The Wednesday Weekly Addiction + Recovery News Clips - June 21, 2023
The Wednesday Weekly is a collaboration of Sober Linings Playbook and Recovery in the Middle Ages Podcast.
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Highlights
National
U.S. teens less likely than adults to receive lifesaving medications for opioid use disorders | Experts warn of addiction crisis from the war in Ukraine
State and Local
Michigan program serves moms in recovery | Health insurer uing California addiction treatment provider for overbilling clients from Alaska
Studies/Research in the News
Study finds integrating addiction medication treatment into primary care shows significant promise | Teens seeking addiction care less likely to receive standard medication
Opinion
Actress Pooja Bhatt speaks out because ‘women don’t openly recover’ | Why Hunter Biden’s experience with addiction shouldn’t be political target
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National State/Local Studies/Research Opinion Reviews Comments
National
Cody Longo died after years of chronic alcohol abuse
A coroner has confirmed Cody Longo's death was linked to years of chronic alcohol abuse. The 34-year-old 'Days of Our Lives' star was found dead in a bed at a home in Austin, Texas back in February and now a medical examiner's report has confirmed he died of natural causes linked to "chronic ethanol abuse".
Bang Showbiz - June 19, 2023
'Muting The Horrors': Experts Warn Of Addiction Crisis As Russian Soldiers Return From Ukraine
Although it will take a year or two before any possible crisis can be confirmed, military and public-health specialists who spoke with RFE/RL expressed concerns about a spike in drug addiction and its social consequences as tens of thousands of soldiers called up to fight in Russia’s war in Ukraine begin returning home.
Radio Free Europe - June 18, 2023
5 Celebrities Who Struggled With Addiction
Fame and success can make celebrities feel the weight of the world upon their shoulders. Here are five celebrities who have struggled with addiction.
Buffalo News - June 16, 2023
Model reveals how joining OnlyFans helped her recover from alcohol addiction
Jenna Madison says she struggled with substance abuse since she was just 16 years old, but found pursuing a career on the adult site helped her battle her inner demons.
The Independent - June 16, 2023
Winnipeg man says he wanted federal prison sentence because of better addiction supports
A Winnipeg man living with a cocaine addiction who has previously spent time in a provincial jail is back behind bars, this time in a federal penitentiary — and that's what he wanted. Jason Walmsley, 34, told CBC in an interview inside the federal Stony Mountain Institution that a prison sentence — as opposed to a provincial jail sentence at Headingley Correctional Centre, where he's served time before — will give him a better chance at staying clean after he's released.
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation - June 16, 2023
Food addiction: What it is and how to overcome it
About 1 in 8 Americans over 50 struggle with an unhealthy relationship with highly processed food that goes well beyond the occasional binge or midnight snack, according to a recent poll. Known as food addiction, the condition isn’t limited to older adults — previous food addiction data had primarily centered around young- to middle-age adults up to around 50, said Ashley Gearhardt, lead author of the latest research by Michigan Medicine and a pioneer in the field of food addiction studies. Results have been similar for younger age groups included in previous studies, with about 14% of adults and 12% of children fitting criteria for food addiction, Gearhardt said.
CNN - June 15, 2023
The Chainsmokers’ Drew Taggart reveals alcohol addiction: ‘I am flawed’
The Chainsmokers’ Drew Taggart revealed on Instagram that he has been struggling with alcoholism – and opens up about it in their new single.
Page Six - June 15, 2023
Most U.S. Drug Treatment Centers Don’t Give Teens Addiction Medication, Study Says
A limited number of residential addiction treatment centers across the U.S. are using an FDA-approved medication to treat opioid use disorder in teens, a study published Tuesday found, despite the rising number of overdose deaths among young people. The study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, examined how many adolescent treatment centers in the U.S. were providing buprenorphine—the generic name for Suboxone, one of the three FDA-approved drugs to treat those with opioid dependence and the only one approved for use in adolescents 16 and older.
Forbes - June 13, 2023
Making It Easier For Kids To Get Help For Addiction, And Prevent Overdoses
At a school in Virginia, students are learning how to obtain and use the lifesaving overdose reversal nasal spray Narcan that was recently made available for sale over the counter. And in California, where fentanyl is the cause of 1 in 5 deaths among youths, a pending bill could allow younger teens to seek drug treatment without parental consent.
NPR - June 12, 2023
Recovery from addiction is a journey. There’s no one-and-done solution
There's no one-size-fits-all solution for addiction. Treatment can differ depending on the substance — opioids, alcohol, or methamphetamine, for example. And people with substance use problems come from all walks of life.
Salon.com - June 12, 2023
National State and Local Studies in the News Opinion Reviews Comments
State / Local
Alaska addiction patients were lucrative in treatment center's scheme, insurance company's lawsuit says
Health insurance company Moda is suing a California addiction treatment center, claiming the center falsified Alaska patients’ income in a scheme to overbill Moda by $3.3 million. Moda filed the suit Thursday in federal court in Alaska. It says employees of New Life Treatment Center recruited Alaskans struggling with addiction, and then either coached them to lie about their income on insurance enrollment forms or filled in false information for them. The lawsuit says a state regulation made Alaska patients particularly lucrative targets. The regulation obligates private insurers to pay for services outside of Alaska and to pay more than the average rate.
Alaska Public Media - June 16, 2023
West Virginia: ‘We are here to listen and help'. Marion County Quick Response Team combats addiction, overdoses
A local organization in Marion County is looking to provide education and services to those who struggle with drug addiction, like its own members once did.
