The Wednesday Weekly Addiction + Recovery News Clips - June 7, 2023
The Wednesday Weekly is a collaboration of Sober Linings Playbook and Recovery in the Middle Ages Podcast.
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Highlights
National
Bankruptcy settlement shields Sacklers from future civil claims | Research begin to study Ozempic for addiction
Fentanyl
Senators discuss bipartisan Fentanyl Trafficking Act of 2023 | Narcan (nalaxone) not effective for xylazine
State and Local
NY lawmakers try again for non-religious alternative for court-ordered peer support for SUD | NYC vending machines offer free Narcan, fentanyl test strips
Studies/Research in the News
Mandatory child abuse reporting for MAT in utero exposure leads some women to avoid treatment | Study finds rural SUD patients face greater challenges in accessing treatment
Opinion
Recovery from addiction is not linear and not one size fits all | Maia Szalavitz on what Ozempic reveals about the nature of desire
Books and Movies
Movie: “Prevention through Engagement” sheds light on opioid crisis
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National State/Local Studies/Research Opinion Reviews Comments
(Inter)National
Opioid crisis hits Black community especially hard
The opioid crisis is hurting Black communities, and it doesn’t look anything like the stereotype you often see of fentanyl use. When people think of fentanyl use, they often think of rural white communities. But an expert on the crisis says an increasing number of Black people in urban areas are losing their lives at an alarming rate.
Yahoo! - June 5, 2023
'Jackass' alum Bam Margera placed on 5150 hold amid addiction struggles
Yahoo! - June 5, 2023
Biden is backing the latest failed chapter in the fentanyl-related drug war
Everyone wants to stop opioid overdoses. But it’s unclear how a Republican-backed bill that passed the House last month with Democratic support would help. Called the HALT Fentanyl Act, it would permanently outlaw so-called “fentanyl-related substances” under the most restrictive federal drug control, Schedule I.
MSNBC - June 4, 2023
The UCP’s victory in Alberta is a win for Canadian addiction policy
'Alberta model' wisely prioritizes treatment and recovery and rejects safer supply. Since coming to power four years ago, Alberta’s United Conservative Party has embraced responsible addiction policies that prioritize treatment and recovery. The UCP’s re-election this past week guarantees that these policies will survive for another four years, providing a credible alternative to the federal government’s well-intentioned, but disastrous, drug strategies.
National Post - June 3, 2023
Indivior settles claim over Suboxone competition
The maker of an important addiction treatment medication has agreed to pay $102 million dollars to settle claims it stifled competition. Indivior makes Suboxone, which reduces drug cravings in people with opioid use disorder. The Virginia-based Indivior introduced Suboxone in 2002 and then, according to state attorneys general, used "monopolistic" strategies to keep generic versions of the opioid-treatment medication off the market.
NPR - June 2, 2023
Washington worried about Sackler drug tactics years before opioids
”It was like somebody poured kerosene under my skin and then put a torch to me," said William Thomas, a California physician addicted to a prescription drug that had been pushed by one of America's wealthiest dynasties - the Sackler family. This was 1979, and Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) was holding a Health Committee hearing on Valium - the drug that about 15 percent of the nation was hooked on at the time. Kennedy called it "a nightmare of dependence." Hindsight shows us it was the Sacklers' practice run.
SFGate - June 1, 2023
Weight-loss meds like Ozempic may help curb addictive behaviors, but drugmakers aren’t running trials to find out
Some doctors say that when it comes to addictive behaviors, an effect on alcohol use is the most common thing they hear from people taking Ozempic or similar medicines. Dr. Lorenzo Leggio is studying this issue at the National Institutes of Health. He and a team of researchers just published a study showing that semaglutide reduces alcohol drinking in rodents. More research needs to be done, particularly human clinical trials, to prove that semaglutide and similar medicines have this effect, he said. But there aren’t many underway.
CNN - June 1, 2023
Court ruling casts long shadow over future opioid lawsuits
A federal appeals court on Tuesday potentially laid the groundwork for corporations to avoid legal exposure in future opioid lawsuits through a technicality in bankruptcy law. The New York-based 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that, as part of a proposed bankruptcy settlement, members of the Sackler family who own OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma could be shielded from current and future civil claims in exchange for paying up to $6 billion and giving up control of the company.
Axios - May 31, 2023
Purdue Pharma family protected from lawsuits in exchange for addiction treatment funding
A court ruled the owners of Purdue Pharma, the Sackler family, will be protected from civil lawsuits linked to the opioid crisis in exchange for a $6 billion settlement. Purdue, which filed for bankruptcy in 2019 amid thousands of lawsuits, made drugs like OxyContin and is blamed for fueling the opioid epidemic. William Brangham discussed the settlement with Aneri Pattani of KFF Health News.
PBS News Hour - May 31, 2023
A landmark appeals court ruling clears way for Purdue Pharma-Sackler bankruptcy deal
In a landmark ruling Tuesday, a federal appeals court in New York cleared the way for a bankruptcy deal for opioid manufacturer Purdue Pharma. The deal will shield members of the Sackler family, who own the company, from future lawsuits.
