The Wednesday Weekly Addiction + Recovery News Clips - May 24, 2023
The Wednesday Weekly is a collaboration of Sober Linings Playbook and Recovery in the Middle Ages Podcast.
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Highlights
National
US OD deaths reached new high in 2022 (110,000) | The Atlantic: Ozempic as anti-addiction drug?
Fentanyl
Tennessee girl, 17, charged with fentanyl-related murder | Xylazine: U.S. Congress considers the Testing, Rapid Analysis and Narcotic Quality (TRANQ) Research Act
State and Local
NJ Medicaid reforms lead to increased Buprenorphine prescriptions for treating opioid use disorder | Majority of Oregon voters think Measure 110 has made things worse
Studies/Research in the News
Study finds human connection can ease chronic pain | Even moderate cannabis use can have negative consequences
Opinion
Buprenorphine: Why so much regulation for a drug that’s rarely misused? | Several op eds lament legalization of marijuana
Books and Movies
Barbara Kingsolver’s ‘Demon Copperhead’ and the U.S. opioid crisis | Matt Willis documentary examines musician’s journey with addiction, recovery
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National State/Local Studies/Research Opinion Reviews Comments
(Inter)National
Crystal Meth Addiction 'Rapidly Spreading' In Pakistan
Although there are no official statistics, health professionals in the South Asian nation of some 240 million warn that addiction to crystal meth is soaring.
Radio Free Europe - May 20, 2023
Could Ozempic Also Be an Anti-addiction Drug?
People taking Ozempic for weight loss say they have also stopped drinking, smoking, shopping, and even nail biting.
The Atlantic - May 19, 2023
US drug overdose deaths, fueled by synthetic opioids, hit a new high in 2022
Nearly 110,000 people died from drug overdoses in the United States in 2022, according to early estimates from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Overdose deaths surged during the first two years of the pandemic, exacerbating a years-long steady increase. Monthly updates to the provisional data suggest that overdose deaths have leveled off in 2022, but they still ended slightly higher than the year before. The 109,680 overdose deaths in 2022 are the highest recorded in a calendar year, compared with 109,179 in 2021.
CNN - May 18, 2023
FDA Finally Adds “Addiction” to Black Box Warning on ADHD Drugs
The FDA has finally acknowledged ADHD drugs can cause addiction, even when used as prescribed. The agency is now requiring this information to be added to its black box warning on all stimulant drugs.
AP - May 17, 2023
Health officials want permanent pandemic flexibility as overdoses climb
Federal regulatory changes during the pandemic granted more flexibility that some health professionals and advocates want to keep in place permanently.
Washington Examiner - May 17, 2023
Oxford University wipes the Sackler name from its buildings
Oxford University will remove the Sackler name from its buildings following a review of its relationship with the family that recently expressed regret for its role in the US opioid crisis.
CNN - May 17, 2023
White House wants to improve access to opioid overdose reversal medication
President Joe Biden's administration is seeking to meet with the makers of the life-saving medication naloxone used to reverse opioid overdoses, in an effort to increase access and reduce cost, a spokesperson for the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy said.
Reuters - May 17, 2023
Fake rehab clinics fleeced 'hundreds of millions,' victimized tribal members, Arizona officials say
Criminals masquerading as health providers defrauded Arizona taxpayers out of hundreds of millions of dollars and victimized Indigenous people, state officials announced Tuesday.
USA Today - May 16, 2023
National State and Local Studies in the News Opinion Reviews Comments
Fentanyl (and Xylazine)
Oregon House passes bill for required curriculum that teaches students about fentanyl
The Fentanyl Education Bill, SB 238 A, passed the Oregon House yesterday. The bill received 59 yay votes and 1 excused absence, after passing the Senate last month 28-1. The bill will now head to Governor Tina Kotek’s desk for signature. "The bill mandates the development and implementation of a fentanyl education curriculum in Oregon schools," explains Oregon Recovers, a recovery nonprofit, in a press release.
KATU 2 - May 22, 2023
Opinion: Fentanyl is killing a shocking number of young Americans. What the US can do to respond
To truly end the fentanyl epidemic, the response must be proportionate to the problem. That is going to take a coordinated, whole-of-government approach that begins with prioritizing the issue, followed by strong interagency coordination. That’s why we introduced the Disrupt Fentanyl Trafficking Act of 2023 this week to direct more federal attention and coordination to deter the criminal networks responsible for trafficking.
