options, as well as their rights. They discuss the history of hallucinogenic opioids, the shrewd and quasilegal marketing practices of Alkermes, Inc., how naltrexone stacks up against buprenorphine and methadone, why stigma persists against people who take certain opioid use disorder drugs but not others, the difference between addiction and dependency, some basic opioid receptor science, and much, much more.
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