The Wednesday Weekly Addiction + Recovery News Clips - November 15, 2023
The Wednesday Weekly is a collaboration of Sober Linings Playbook and Recovery in the Middle Ages Podcast.
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Highlights
(Inter)National
“Super meth” and polysubstance use not responsive to tried and true opioid use disorder therapies | White House “Drug Czar” Gupta calls for recovery-friendly workplaces
State and Local
RI addiction treatment supervisor admits to $3.5 million fraud | Las Vegas recovery high school offers opportunity, safe space for students in recovery from addiction
Studies/Research in the News
SAMHSA survey shows nearly 1 in 5 over 12 years of age in the U.S. experienced addiction in past year | Study shows brain can repair damage after abstinence from alcohol
Opinion
Hank Azaria remembers Matthew Perry | Perry’s greatest legacy is his memoir
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(Inter) National
‘A Monster’: Super Meth and Other Drugs Push Crisis Beyond Opioids
A decade or so ago, Mexican drug lords figured out how to mass-produce a synthetic “super meth.” It has provoked what some researchers are calling a second meth epidemic. Increasingly, the utility of therapies developed to address the decades-old opioid crisis is diminishing. They work to counteract the most devastating effects of fentanyl and heroin, but most users now routinely test positive for other substances too, predominantly stimulants such as cocaine and methamphetamine, for which there are no approved medications. The United States is in a new and perilous period in its battle against illicit drugs. The scourge is not only opioids, such as fentanyl, but a rapidly growing practice that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention labels “polysubstance use.”
New York Times - Nov. 13, 2023
‘I was really hard to work with’: rapper Danny Brown on reaching rock bottom – then beating addiction
Earlier this year, Danny Brown entered rehab. This was not even the rapper’s lowest moment. In 2020, living in his native Detroit, he was well aware that he could overdose on drugs contaminated with fentanyl – a powerful synthetic opioid – but he didn’t seem to care. “I got to the point where I was pretty much suicidal,” he says.
The Guardian - Nov. 10, 2023
Contingency Management Remains Underutilized Amid Addiction Crisis
Often associated with treatment for addiction to stimulants such as methamphetamine and cocaine, contingency management programs are an underutilized tool when it comes to treating patients with other substance use disorders.
HMP Global Learning Network - Nov. 10, 2023
Nova Scotia minister describes daughter’s addiction to opioids
The scourge that is Canada’s opioid addiction crisis was laid bare in the Nova Scotia legislature this week as politicians of every stripe rose to share personal stories about their struggles with this notorious class of drugs.
The Globe and Mail - Nov. 10, 2023
F#ck the Stigma Podcast: Shatterproof, Addiction, Legislation, Relapse, Loving an Addict, Alcoholism, MAT, Recovery
On this episode of the 'Fuck the Stigma' podcast, we're joined by Shatterproof, a game-changing organization dedicated to tackling addiction head-on. Grant and Laisha discuss the invaluable resources Shatterproof provides, including the groundbreaking tool 'Atlas,' designed to guide individuals seeking treatment. Tune in as they candidly address the pervasive stigma surrounding addiction and relapse, advocate for destigmatized language, and shed light on their efforts in influencing legislation. This conversation goes beyond breaking barriers—it's a call to action for a more compassionate and understanding approach to addiction.
F# The Stigma Podcast - Nov. 9, 2023
White House drug czar issues call for 'recovery-friendly' workplaces
The Biden administration on Thursday announced the launch of the Recovery-Ready Workplace, a new program that includes a toolkit for employers and promotes a model state law that would create incentives for businesses to hire people in recovery and become certified as “recovery-friendly” workplaces. More broadly, it takes aim at the discrimination people with addiction often face when seeking work. The White House also cast the initiative as a win-win — beyond helping people in recovery achieve stability, it could help businesses’ bottom lines. “There are more than 20 million Americans living in recovery today,” Rahul Gupta, the director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, said in a press briefing. “We fully expect more people to enter recovery, and that is why this is so important to do right now.”
Stat News - Nov. 9, 2023
Rehabilitation centers work to treat addiction in older adults
Substance abuse disorder is on the rise in older adults and the CDC says that alcohol-induced deaths have been increasing in that age group since 2011. NBC's Steven Romo visited a rehab center in Pennsylvania that has a program specifically for older adults.
NBC - Nov. 9, 2023
Veterans courts help veterans suffering from addiction
When veterans dealing with addiction or other issues related to mental health find themselves in the criminal justice system for low-level crimes, a number of them are directed to the more than 400 veterans treatment courts across America, designed to keep them out of jail and connect them with the resources they need.
