The Wednesday Weekly Addiction + Recovery News Clips - March 6, 2024
The Wednesday Weekly is a collaboration of Sober Linings Playbook and Recovery in the Middle Ages Podcast.
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Highlights
National
Alcohol deaths in U.S. rose by almost 30% during pandemic | Are alternatives to opioid pain meds around the corner? | Privacy rules for addiction treatment: US HHS finalizes new rules for 42 CFR Part 2
State and Local
S.F. voters support more aggressive approach to drug crisis | Nashville, TN organization highlights inhalant addiction | Oregon passes bill that would unwind Measure 110
Studies/Research in the News
How a “body farm” might help tackle the fentanyl crisis | Could rat brain MRI scans lead to new therapies for cocaine addiction?
Opinion
Maia Szalavitz: Harm reduction does not encourage use | The case for recriminalization of drug use in Oregon
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National
Alcohol deaths jumped by almost 30% during the pandemic
Deaths in the United States related to alcohol rose by nearly 30% in 2021, reaching almost 500 deaths a day, according to a new report from CDC published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Advisory Board - March 4, 2024
Are Alternatives to Addictive Opioids on the Way?
Vertex’s clinical trials mark a step toward finding treatments for pain without the addiction risks.
Wall Street Journal - March 1, 2024
Chris’s story: Struggling in private, dying in public, a ’minute-by-minute’ battle with addiction
Robertson, 52, was one of at least 1,706 Albertans who died of opioid poisoning last year. That works out, on average, to more than four deaths each and every day in 2023, the deadliest year on record for the province (new window). The Calgary resident was also among a growing number to die in public. Deaths in public places used to be a rarity but have become increasingly common, especially in the latter part of 2023.
ICI Radio Canada - March 1, 2024
RuPaul opens up about struggle with addiction in powerful memoir
In a powerful new memoir, drag icon RuPaul Charles has revealed how he had to struggle with his own addiction while helping his now-husband Georges LeBar through the same ordeal.
Pink News - Feb. 28, 2024
Doctor says pediatricians need more training on opioid addiction
Dr. Scott Hadland, the chief of adolescent medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital, said that a survey found a reluctance among pediatricians to counsel young patients on addiction, especially when it comes to opioids. "What we saw was there was a difference when we looked at opioids, which we know are killing a record number of teenagers across the country right now," Hadland said. The survey found that pediatricians were more likely to counsel teens for addiction to other substances, such as cannabis, alcohol or nicotine. "We haven't traditionally been trained to provide this kind of care," Hadland said. He said that needs to change, starting in medical school.
WMUR - Feb. 27, 2024
HHS Privacy Rules for Addiction Treatment May Add Headache for Providers
42 CFR Part 2 came into effect in the mid-1970s in order to protect addiction treatment patients from having their health care data used against them in legal, administrative and legislative proceedings. But decades later, those regulations are now seen as a huge roadblock to innovation in behavioral health. This includes integrating behavioral health into the wider health care system via technology, such as electronic health records (EHRs). Some point to Part 2 as one reason behind the slow adoption of EHRs in behavioral health.The newly finalized 42 CFR Part 2 rule, focused on the privacy rights of patients seeking addiction treatment care, creates new opportunities and risks for behavioral health providers.
Behavioral Health Business - Feb. 27, 2024
National State and Local Studies in the News Opinion Comments
State / Local
California: S.F. voters send clear message supporting more aggressive response to drug crisis
A contentious ballot measure sponsored by Mayor London Breed to mandate drug screenings for welfare recipients passed Tuesday, sending a clear message that voters want to see a more aggressive response to the city’s drug crisis. The measure, known as Proposition F, requires adults who receive cash assistance from San Francisco to undergo a drug screening and enroll in a free treatment program if they’re determined to be drug users. They must then actively participate in treatment but will not be mandated to test negative for drugs.
San Francisco Chronicle - March 5, 2024
Tennessee: Epiphany Nashville Spotlights Inhalant Addiction Risks, Offers Lifeline Through IOP
Epiphany Nashville Mental Health & Depression Treatment, a beacon of hope located at 145 Anderson Ln Suite B, Hendersonville, TN, near Nashville, shines a spotlight on the oft-overlooked issue of inhalant addiction. In a bid to combat this growing concern, the center provides comprehensive support and specialized care through its Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOP). Inhalants, commonly found in household products, pose a significant risk to both physical and mental health, leading to addiction even after a single use.
