The Wednesday Weekly Addiction + Recovery News Clips - April 19, 2023
The Wednesday Weekly is a collaboration of Sober Linings Playbook and Recovery in the Middle Ages Podcast.
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Highlights
National
What employers should know about addiction | The history and evolution of opioid care
Fentanyl
China condemns US sanction on firms allegedly involved in fentanyl trade | White House turns attention to Xylazine laced fentanyl
State and Local
OK bill to legalize test strips moves forward | Local governments and communities resist sales of decriminalized psychedelics in Colorado
Studies/Research in the News
OD deaths among older Americans quadrupled in past 20 years | Buprenorphine significantly reduces risk of death after non-fatal OD
Opinion
Op ed appeals to CA Gov. Newsom to clean up “rehab riviera” | NY Times op ed makes case for forced treatment
Books and Movies
“A Good Person” asks hard questions about grief and addiction
Add a Comment
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National State/Local Studies/Research Opinion Reviews Comments
National
Angus Cloud vomited onto my face: Euphoria star’s ex-manager opens up about actor’s ‘severe drug addiction’
Euphoria actor Angus Cloud’s former talent manager has opened up about his alleged drug addiction. He said that the actor was verbally abusive towards him and that Cloud even vomited onto his face after the talent manager performed CPR on him.
Pinkvilla - April 16, 2023
Alcohol Addiction at Work: What Employers Should Know
William Stonehouse III, president and co-founder of Crawford Thomas Recruiting in Atlanta, said employers should approach the situation with "empathy and fairness" if they learn an employee is struggling with alcohol abuse.
Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) - April 14, 2023
Adult ADHD Is the Wild West of Psychiatry
The Adderall shortage exposed a troubling gap in how doctors care for the disorder.
The Atlantic - April 14, 2023
The Evolution of Opioid Addiction Care
In this video, Jeremy Faust, MD, editor-in-chief of MedPage Today, sits down with Sarah Wakeman, MD, and Alister Martin, MD, to discuss the evolution of opioid addiction treatment over the last two decades.
Medpage Today - April 14, 2023
These Doctors Fought the Federal Bureau of Narcotics to Treat Addiction--With Drugs
In the early 1960s a trio at the Rockefeller Institute started a bold experiment to change the way heroin addiction was treated, and they did so using a drug originally created by “the devil’s chemist.”
Scientific American - April 13, 2023
South Koreans fighting drug addiction find few rehab options
South Korea has only six drug rehabilitation centres, according to Choi, including just two run by the food and drug safety ministry. In comparison, Japan - with 126 million people to South Korea's 52 million - has about 90 rehab centres. One of the biggest problems is that South Korea's corrections system focuses mostly on punitive detention and lacks rehabilitation support, Choi said. In recent months, the arrests of chaebol heirs and celebrities such as award-winning actor Yoo Ah-in on illegal drugs charges have prompted authorities to crack down on narcotics and bolster customs enforcement.
Reuters - April 13, 2023
A controversial hire at Arnold Ventures raises questions about the donor’s stance on addiction
A philanthropic giant’s recent hire of a researcher with controversial theories on naloxone access is raising alarms among public health advocates who worry the move marks a shift in major donors’ approach to addiction treatment. Arnold Ventures, one of the largest nonprofit funders of criminal justice reform projects and a major player in drug policy circles, announced last month that Texas A&M University economist Jennifer Doleac would take over its criminal justice portfolio in July. The news reignited a Twitter firestorm over Doleac’s work, including research suggesting that making the opioid overdose treatment naloxone more accessible sparked a rise in opioid use.
STAT - April 12, 2023
Juul to pay $462m to six US states over youth addiction claims
E-cigarette maker Juul Labs Inc has agreed to pay $462m to settle claims by six US states including New York and California that it unlawfully marketed its addictive products to minors, the states have said.
Al Jazeera - April 12, 2023
National State and Local Studies in the News Opinion Reviews Comments
Fentanyl
China condemns US sanctions on firms allegedly involved in fentanyl trade
China condemns U.S. sanctions on Chinese firms and individuals over their alleged involvement in fentanyl trade, and has lodged representations with Washington, the Chinese foreign ministry said on Monday. "China, in the spirit of humanitarianism, has been trying to help the U.S. as best it can," spokesperson Wang Wenbin told a regular news briefing. Wang said repeated moves by the United States to impose sanctions "seriously undermines" bilateral cooperation in drug control.
Reuters - April 17, 2023
El Chapo sons among Sinaloa cartel members charged by US for supplying fentanyl
Sons of drugs kingpin "El Chapo" are among members of Mexico's Sinaloa cartel charged in the United States with running a huge operation that supplies fentanyl to the US. The operation was allegedly fuelled by Chinese chemical companies. Fentanyl is responsible for the deaths of tens of thousands of mainly young Americans each year.
