The Wednesday Weekly Addiction + Recovery News Clips - November 16, 2022
The Wednesday Weekly is a collaboration of Sober Linings Playbook and Recovery in the Middle Ages Podcast.
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Highlights
National
United Airlines settles with Buddhist pilot who refused AA meetings | Medication Assisted Addiction treatment shorter for black and Latino patients
Fentanyl
How to talk to kids about drugs in the age of fentanyl | CA high school staff revive student who took fentanyl-laced pill
State and Local
Colorado voters decriminalize psilocybin and other psychedelic drugs | Grass Valley, CA bar with suspended liquor license embraces experimenting with alcohol-free offerings
Studies/Research in the News
Medications for sleep show potential use in treating addiction | Study finds medication assisted addiction treatment shorter duration for black and Latino patients
Opinion
What is “California Sober”? | Reddit readers criticize woman for exposing sister’s addiction history to new boss
Books and Movies
Partnership to End Addiction and Paramount release new documentary on the addiction crises in the U.S.
Podcasts
Dopey podcast interviews author/expert Maia Szalavitz (“Undoing Drugs,” “Unbroken Brain”)
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National
United Airlines to pay $305,000 to a Buddhist pilot who refused to attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings
United Airlines will pay $305,000 to a Buddhist pilot who refused to attend meetings organised by the Christian-focused Alcoholics Anonymous, or AA, program. The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, or EEOC, said in a press release that the airline discriminated against the pilot, who was diagnosed with alcohol dependency, on religious grounds when it failed to offer an alternative path after he refused to attend AA meetings, citing its religious undertones.
Yahoo! - Nov. 13, 2022
Addiction recovery can be tough for veterans. Here are five helpful tips.
Having self-compassion and embracing a new normal are among the ways veterans can strengthen the recovery process. Many veterans struggle with addiction and other physical and mental health concerns. Asking for help is often a daunting task for veterans, but many do. They seek individual or group therapy, engage in 12-step programming, use medications and join veteran-specific support groups. Recovery then becomes their new reality. As psychologists who treat veterans, we think that the road to recovery comes with a better understanding of addiction.
Washington Post - Nov. 11, 2022
Finland: Deaths Caused by Drugs Have Tripled Since 2000
The number of deaths caused by the use of drugs in Finland has tripled since 2000 with drug deaths peaking in 2020 when 228 people died after using drugs. Finland’s drug deaths among young people under the age of 25 are the highest in Europe in proportion to its population according to a report from earlier this year in June from the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction. Finnish political parties are at odds on how to deal with the issue, with the populist Finns party calling for the deportation of foreigners convicted of drug dealing, while the Greens have called for removing penalties for drug users to allow them to have an easier time seeking treatment.
Breitbart - Nov. 11, 2022
Telehealth Giant Drew People With Addiction. Deaths, Overdoses Followed
Cerebral, once the fastest-growing provider of online mental healthcare, was ill-equipped to treat those who didn’t disclose substance-use disorders, employees say.
Bloomberg - Nov. 10, 2022
Medication Treatment for Addiction Is Shorter for Black and Hispanic Patients, Study Finds
Researchers have long known that racial and ethnic minorities are less likely to be prescribed lifesaving addiction treatment options than white people. But even when Black and Hispanic patients start a prescription for buprenorphine — the most popular medication to help those in recovery fight cravings — the typical duration of their treatment is shorter than that of white patients, according to a new data analysis published Wednesday in JAMA Psychiatry.
New York Times - Nov. 9, 2022
CDC Releases New Opioid Guidelines: What to Know
The CDC has issued new guidelines for prescribing opioids. The new guidelines come as opioid-related overdoses have hit record highs. Experts have been trying to balance the needs of patients with chronic pain against the risk of addiction.
Healthline - Nov. 8, 2022
National State and Local Studies in the News Opinion Reviews Podcasts Comments
Fentanyl
More teenagers dying from fentanyl. ‘It has a hold on me, and I don’t know why’
More young people are dying from fentanyl than ever before. Teen fentanyl deaths more than doubled, from 253 in 2019 to 680 in 2020, the report showed. Last year, the number jumped to 884. And fentanyl was the cause of 77.14% of drug deaths among teenagers last year.
Los Angeles Times - Nov. 12, 2022
California: High school staff revives student who took pill apparently laced with fentanyl
A student at a Southern California high school was revived Thursday after she stopped breathing after taking a pill that was apparently laced with fentanyl, authorities said. Authorities were called to Arlington High School in Riverside on Oct. 20 after the 15-year-old girl began having a medical emergency, Riverside police said in a statement. "The student stopped breathing and the school resource officer, assistant principal and other staff quickly initiated life-saving measures," including cardiopulmonary resuscitation, the statement said. "Their efforts revived the student. She started breathing and her pulse returned," police said. Emergency responders also gave the girl Narcan, which is used in emergencies to reverse opioid overdoses.
CBS - Nov. 11, 2022
How Should Adults Talk to Kids About Drugs in the Age of Fentanyl?