News Nation - Nov. 9, 2023
Nicki Minaj Discusses Previous Addiction to Percocet, 'Pink Friday 2'
The release date of Nicki Minaj‘s new album has been pushed to her birthday, but fans (a.k.a. the Barbz) can read her Vogue cover story in the meantime. Minaj also opened up about an early period in her career when she briefly lived in Atlanta and was prescribed Percocet for menstrual pain. “No one told me that this was a narcotic and this was addictive,” she said while relating the experience to her late father’s addiction.
Rolling Stone - Nov. 9, 2023
Weight loss drugs transforming healthcare, may help with addiction
A new class of weight loss drugs is transforming the U.S. healthcare system in ways that could extend to equally hard-to-treat areas like substance abuse, according to speakers at the Reuters Events Total Health conference in Chicago this week.
Reuters - Nov. 9, 2023
Senators Murkowski and Hassan introduce bipartisan bill to grow addiction care workforce through student loan debt relief program
Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) introduced bipartisan legislation to reauthorize and double the Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery Loan Repayment Program, which provides student loan repayment for healthcare workers who focus on addiction treatment and recovery in underserved areas. The STAR Loan Repayment Reauthorization Act of 2023 would reauthorize and expand a program that was first created through the SUPPORT Act – a landmark investment into substance misuse prevention, treatment, recovery, and law enforcement efforts. Projections from last year showed that there will be a shortage of 24,060 behavioral health providers by 2030.
Local Media First Group - Nov. 8, 2023
Understanding the science of addiction – podcast
After Matthew Perry’s death was announced, a clip of the actor debating the science of addiction on the BBC’s Newsnight programme went viral. To find out where we’ve got to in our understanding of addiction, Ian Sample talks to Dr Nora Volkow, director of the US National Institute on Drug Abuse. She explains how brain imaging has advanced our understanding of this chronic disease.
The Guardian - Nov. 7, 2023
Why are there no treatments for cocaine and meth addiction?
Amid warnings about rising stimulant use disorders, the FDA is urging drugmakers to develop treatments for cocaine and methamphetamine addiction.
NBC - Nov. 7, 2023
Microsoft and Epic Games Sued Over Video Game Addiction
Have game companies like Microsoft and Epic Games knowingly caused video game addiction in kids? According to a new lawsuit filed in Arkansas, that’s the case. The lawsuit, filed on October 30, states that that Microsoft, Epic Games, Activision Blizzard, EA, and others “use patented designs, algorithms and marketing containing addictive features and technology” leading to addiction.
Insider Gaming - Nov. 7, 2023
Will stress from the Hamas war drive Israelis to drug addiction?
Amid the stress of the Israel-Hamas war, the temptation of using drugs and getting hooked on addictive behaviors is a significant concern.
Jerusalem Post - Nov. 6, 2023
National State and Local Studies in the News Opinion Comments
State / Local
California: Ventura County detox program aims to fight fentanyl epidemic
Ventura County Medical Center has launched a detox program aimed in part at the fentanyl surge. Ventura County Medical Center leaders have launched a nine-bed program designed to clear fentanyl, alcohol and other toxins out of patients at high risk of seizures, stroke or other withdrawal complications. Addiction specialists said the beds are needed to start to catch up with addiction treatment needs spurred by the nationwide fentanyl epidemic.
Ventura County Star - Nov. 10, 2023
Minnesota: Out-of-state addiction recovery organization aims to bring Oakridge into compliance
Meridian Behavioral Health contracted with Florida-based Ascension Recovery Services before its Rochester facility, Oakridge Treatment Center, was declared a public health nuisance last week.
Post Bulletin - Nov. 10, 2023
Rhode Island: Addiction treatment supervisor admits to defrauding patients, insurers out of more than $3.5M
A local clinical social worker has admitted that she helped plot and take part in a scheme that defrauded substance abuse disorder patients out of treatment services as well as insurers out of more than $3.5 million, U.S. attorney for Rhode Island Zachary A. Cunha announced Thursday.
Providence Business News - Nov. 9, 2023
Nevada: How This Public School Serves Students Recovering From Addiction
In Las Vegas, Mission High School provides students dealing with drug and alcohol addiction with the support and structure they need for their recovery. The public school, which opened in 2017, currently serves 17 students. Its leadership is working to ensure that everyone in the district is aware of all that the school offers.