Times West Virginian - June 16, 2023
Kentucky: VETS Applauds Kentucky for Funding Ibogaine Research for Veteran Opioid Addiction
Veterans Exploring Treatment Solutions (VETS), a non-profit organization that provides resources, research, and advocacy for veterans struggling with addiction and other mental health conditions, today applauded the Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission (KYOAAC) for announcing its intent to explore the possible creation of partnerships to conduct clinical trials with ibogaine in Kentucky for treatment of opioid use disorder. Anecdotal evidence suggests that Ibogaine can reverse the chemical effects of opioid use disorder while simultaneously resolving opioid withdrawal disorder.
PR Newswire - June 16, 2023
Washington: Providence Swedish aims to save lives with new drug trials
Trials at Providence Regional Medical Center Everett are helping change the lives of those battling meth and fentanyl addictions. Providence Regional Medical Center Everett is one of four hospitals nationwide participating in a Meth-OD program using monoclonal antibodies to treat meth addiction. The drug used in the trial binds amphetamines in the blood and transports meth away from the brain so that it can be removed from the body.
King 5 - June 16, 2023
Ohio: Emerge Recovery and Trade addiction-to-workforce program to welcome first cohort
Starting Monday, the first men’s cohort at Emerge Recovery and Trade Initiative will get their second chance at life after addiction recovery, after the the long-awaited addiction-to-workforce facility opened its doors on Friday. The faith-based organization, located at 2960 West Enon Road in Xenia Twp., offers housing for men who have recently completed inpatient treatment or another addiction recovery program, and will train those in recovery in highly in-demand trades.
Dayton Daily News - June 16, 2023
Alaska: Former employee charged with bringing addiction treatment drug into Kenai jail
A former Alaska Department of Corrections employee is charged with illegally supplying a drug to treat opioid addiction to an inmate at Wildwood Pretrial Facility in Kenai. The state is also accusing her and another former Wildwood employee of having sex with a person serving a sentence in DOC custody. Wright and Schroeder were found to be in possession of suboxone. A spokesperson for the state Department of Law, Patty Sullivan, said Schroeder was found to be passing suboxone to [an inmate at Wildwood. Suboxone is a prescription drug used to treat opioid addiction. Some jails and prisons in the Alaska correctional system have opioid use treatment programs; Wildwood Pretrial does not.
Alaska Public Media - June 15, 2023
Kentucky governor points to advances in fight against drug addiction
In its life-and-death battle against the drug epidemic, Kentucky has made gains in “breaking down the stigma” to reach out for treatment, Gov. Andy Beshear said Thursday while releasing statistics showing the state’s overdose fatalities declined but remain staggeringly high.
AP - June 15, 2023
Michigan: 'Lives will be changed': Addiction Treatment Services to help moms in recovery
Recovering from addiction is never easy and it can be compounded when kids are part of the equation. There is only one residential treatment facility in northern Michigan that welcomes moms and their kids to stay there and to stay together while getting help. Just one.
Up North Live - June 15, 2023
National State/Local Studies/Research Opinion Reviews Comments
Studies/Research in the News
Large-scale simulation shows impact of PCPs offering addiction services
A new study with University of Pittsburgh involvement suggests a novel approach to addiction medicine: integrating it into primary care. Instead of needing a referral for recovery resources, this method would equip physicians with tools to prescribe harm reduction services themselves. Published in JAMA Network Open in April, researchers found that offering addiction services at doctors’ offices could reduce overdose deaths by a third and extend patients’ life expectancies.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Can Ozempic and Wegovy Really Help Curb Addiction Too?
Ozempic, a medication used to treat type 2 diabetes, has been making headlines in recent times for its weight loss benefits. Now, a growing number of users report that Ozempic and Wegovy — a class of drugs known as GLP-1 agonists that contain the active compound semaglutide — have also reduced their addictive tendencies. The drugs impact appetite and satiety, but some users say taking the medication has not only reduced their urge to eat, but curtailed their desire to smoke, gamble, and drink alcohol as well.
HealthLine - June 14, 2023
Teens seeking addiction care unlikely to get standard medication
Adolescents who seek treatment for opioid addiction at an inpatient facility are more likely to be offered horseback riding than given full access to a common, highly effective addiction medication. According to a new research paper, just one out of every eight residential treatment facilities open to patients ages 16 or 17 offers full access to buprenorphine. By contrast, nearly two-thirds of adult treatment facilities offer the medication.
Stat - June 13, 2023
National State/Local Studies/Research Opinion Reviews Comments
Opinion
Actress Pooja Bhatt opened up about her alcohol addiction and said 'women don't openly drink and so they don't openly recover'.
Pooja Bhatt,during a chat with Cyrus Broacha, opened up about recovering from alcoholism at the age of 44. “I had a drinking problem, and that’s why I acknowledged my addiction and made the decision to quit,” she shared. Pooja Bhatt added, “Society gives a license to men and thus they can openly speak about being addicted and recovering from alcoholism. However, women don’t openly drink and so they don’t openly recover. I used to drink openly so when I thought of recovering from alcoholism, I realised that why should I recover in the closet?”
Indian Express - June 19, 2023
Why Hunter Biden's addiction battle shouldn't be a political target
Hunter Biden’s battle with substance use is back in the spotlight as the White House prepares for the possibility that the president’s youngest son could face criminal charges. Families whose lives have been wrecked by the disease of addiction understand what the Bidens have endured as Hunter Biden fought through recovery.
USA Today - June 12, 2023
National State/Local Studies/Research Opinion Reviews Comments
Books and Movies
New book debunks common myths about addiction
A new book by distinguished psychiatrist Anirudh Kala debunks common myths about addiction and introduces the readers to the ways in which humankind has been engaging with addictive substances over time. “In Most of What You Know About Addiction is Wrong”, explains both the history and the science of addiction in an easy-to-read, accessible style.
Indian Express - June 19, 2023
National State/Local Studies/Research Opinion Reviews Podcasts Comments