In a country where teens are bombarded with exaggerated scare stories about all types of substances — fentanyl very much included — how can drug prevention programs cut through the noise to get their attention? Two key themes emerge in effective approaches. One is that reaching adolescents requires earning trust by being truthful, rather than simply trying to instill fear. The second is that school-based programs must recognize that not all drug use can be prevented. Instead of focusing only on abstinence, they aim to prevent the highest-risk behaviors and address the personal and environmental factors most likely to lead to addiction.
New York Times - Nov. 10, 2022
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State / Local
Colorado Voted to Decriminalize Psilocybin and Other Psychedelics
Colorado voters have approved the broadest psychedelic legalization in the U.S., which would decriminalize five psychedelic substances and enable adults to receive psychedelics at licensed centers. The Associated Press called the vote for the measure, Proposition 122, on Friday morning; 92% of the votes were in as of 11 a.m., with 52.3% of voters in favor.
TIME - Nov. 11, 2022
Alaska Native nonprofit puts culture at the forefront of addiction prevention
CITC is a tribal nonprofit that calls itself a “culturally-responsive social service organization.” Dr. Angela Michaud is CITC’s senior director of recovery services.She said adapting village traditions to a city like Anchorage helps youth tap into their culture to improve their health outcomes and decrease rates of addiction.
Alaska Public Media - Nov. 11, 2022
California: Grass Valley sober bar due to suspension: 1849 Brewing Co. served 20 day alcohol ban
Grass Valley’s 1849 Brewery was served with a 20 day suspension of alcohol sales due to operating past hours as well as having an unsecured entryway according to brewer/owner Kevin Krikorian. In the meantime, Krikokorian and staff plan to keep 1849 Brewery open to the public to serve food and non-alcoholic beverages. “I have this bartender who does a zero-proof, zero-alcohol bar,” Krikorian said. “We’re bringing in a bunch of non-alcoholic drinks and have a sober bar for the next 20 days.” Krikorian wants to see if there’s a need or desire in the community to offer an establishment — without the alcohol. And after the 20 day suspension is lifted, Krikorian may consider keeping a form of the sober-bar night going.
The Union - Nov. 11, 2022
Minnesota Governor Promises Marijuana Legalization Will Be One Of First Bills Passed Under Newly-Flipped Legislature
Come next year, Minnesota may be the next state to legalize marijuana. Minnesota’s Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL) flipped the state Senate on Tuesday, securing a trifecta for the first time in nearly a decade: both chambers of the state legislature and the governorship. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz reportedly told former Governor Jesse Ventura in a phone call that marijuana legalization would be one of the first bills passed through this trifecta.
DailyWire - Nov. 10, 2022
San Diego Woman Working to Get Drug Addiction, Fentanyl Overdoses Off the Streets
She survived the life, found sobriety and now is dedicated to helping others endure. Tara Stamos-Buesig was compelled to come to the Louisiana Street home where investigators said four people overdosed on drugs. For several years, she has counseled those caught in the cycle of substance abuse. The names of those who died and those who were revived haven’t been released, but Tara said there is a good chance she knew them.
NBC San Diego - Nov. 10, 2022
Minnesota: Some St. Paul high schoolers get overdose response training after classmate’s death
Opioid overdoses are truly impacting the younger generation. The use of synthetic opioids, like fentanyl, is claiming the lives of kids in high school. Students at St. Paul's High School for Recording Arts are taking life-saving matters into their own hands, by learning how to give a life saving dose of naloxone to counteract an overdose.
CBS - Nov. 7, 2022
Florida: State aims to reduce overdose deaths with free Naloxone
The Department of Health in Wakulla County announced in a press release Friday, Nov. 4, that the Florida Department of Health location in Crawfordville has free Naloxone to reduce overdose deaths.
Wakulla News - Nov. 7, 2022
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Studies/Research in the News
An evaluation of the Just Five program, Shatterproof’s flexible digital approach to adult substance use education
TheJust Five digital program launched in 2019 with six educational lessons about SUD, each five minutes long. Just Five is delivered through various organizations, including employers as part of workplace wellness, health plans that offer it to members, and to community-based organizations and populations they serve. This study evaluated the effectiveness of the program across 10 organizations in the initial launch. Significant improvements were observed across almost all questions asked, with the largest improvements in respondent confidence to recognize signs of addiction; knowledge about ways to reduce the risk of addiction; and knowledge of how to help someone with addiction.
Plos - Nov. 10, 2022
Medication Treatment for Addiction Is Shorter for Black and Hispanic Patients, Study Finds
Researchers have long known that racial and ethnic minorities are less likely to be prescribed lifesaving addiction treatment options than white people. But even when Black and Hispanic patients start a prescription for buprenorphine — the most popular medication to help those in recovery fight cravings — the typical duration of their treatment is shorter than that of white patients, according to a new data analysis published Wednesday in JAMA Psychiatry.