Education Week - Nov. 9, 2023
Missouri: Local addiction specialist applauds Kansas City’s plan to fight fentanyl overdoses
Kansas City is taking a new approach in its fight against fentanyl. In Kansas City, fentanyl deaths shot up to 72 in 2021 – a more than 900% increase from 2017. Statewide, nearly 1,500 people died from overdoses in Missouri, while more than 400 died from overdoses in Kansas. On Thursday, City Council approved Mayor Quinton Lucas’s proposal to require quick overdose reports, create a review board, and have targeted interventions with people addicted to opioids. Lucas says this move was long overdue.
KCTV5 - Nov. 9, 2023
Studies/Research in the News
Americans Struggling With Addiction, Mental Health, SAMHSA Survey Shows
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) released the results of its 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH)opens in a new tab or window on Tuesday, which showed that nearly one in five Americans ages 12 and older reported having a substance use disorder in the past year, and roughly one in four adults reported having a mental illness.
Med Page Today - Nov. 14, 2023
FAU Study Reduces ‘Vivid Imagery’ That Fuels Addiction Cravings
A new Florida Atlantic University pilot study is showing promise in treating addiction cravings by combining eye movements and guided instructions to process memories. The evidence-based therapy – Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) – has proven to be effective in treating PTSD, depression, anxiety and other mental health conditions. However, research exploring this method for substance use disorder is sparse. Since cravings are maintained and heightened by sensory imagery stored in memories, with more vivid imagery predicting higher craving intensity, one of the goals of the FAU study was to transform dysfunctional memories stored in the brain through processing and integration. Addiction memory, assumed to be episodic, resembles the maladaptive traumatic memory formation commonly seen in post-traumatic stress disorder.
Florida Atlantic University - Nov. 14, 2023
Nearly half of people using opioids in rural areas were recently incarcerated, study shows
Almost half of people in rural areas who use illicit drugs were in prison or jail in the last six months, according to a new national study. The study surveyed nearly 3,000 people in rural areas spanning 10 states who use illicit drugs including fentanyl, heroin and other opioids. Within the group, 42% were in prison or jail within the past six months. The study suggests the nation should do more to reach and treat people for drug addiction while they are incarcerated and in custody.
Oregon Public Broadcasting - Nov. 11, 2023
7.3 Months Without Alcohol Lets Brains Repair Damage From Heavy Drinking, Study Finds
In encouraging news for people recovering from alcohol use disorder, new research demonstrates how quickly the brain can repair its structure once drinking ceases.
Science Alert - Nov. 9, 2023
Study may show how brains become addicted to drugs
A recent clinical trial led by researchers at the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) may have unlocked secrets about how the human brain reacts to not only drugs, but the method by which they’re administered. The study, published in Nature Communications, [1] focuses on the activation of the "salience network," a group of brain regions, after the administration of a drug, both intravenously and orally. The findings suggest that drugs entering the brain quickly through injection or smoking activate the salience network, potentially contributing to their higher addictive nature compared to drugs taken orally.
Health Imaging - Nov. 9, 2023
Scientists Are Debating Whether Social Media is Addictive
Can a person become addicted to social media? A new study, led by Ihssen’s postgraduate student Michael Wadsley and published Nov. 8 in the journal PLOS ONE, attempts to answer this question.
TIME - Nov. 9, 2023
Brain's Salience Network Key in Quick Drug Addiction
Results from a new clinical trial suggest that a group of brain regions known as the “salience network” is activated after a drug is taken intravenously, but not when that same drug is taken orally. When drugs enter the brain quickly, such as through injection or smoking, they are more addictive than when they enter the brain more slowly, such as when they are taken orally.
Neuroscience News - Nov. 8, 2023
Opinion
Hank Azaria: To Matthew Perry, God Was a Bunch of Drunks in a Room
Matthew Perry said that he wanted to be remembered as someone who helped people get sober, even more than he wanted to be remembered as a very funny, famous Friend. I think he’ll be remembered as both. If you go into recovery, while there will only ever be one of the real thing for me, you will find your own Matthew Perry. You’ll find someone to laugh with and connect with. You’ll find someone who understands your story. You’ll find someone who seems to care about you more than about him- or herself. I think Matthew would want folks to know that more than anything.
New York Times - Nov. 9, 2023
For those fighting addiction, Perry’s greatest legacy is his memoir
Matthew Perry may be widely remembered for his role as the sweetly acerbic Chandler Bing on “Friends,” but for the millions of Americans who have struggled with addiction and sought recovery, the actor’s 2022 memoir might be his most impactful work.
Lima News - Nov. 10, 2023