CNN - May 20, 2023
Teen girl charged with murder after classmates die from fentanyl overdose
A 17-year-old girl has been charged with murder in the overdose deaths of two of her classmates, authorities said Thursday. Two teenage girls were found dead Tuesday at Fayette Ware Comprehensive High School in Somerville, Tennessee, after overdosing on fentanyl. A third teenager was transported to the hospital in critical condition. One of the girls was 16 years old and the two others were 17 years old, according to the school district.
ABC - May 19, 2023
Inside the Emerging Xylazine Addiction Crisis in the U.S.
Infamous for causing severe flesh wounds that can require amputation, xylazine isn’t approved for human consumption but also isn’t a controlled substance, which means it isn’t regulated by the U.S. government. The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) has seized xylazine-fentanyl dope in at least 48 states and warned in November 2022 that many people don’t realize they’re taking it.
Time - May 18, 2023
Cops say they're being poisoned by fentanyl. Experts say the risk is 'extremely low'
Reports of police suffering severe medical symptoms after touching or inhaling powdered fentanyl are common, occurring "every few weeks" around the U.S. according to experts interviewed by NPR. But many experts say these officers aren't experiencing fentanyl or opioid overdoses. "This has never happened," said Dr. Ryan Marino, a toxicologist and emergency room physician who studies addiction at Case Western Reserve University. "There has never been an overdose through skin contact or accidentally inhaling fentanyl." But medical experts say it's difficult to get fentanyl into the body. That's why people addicted to the drug often smoke it or inject it using needles. Del Pozo believes the real risk to police officers from street fentanyl isn't accidental overdose. He says the more serious health impact is being caused by anxiety and stress, driven by fear.
NPR - May 16, 2023
Ted Cruz’s bill targeting dangerous street drug ‘tranq’ gets approval by US Senate committee
A bill seeking to enhance the understanding of a dangerous and increasingly prevalent street drug, xylazine, is one step closer to passing after receiving approval from the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation Monday. Xylazine, commonly referred to as tranq, is a non-opiate sedative authorized in the U.S. only for veterinary use. It has had the most severe impact in the Northeast but was first detected in a Texas illicit fentanyl batch in March. U.S. Senators Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Peter Welch (D-Vt.) introduced in April the Testing, Rapid Analysis, and Narcotic Quality (TRANQ) Research Act to develop new tests for detection and establish better resources for the people working with the affected communities.
KXAN - May 16, 2023
National State/Local Studies/Research Opinion Reviews Comments
State / Local
New Jersey's Medicaid reforms spurred increases in buprenorphine prescriptions to combat opioid addiction
Reforms to New Jersey's Medicaid program successfully spurred ongoing increases in buprenorphine prescriptions for the treatment of opioid addiction, according to a Rutgers analysis. Although medications such as buprenorphine effectively combat opioid addiction, less than 30 percent of potential users receive them nationwide. New Jersey sought to increase prescription numbers with three Medicaid reforms that took effect in 2019.
News Medical Life Sciences - May 19, 2023
California lawmakers kill bill to require Narcan in low-income housing, bars
Efforts to expand treatment for opioid overdoses and addiction faced some of their first roadblocks in the California Legislature when lawmakers killed a bill that would have required Narcan in some public spaces. That bill by Assembly Member Matt Haney, D-San Francisco, would have required public places including bars, public libraries and low-income housing such as single-room-occupancy hotels in counties with high overdose rates to have the overdose-reversing drug on hand. Lawmakers blocked it Thursday in the Assembly Appropriations Committee during a marathon hearing in which they killed or significantly altered many bills with high price tags.
San Francisco Chronicle - May 18, 2023
This opioid addiction drug is rarely misused. So why is there so much regulation?
Buprenorphine, an important drug in fighting the opioid crisis, has long been closely monitored over concerns it would be abused. But a first-of-its-kind government oversight report released Thursday finds Medicare recipients rarely misuse the drug, which is considered an underused tool to treat opioid addiction and stem overdose deaths.
New York Times Post - May 18, 2023
Pennsylvania opioid settlement money: What you need to know
Billions of dollars are expected to come to Pennsylvania to help the state respond to the opioid epidemic, but tracking how counties and other local governments plan to spend that money isn’t easy.
York Dispatch - May 18, 2023
Washington governor signs new law keeping drug possession illegal
Washington Governor Jay Inslee signed a drug possession bill into law Tuesday following a special legislative session that was held to prevent the possible legalization of all drug possession in the state. The state had been on the brink of decriminalizing possession of drugs like meth or fentanyl statewide as a temporary law that made possession a misdemeanor was set to expire this summer. The new law – in addition to retaining criminal penalties for drug possession – boosts resources to help those struggling with addiction, providing millions for drug treatment and recovery services, according to the governor.