New York Times - Nov. 9, 2022
Sleeping medications used for insomnia may combat drug and alcohol addiction
Rutgers researchers think they have identified a biological process for drug and alcohol addiction, and believe existing insomnia treatments could be used to reduce or eliminate cravings. A review in Biological Psychiatry explains how ongoing work at the Rutgers Brain Health Institute and elsewhere demonstrates that the brain's orexin system—which regulates sleep/wake states, reward systems and mood—motivates drug-seeking behavior.
Medical Express - Nov. 9, 2022
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Opinion
California sober? It’s the trendy way to not quit drugs
In what might seem an unusual departure from absolute abstinence to counter the demons of addiction, a growing number of users on the west coast of America are trying “California sober”, once led by the endorsement of Demi Lovato.
The Times UK - Nov. 12, 2022
Opinion: California needs greater urgency on mental health care
California lags behind in mental health care despite recent improvements. It seems we have taken one step forward and two steps back. COVID-19 and the economic crisis have created a worse situation than before. For some, it is out of sight, out of mind. But research shows a majority of California’s families have had someone impacted by a serious mental health crisis. A sense of urgency is needed on all levels of government leadership for those suffering from mental illness. A statewide mental health plan with funding needs to be developed with Gov. Gavin Newsom leading the way. I give him credit for working on the issue and making some progress, the first governor to do so in a long time.
The Mercury News - Nov. 10, 2022
Is ‘California sober’ a real thing or an excuse to keep getting high?
For many people, cannabis has indeed been a gift, helping to alleviate pain, post-traumatic stress, insomnia and other ailments without the risk of addiction or overdose inherent in the use of pharmaceutical opiates. Addiction specialists have different takes on the concept of California sober, which some consider a valid, if informal, type of harm reduction.
Los Angeles Times - Nov. 9, 2022
'Spiteful' Woman Ripped for Exposing Sister's Addiction History to New Boss
Members of a popular internet forum were appalled after a woman revealed why she thought it necessary to inform her sister's employer of her history with addiction. "In recent years, with more and more individuals achieving long-term recovery, the stigma surrounding addiction is still alive and well," Todd Garlington, clinical lead therapist at Greenhouse Treatment Center, told Newsweek.
Newsweek - Nov. 9, 2022
Matthew Perry Used Chandler to Hide His Addiction—I Did the Same as a Stay-At-Home Mom
Although Matthew Perry is a celebrity and I’m a stay-at-home mom, we both played characters to protect our true identities: people with substance abuse disorders. A multitude of excerpts from his new book, Friends, Lovers, And The Big Terrible Thing, which came out November 1, 2022, resonated with me. It didn’t matter that he acted on the biggest television show of the 1990s and I acted, or attempted to act, like a typical mom.
Parents - Nov. 8, 2022
TAKE 3 W/ SLP, October 2022
Sober Linings Playbook’s monthly roundup includes (1) the “rainbow” fentanyl scare; (2) notes from an opioid awareness summit; and (3) the Joe Biden voicemail to a struggling Hunter.
Sober Linings Playbook - Oct. 26, 2022
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Books and Movies
The Runner review – Hamlet … if he were a high-school drug addict
A high-society princeling trying to drown inner demons with drugs by the bucketload: it could have been a role written specifically for Cameron Douglas, son of Michael. But, befitting his newly sober and reformed status, Douglas takes the paternal cop role in The Runner, while French-Finnish actor Edouard Philipponnat (soon to be seen in Ridley Scott’s Napoleon) is a teenage drug-dealing screwup; both give robust performances in this deeply felt but somewhat cumbersome thriller.
The Guardian - Nov. 14, 2022
Blackout Songs review – drunk and disorderly exploration of love and addiction
This is a drama about love while in the grip of addiction and this pair (we never learn their names) grow on us, and grow in depth too. They meet at an AA meeting and become co-dependent – in their excessive drinking, which brings hectic adventures, and in their drying out.
The Guardian - Nov. 11, 2022
Partnership to End Addiction and Paramount launch new documentary - "Untreated & Unheard: The Addiction Crisis in America"
National nonprofit Partnership to End Addiction announces the launch of its new documentary, "Untreated & Unheard: The Addiction Crisis in America," streaming exclusively on Pluto TV, the leading free streaming service. Produced and developed by Paramount's in-house branded content studio, this documentary tells the unheard stories of the addiction crisis in America through the lens of families whose lives have been forever changed by addiction.
PR Newswire - Nov. 9, 2022
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Podcasts: The Weekly Roundup
Dopey podcast interviews author Maia Szalavitz (“Undoing Drugs,” “Unbroken Brain”)
This week on Dopey! In a brand new super high quality episode of Dopey we are joined by 'Undoing Drugs' author and New York Times reporter, Maia Szalavitz! Maia is a world foremost authority on addiction and harm reduction, but she is also a recovering drug addict and ex drug dealer. Listen to her epic tale from pure insanity to profound insight! Also check out her incredible book; Undoing Drugs.
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