BNN - March 1, 2024
California: Nearly half of San Francisco drug users are visitors
Nearly half of the individuals cited for drug usage in San Francisco over a 12-month period ending in February were not residents of the city, according to a report released Thursday that sparked a debate over how to care for poor and drug-addicted people in one of the nation’s most progressive cities.
Los Angeles Times - March 1, 2024
Pennsylvania bill offering clean needles and hope for those with addiction advances
A bill to legalize distribution of clean needles and syringes to drug users was approved by a state House committee recently, with support from both Democrats and Republicans. Pennsylvania is one of only 10 states that bans so-called “syringe services,” which distribute fresh syringes and collect used needles with the goal of preventing spread of diseases including HIV and hepatitis. Syringe services also offer a range of other services known as “harm reduction,” including distribution of the overdose reversal drug naloxone and offers of drug treatment.
Daily Courier - March 1, 2024
California: Gavin Newsom stumps for Proposition 1 at Indio drug treatment center
Gov. Gavin Newsom came to Indio on Friday, touring an addiction recovery center as part of a last-minute push for a ballot measure that would put billions into treatment and housing for people dealing with mental health and substance abuse issues.
Palm Springs Desert Sun - March 1, 2024
Nebraska lawmakers pass bill aimed at helping with addiction, Gov. Pillen says he plans to veto it
Omaha Sen. Megan Hunt's priority bill for the 2024 session passed through the legislature. LB 307 would allow counties or municipalities to start a syringe service program. It would allow local governments, like city councils, to authorities public or behavioral health programs to provide sterile needles and a place to safely get rid of used syringes. Participation in these programs is voluntary. The program is intended to reduce the risk of disease transmission and other harm. Gov. Jim Pillen said he plans to veto the bill, saying the bill leaves communities with health and safety issues like keeping public areas and neighborhoods free of litter from syringes.
KETV - Feb. 29, 2024
Pennsylvania law blocks needles, care, compassion for people trapped in addiction
In Pennsylvania, unlike the vast majority of states, syringe services are illegal. That has far-ranging fallout, and may even have contributed to the stunning spate of nine Harrisburg-area overdose deaths in one weekend last September.
Penn Live - Feb. 29, 2024
Indiana: USA TODAY Women of the Year honoree helps Hoosiers cope addiction
Justin Phillips is the type of person who identifies the gaps between problem and solution — the overlooked needs, the frustrating red tape, the fear of stigma. And then she builds bridges. She founded the statewide nonprofit Overdose Lifeline to help those with substance addictions and the people who love them. She advocated for the Indiana law that allows broad access to Naloxone, which is used to reverse an opioid overdose. With her team, she pushed to help more people obtain the medicine through outdoor boxes, vending machines and partners throughout the state. And she spearheaded programs to help those at risk of addiction.
Indianapolis Star - Feb. 29, 2024
Oregon Justice Resource Center warns lawmakers it may go to court over drug addiction bill
An Oregon nonprofit that advocates on behalf of incarcerated people warned legislative leaders and Gov. Tina Kotek on Thursday that it may go to court to block the Legislature’s drug addiction proposal. The Oregon Justice Resource Center says House Bill 4002 fails to provide information about the its financial impact, which is required by state law. The bill, which passed the House on Thursday, would rescind parts of Measure 110 and make possession of small amounts of drugs a misdemeanor, with required treatment and the potential for jail only for probation violations or revocations. It still needs a vote in the Senate to go to the governor for a signature.
Oregon Capital Chronicle - Feb. 29, 2024
Oregon House passes bill unwinding Measure 110 to address addiction crisis
The Oregon House on Thursday passed a proposal to reshape the state’s response to the fentanyl addiction and overdose crisis and put more power in the hands of police and prosecutors to rein in drug users. The bipartisan vote of 51-7 kicks House Bill 4002 to the Senate, the last step in a long legislative process that started last fall.
Oregon Capital Chronicle - Feb. 29, 2024
West Virginia: Beckley First US City To Earn International Status For Addiction Recovery Support
The first city in the United States granted a special status for its addiction recovery resources is located in southern West Virginia. On March 19, Beckley will become the first city in the nation to be named an inclusive recovery city, joining 27 other cities globally. Recovery cities are recognized for their citywide approach to curbing addiction and supporting individuals experiencing the condition.