CNN - May 17, 2023
Oregon: Most Oregon voters think drug addiction, homelessness, crime are worse because of Measure 110, poll says
A majority of Oregon voters support repealing portions of Measure 110, according to a poll conducted by the Portland firm DHM Research. The measure, which voters approved in November 2020, decriminalized small amounts of street drugs such as methamphetamine and heroin. It also reduced most felony drug possession cases to misdemeanors and aimed to funnel millions of dollars of marijuana tax revenue to drug treatment services via grants, although a January audit showed state officials couldn’t say for sure how grant recipients spent $33 million — or how the money improved people’s lives.
Oregon Live - May 16, 2023
Oklahoma may reintroduce felony drug possession, mandatory jail time
Seven years after Oklahoma voters passed sweeping criminal justice reforms in State Question 780, the state Legislature has walked back some of those reforms for people with multiple drug convictions. House Bill 2153 now heads to the governor's desk for final approval. The state referendum made every conviction for simple drug possession a misdemeanor. This legislation, if signed into law, would create a stair-step system of punishment that includes mandatory jail time and optional diversion programs for multiple convictions.
The Oklahoman - May 16, 2023
California: LA dispensaries openly sell 'magic mushrooms' as state weighs decriminalization
As the state Legislature considers a bill to decriminalize several psychedelics including psilocybin, some L.A.-area businesses are openly selling the potent hallucinogen. Although cannabis is legal statewide, no Southern California municipality or county has followed the lead of Oakland, San Francisco and Santa Cruz by decriminalizing magic mushrooms.
Denver Gazette - May 16, 2023
Massachusetts: Salem, Massachusetts Lawmakers Vote To Decriminalize Psilocybin Mushrooms
Salem, Massachusetts lawmakers have approved a resolution to decriminalize psilocybin mushrooms. Members of the City Council voted unanimously on Thursday to pass an activist-led measure making it the local government’s official policy to deprioritize enforcement of laws prohibiting the possession and cultivation of psilocybin.
Marijuana Moment - May 16, 2023
Kentucky: Report says Substance use disorder is negatively impacting Kentucky's economy
Substance use disorder not only impacts public health, a new report said it's hurting the economy in Kentucky. The report from the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce said substance use disorder is pulling people out of the workforce at a time when they're needed most.
WCHSTV - May 15, 2023
Tennessee: County with high rate of overdose deaths doesn't use opioid settlement funds for addiction program
Over the past two years, rural Greene County in northeastern Tennessee has collected more than $2.7 million from regional and national settlements with opioid manufacturers and distributors. But instead of helping people harmed by addiction, county officials are finding other ways to spend it. They have put $2.4 million toward paying off the county’s debt and have directed another $1 million arriving over more than a decade into a capital projects fund. In March, they appropriated $50,000 from that fund to buy a “litter crew vehicle” — a pickup truck to drive inmates to collect trash along county roads.
CNN - May 15, 2023
National State/Local Studies/Research Opinion Reviews Comments
Studies/Research in the News
Medicare's Coverage of Methadone Could Help Get People Off Opioids
When Medicare expanded coverage for methadone, more people used this treatment for opioid use disorder, a new study shows. Use rose sharply but did not displace other opioid treatments such as buprenorphine, according to researchers. Much of the rise in methadone use was among Medicare Advantage enrollees under age 65. It was especially true among those who qualified for both Medicare and Medicaid.
USA Today - May 22, 2023
Human social connection can help ease chronic pain: Study
People who have a higher sense of personal human connection and belonging can have an easier time with chronic pain , according to a new study. "The experience of rejection and disconnection reliably amplifies pain," the study published in the journal Emotion stated.
Washington Examiner - May 22, 2023
Even Moderate Cannabis Use May Bring Negative Consequences
Multiple studies link adolescent Cannabis Use Disorder with a variety of adverse consequences. New research finds moderate use by adolescents is associated with more adverse events than non-use. Even if only an association, moderate cannabis use is a valuable clinical marker for at risk youth.
Psychology Today - May 19, 2023
Study finds more patients sought addiction treatment for drug use during early pandemic
More Kaiser Permanente Northern California patients sought out addiction treatment during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, compared with a similar period in 2019. The study’s authors suggest their findings could reflect an increase in problem drug use as well as patient preference for telehealth treatment by phone or video. The study was published May 19 in JAMA Health Forum.