BBC - April 15, 2023
Fentanyl is wreaking havoc on the workplace. Here's how to handle it
Employees are bringing the opioid crisis to the workplace. But bosses and coworkers can do substantial things to help. Contrary to popular perceptions, many individuals with a substance use disorder are employed. And most misuse originates from prescribed medication to relieve chronic physical pain, depression and anxiety, the most common preexisting conditions. The stigma associated with Opioid Use Disorder is a significant barrier to recovery. Employees who want to get treatment often fail to take the first step for fear of losing their job and health benefits. It’s time for Arizona employers to treat drug addiction like a disease rather than as a moral failing.
AZ Central - April 14, 2023
'They're killing our kids' | Carrollton mother of fentanyl overdose victim breaks silence
The mother of a Carrollton middle schooler is speaking for the first time after her daughter likely overdosed from fentanyl in the classroom. WFAA is not sharing the mother or daughter's name and not showing their faces because the family fears of retaliation from drug traffickers. "Speak up! Because they're killing our kids one by one every day," the mother said in Spanish.
WFAA - April 13, 2023
Biden administration declares fentanyl laced with xylazine ‘an emerging threat’ in the US
The White House has declared that the powerful synthetic opioid fentanyl combined with xylazine – an animal tranquilizer that’s increasingly being used in illicit drugs – is an “emerging threat” facing the United States due to its role in the ongoing opioid crisis.
CNN - April 12, 2023
White House says fentanyl laced with ‘tranq’ drug is ’emerging threat’
The Biden administration is declaring xylazine-laced fentanyl an official emerging drug threat to the nation, the first time any drug has been given that label. Xylazine, also known as “tranq,” is an easily accessible veterinary drug approved for use in animals as a sedative and pain reliever. But it is also being used by drug dealers as a low-cost cutting agent in drugs like fentanyl as a way to extend a user’s high.
The Hill - April 12, 2023
National State/Local Studies/Research Opinion Reviews Comments
State / Local
Colorado: Psychedelic healing law trips up some in Colorado
Van Heesch was one of nearly 1.3 million Coloradans last November to vote for Proposition 122, which decriminalized the growing, use and sharing of psilocybin and psilocin -- key compounds found in "magic mushrooms" -- along with ibogaine, mescaline and dimethyltryptamine, or DMT. But his was a rare yes vote in Cokedale, a tiny hamlet of 150 hardscrabble residents seven miles west of Trinidad. Despite the nod to local control here, city and county governments in Colorado are, in fact, not allowed to banish the psychedelics industry from inside their borders.
Denver Post - April 16, 2023
Nevada: Students say CCSD recovery school saved their lives from addiction
Mission High School was the first publicly funded recovery high school in the country. It opened in 2017 with the goal to help students face their demons. "I've had a problem with drugs and alcohol," said Gavynn. "You know, I've had a rough childhood and, you know, drugs and alcohol were like the only solution for me." The school as 23 students, all with different backgrounds who are dealing with similar addictions.
News 31 - April 15, 2023
Oklahoma: Bill to legalize fentanyl testing strips takes step toward becoming law in Oklahoma
Lawmakers passed House Bill 1987 unanimously out of a Senate committee on health and human services. The bill's author told KOCO 5 that the legislation would mean fentanyl testing strips that check for the presence of the drug would no longer be considered drug paraphernalia.
KOCO News - April 14, 2023
Washington: City of Everett, pharmacies reach settlement in opioid addiction case
A settlement of just over $4.1 million has been reached between the City of Everett and a handful of pharmacies over their connection to the opioid addiction crisis in the city. CVS, Walmart, Walgreens, Teva, and Allergan have agreed to the $4.19 million deal. “I’m glad we can hold these corporations accountable for their part in flooding our streets with highly addictive medications,” wrote Everett Mayor Cassie Franklin in a statement. “Though this settlement won’t bring back all those we have lost, it will add resources to address the lasting effects in our community.”
My Northwest - April 13, 2023
Arkansas addiction experts discuss potential impact of new law
Gov. Sarah Sanders signed the Fentanyl Enforcement and Accountability Act into law, which increases penalties for selling controlled substances and Fentanyl. Dino Davis has helped people kick their drug habit for over two decades at Quality Living Center. "There are many people that are incarcerated," Davis said. "Not for dealing drugs and alcohol; they're incarcerated because they suffer from the disease of addiction." Davis still believes those dealing with these dangerous drugs should serve a stiff penalty, but he wants to see more assistance as an advocate for people suffering from addiction.