West Virginia Public Broadcasting - Feb. 28, 2024
New York: Xylazine's presence in illicit drug scene complicating addiction treatment
New York State is investing millions of dollars in harm reduction strategies to address the deadly fentanyl and opioid epidemic, but a veterinary medicine drug is complicating the way addiction can be treated. People in Rochester are seeing the impacts of xylazine in the illicit street supply.
Rochester First - Feb. 28, 2024
California: South Tahoe woman discusses experience with addiction following overdoses in community
For many, removing substances and facing life on life’s terms is daunting. Without support, it can seem insurmountable. For one woman, finding rock bottom meant “stop digging.” “It’s been an awful week in the SLT [South Lake Tahoe] community, and my heart breaks for everyone affected. I’ve learned that addiction and alcoholism are progressive diseases,” Meghan Carter told the Tribune, regarding the rash of overdoses in the community in mid-February.
Tahoe Daily Tribune - Feb. 28, 2024
Studies/Research in the News
Deadly opioids detected in US wastewater for the first time
University of Queensland researchers and international collaborators have found a deadly synthetic opioid in wastewater in the United States – the first such detection globally. “Wastewater from two of the sites, in Illinois and Washington, recorded a type of opioid called protonitazene. Protonitazene is a novel synthetic opioid around three times more potent than fentanyl, and even very small amounts can produce life-threatening toxic effects.”
Cosmos - March 4, 2024
How a ‘Body Farm’ Might Help Tackle Fentanyl Abuse
The U.S. government brought Mexican coroners to America to learn how to detect fatal overdoses, hoping to show that fentanyl kills in Mexico, too.
New York Times - March 3, 2024
Addiction science researcher speaks on systemic approaches to harm reduction, stigma
Rachel Winograd is the director of the Addiction Science, Practice, Implementation, Research, & Education (ASPIRE) Lab at the University of Missouri St. Louis. She also leads the addiction science team within UMSL's Missouri Institute of Mental Health, and her research focuses on "substance use and the systems designed to address it". Winograd spoke with KBIA's Alex Cox about her research and how approaching addiction from a place of understanding can help people who use drugs live the best lives they can.
KBIA - March 1, 2024
MRI scans on rat brains could lead to new cocaine addiction therapies
Quitting cocaine after long-term use can cause severe brain fog that drives users back to the drug in order to get through the day, and now researchers working with rat models may better understand why it becomes addictive over time. Scientists at the UNC School of Medicine found that prolonged cocaine use affects how neural networks communicate, including the default mode network (DMN), the salience network (SN), and the lateral cortical network (LCN), ultimately reducing the brain’s ability to solve problems and complete tasks. The findings are published in the Journal of Neuroscience.
Health Imaging - Feb. 29, 2024
National State/Local Studies/Research Opinion Reviews Comments
Opinion
Maia Szalavitz: Moral Hazard Has No Place in Addiction Treatment
Moral hazard is the idea that reducing exposure to the negative consequences of a risk makes people more likely to take that risk. While this phenomenon is a demonstrable concern for regulators of financial institutions — the 2008 crash is one infamous example — there’s little evidence it holds true in matters of health and safety. Many counselors, police officers, emergency medical technicians and even some doctors believed that handing out naloxone would do more harm than good. It would “enable” continued addiction and deter treatment, she was told. Or, others said, reducing fatalities would increase risk-taking among people who were already using drugs — and encourage children to try heroin. In most studies in areas as diverse as the influence of bicycle helmets on rider speed and the human papillomavirus vaccine on teen sexual behavior, moral hazard simply isn’t observed.
New York Times - March 1, 2024
Governments must avoid policies that stigmatize those recovering from addiction
We say we want to destigmatize addictions. But if we are refusing to help people in recovery get back to work or school, what are we actually doing?
The Conversation - Feb. 27, 2024
Recriminalization bill offers a necessary start on addressing Oregon’s addiction crisis
Measure 110, the 2020 initiative that decriminalized drug possession, was a mistake. The proposed changes to House Bill 4002 lay out a health-focused strategy for combining multiple opportunities for treatment with the structure of the criminal justice system – a departure from the all-carrot, no stick approach Oregon currently has. And while lawmakers should be prepared to make additional fixes in the 2025 session and beyond, they should turn the page on our drug decriminalization experiment now and support the new proposal.
Oregon Live - Feb. 25, 2024