Kaiser Permanente - May 19, 2023
Safe Consumption Sites Study Aims to ‘Rise Above the Politics’
The launch of a federally funded study to examine the efficacy of drug overdose prevention centers in the U.S. could have broad policy implications as jurisdictions across the country consider opening such sites to combat the human toll of the opioid crisis. NYU Langone Health and Brown University recently announced a reportedly four-year, $5 million joint project funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse that will involve assessing the drug outcomes and health of individuals who have visited an overdose prevention center, as well as the social impact such centers have on their surrounding communities. Investigators plan to enroll study participants in New York City – where two sanctioned overdose prevention centers have been in operation since 2021 – and in Providence, Rhode Island, where a site is expected to open next year.
U.S. News and World Report - May 18, 2023
National State/Local Studies/Research Opinion Reviews Comments
Opinion
This opioid addiction drug is rarely misused. So why is there so much regulation?
Buprenorphine, an important drug in fighting the opioid crisis, has long been closely monitored over concerns it would be abused. But a first-of-its-kind government oversight report released Thursday finds Medicare recipients rarely misuse the drug, which is considered an underused tool to treat opioid addiction and stem overdose deaths.
USA Today - May 22, 2023
Hear this plea, legislators: Fentanyl crisis is killing California’s young people
While the GOP panders to the gun lobby, refusing to enact sensible gun control laws despite a never-ending cycle of mass shootings, Democrats in Sacramento refuse to consider legislation that would create stronger legal consequences for those trafficking in fentanyl.
Modesto Bee - May 22, 2023
There's medicine to quiet his opioid cravings. Getting it can be hard.
Hargrove's story illustrates the challenges often faced by those struggling with opioid addiction - especially people of color - in receiving buprenorphine, a medication that public health experts believe should play a critical role in curbing an addiction-and-overdose crisis fueled by fentanyl.
Washington Post - May 21, 2023
Never forget the countless veterans battling addiction
Many veterans struggle with substance use and mental health disorders, often leading to overdose and suicide. Outside of [Memorial Day], we must never forget the veterans who lost the battle against addiction and mental illness and the many more who are still struggling. Fortunately, there are supports and ways families can help.
East Oregonian - May 20, 2023
Even the New York Times admits legalizing marijuana was a ‘big mistake’
Earlier this week, the New York Times published an op-ed declaring the legalization of marijuana was a big mistake. The legalization of marijuana was always a bad idea, but it was shocking, to say the least, that the New York Times, and its history of advancing politically left-wing opinions and narratives, would have such an article. Nevertheless, it's almost evidence of just how wrong proponents of marijuana legalization were — especially if such an opinion was being advanced by the New York Times.
Washington Examiner - May 19, 2023
Legalizing Marijuana Is a Big Mistake
Legalization isn’t necessarily striking a great blow against mass incarceration or for racial justice. Nor is it doing great things for public health. There was hope, and some early evidence, that legal pot might substitute for opioid use, but some of the more recent data cuts the other way.
New York Times - May 18, 2023
The alarming link between schizophrenia and marijuana
The more marijuana is consumed, the more evidence mounts up that it ruins lives. As more states legalize marijuana, and as popular culture increasingly treats the narcotic as though it were harmless, it becomes increasingly apparent that using it involves serious risks.
Washington Examiner - May 17, 2023
Good intentions alone won’t solve the country’s opioid crisis
New data reveals that, despite these regulatory changes, the actual prescribing of buprenorphine didn’t budge. Even more concerning, although the medication needs to be taken for a year or two to really establish recovery, the retention in treatment was found to be a dismal 20 percent by just the six-month mark.
The Hill - May 16, 2023
National State/Local Studies/Research Opinion Reviews Comments
Books and Movies
Barbara Kingsolver's 'Demon Copperhead' and the enduring devastation of the opioid crisis
Her winning novel, “Demon Copperhead,” is more than just a reimagining of Charles Dickens’ “David Copperfield.” Casting an opioid-addicted Appalachian orphan as her protagonist, Kingsolver sheds new light on one of America’s greatest health crises.
May 17, 2023
Matt Willis: Fighting Addiction review – the Busted bassist is frequently in tears
This heartbreaking documentary looks at a decades-long battle with drugs and alcohol that’s torn the musician’s family apart. It’s a moving look at how it’s affected not just him, but his wife too.
The Guardian - May 17, 2023
National State/Local Studies/Research Opinion Reviews Comments