THV 11 - April 13, 2023
Illinois: ‘Tranq’ in Chicago - Officials warn of new street drug causing massive harm
Drug dealers are selling powders and pills that contain fentanyl, but now a dangerous animal tranquilizer is being added to the mix. Xylazine in humans can cause open wounds, amputations and even death.
Fox 32 - April 11, 2023
National State/Local Studies/Research Opinion Reviews Comments
Studies/Research in the News
Overdose deaths of older Americans quadrupled in past 20 years
Overdose fatalities among older Americans climbed in recent years, with 6,702 U.S. residents 65 and older succumbing in 2021, according to research published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry.
Washington Post - April 17, 2023
1 in 8 Americans have Food Addiction, Report Finds
A recent poll shows 1 in 8 Americans over the age of 50 are addicted to highly processed foods, like sweets, salty snacks, sugary drinks and fast food. That’s not surprising to Kristin Kirkpatrick, RD, registered dietitian for Cleveland Clinic, who said those foods are hyper-palatable. “A hyper-palatable food is a food that studies have shown really highjack areas in the brain,” Kirkpatrick explained. “They’ll make you feel great. They’ll take away the sensation of fullness. So when we look at something that is hyper-palatable, it’s very hard to stop eating that.” Signs of food addiction can include intense cravings, having trouble cutting down on how much you’re eating, and experiencing withdrawal.
Cleveland Clinic News Room - April 14, 2023
Buprenorphine Cuts Risk for Death After Nonfatal, Opioid-Involved Overdose
Buprenorphine treatment after nonfatal opioid-involved overdose is associated with significant decline in the risk for opioid-involved overdose death, according to a study published online March 10 in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
Drugs.com - April 13, 2023
Global research survey aims to better understand work addiction
Researchers around the world are trying to learn more about the issue of work addiction through a major survey of workers from more than 60 countries. One of the lead researchers, Polish behavioural addiction expert Paweł Atroszko, said work addiction was a "compulsion" to work, something he estimated affected up to one-in-five workers. "If you compare it to other well-established addictive disorders, like gambling or video-game disorders, it's much more prevalent than that," the Associate Professor said.
ABC - April 12, 2023
National State/Local Studies/Research Opinion Reviews Comments
Opinion
Dear Gov. Newsom: People are dying in the Rehab Riviera. Do something
I can’t believe it but it has been six years since the Southern California News Group began chronicling the tragic cycle of fraud, death, abuse and abject failure in California’s startlingly unregulated addiction treatment industry. In that time, not much has changed. In case you missed it, the U.S. Department of Justice recently proclaimed Orange County the nation’s epicenter for addiction treatment fraud. Bully for us.
The Mercury News - April 17, 2023
My son wanted to live but he couldn't navigate his alcohol addiction. There was nowhere to turn for help
Reflecting on the damage caused by the cask wine that had destroyed his liver, my beautiful son told me he wanted to raise awareness about how harmful alcohol can be. Sweet, cheap and in abundance, these lethal boxes contain so much alcohol that it is possible to consume very high-risk amounts for the cost of a meal. Dylan said if he could have left any legacy, it would have been to get warning labels on the alcohol that put him on a path to dependence.
ABC - April 16, 2023
How kids bear the burden of a parent’s addiction
Drug and alcohol addiction is regularly referred to as a “family disease.” While individuals struggling with substance use disorder (SUD) can — and do — experience the often detrimental and life-altering consequences of addiction, the impact doesn’t end there. Addiction touches the lives of everyone, especially the children of addicted parents.
South Florida Sun Sentinel - April 15, 2023
How Do You Get People Into Addiction Treatment if They Don’t Want It?
Most people who are seriously ill want to get better and, if given the opportunity, will choose to be treated. However, addiction can defy logic. In November 2022, when Mayor Eric Adams of New York announced that the city would begin sending people with untreated mental illnesses to hospitals, even against their will, the controversial decision resonated with me. He said the city had a “moral obligation” to help them. I believe that moral obligation extends to people with substance use disorders.
New York Times - April 12, 2023
National State/Local Studies/Research Opinion Reviews Comments
Books and Movies
'A Good Person' asks hard questions about grief and addiction
Viewers who have dealt with addiction firsthand will recognize these characters' faults and forgive them for it. Those whose lives have not been touched by addiction will, hopefully, find in this film an opportunity for empathy. But no matter the viewer's life experience, "A Good Person" serves as a valuable reminder that showing up imperfectly for our loved ones is better than not showing up at all.What's the difference between giving someone the help we think they need and the help they actually need?
National Catholic Reporter Online - April 15, 2023
National State/Local Studies/Research Opinion Reviews Comments