NPR - May 30, 2023
National State and Local Studies in the News Opinion Reviews Comments
Fentanyl (and Xylazine)
Xylazine, Or ‘Tranq,’ Which Makes Fentanyl Even Deadlier, Is Hitting Chicago’s Streets — And Narcan Won’t Save Those Who Use It
In the Midwest, the number of overdose deaths linked to xylazine jumped from 57 in 2020 to 351 in 2021, officials said. Narcan can still prevent fatal overdoses — but not with xylazine in the mix.
Block Club Chicago - June 2, 2023
Common Ground: Cutting Off The Source Of The Fentanyl Crisis
As drug overdoses continue to rise, combatting the flow of fentanyl has taken center stage in America’s fight against opioid abuse. Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) join to discuss their bi-partisan push to designate the fentanyl crisis as a national security threat. Later, they talk about their bill, the Disrupt Fentanyl Trafficking Act of 2023, and what authority it would give federal agencies to seek out the root of fentanyl trafficking and combat the crisis.
Fox - June 1, 2023
Homeless people fight to save lives, and stay alive, as L.A.’s fentanyl crisis worsens
Public health officials say they have been educating people about the dangers of fentanyl, distributing more Narcan and doubling down on drug treatment.
Community outreach groups have played a key role in getting Narcan to unhoused people. They’ve also helped provide clean syringes and places where users can test drugs to know what they are ingesting.
Los Angeles Times - May 31, 2023
Opioid Crisis Spurred by Animal Sedative’s Stealth Emergence
A little-known animal tranquilizer is accelerating the deadly US opioid epidemic, frustrating health officials and lawmakers, who can’t keep the drug out of people’s hands.
Bloomberg - May 31, 2023
National State/Local Studies/Research Opinion Reviews Comments
State / Local
New York: NYC Health Dept. vending machine offers free Narcan, drug-test strips
Big Apple health officials unveiled a new street vending machine Monday that swaps out candy bars and potato chips for free doses of Narcan and drug-testing strips.
New York Post - June 5, 2023
California: A look at San Francisco's fentanyl crisis crackdown 1 month after receiving Gov. Newsom's aid
It has been one month since Gov. Gavin Newsom's decision to send in the California Highway Patrol and National Guard to help crackdown on San Francisco's open-air drug markets. Saturday we hit the streets to get a look at the impact and what comes next in the battle against the fentanyl crisis.
ABC 7 - June 4, 2023
Kentucky’s Risky Million-Dollar Bet to Fight the Opioid Crisis With Psychedelics
On the steps of the state capitol building in Frankfort on May 31, the Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission (KYOAAC) announced it was going to explore allocating tens of millions of dollars toward studying and promoting the use of the controversial, plant-based hallucinogen ibogaine in psychedelic-assisted therapy.
DNYUZ - June 1, 2023
California debates whether teens can get drug treatment without parental consent
Fentanyl is behind 1 in 5 deaths among youths in California. There are many barriers to treatment for opioid addiction, but some kids can't get help because they need parental consent. California requires youth to be 18 to take Suboxone without parental consent. A new state bill could change that, but it's facing some opposition because it would allow minors to access Suboxone at 16 without Mom or Dad.
WFAE - June 1, 2023
New York: Lawmakers try again non-religious substance abuse program
Courts in New York state would be required to tell defendants of their right to a non-religious substance abuse treatment option under a measure given final passage in the state Senate this week. The bill, which has already cleared the state Assembly, heads next to Gov. Kathy Hochul's office for her signature. But the measure faces an uncertain future after Hochul last year vetoed a previous version of the bill.
Spectrum News - May 31, 2023
CT bill takes aim at opioid crisis and fentanyl overdose deaths by supporting plan for ‘harm reduction centers’
The state senate last week unanimously passed an extensive bill that takes aim, in part, at the opioid crisis and the increase in fentanyl-related deaths in the state, including plans to pilot new state-run harm reduction centers in Connecticut. Part of Senate Bill 9, also known as “An Act Concerning Health and Wellness For Connecticut Residents,” focuses on new strategies to support survival and safety for Connecticut residents living with substance use disorders.
Hartford Courant - May 31, 2023
Kansas City experts fight to end stigma on substance use recovery
Ken Vick, executive director at Kansas City recovery treatment center Benilda Hall, said substance use is a treatable condition. Dr. Roopa Sethi, assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the University of Kansas Medical Center, said the stigmas are slowly diminishing. But old thoughts about drug use being a sign of a moral failing make it a challenge. She said experts and advocates are working hard to create a culture of understanding, especially when it comes to the way society talks about substance use disorder. Sethi said students in KU’s medical school are getting training today about treating people with substance use disorder that doctors from her generation never got.
Fox 4 - May 31, 2023
National State/Local Studies/Research Opinion Reviews Comments
Studies/Research in the News
Stop mandatory child abuse reporting for infants exposed to addiction medications
Massachusetts law says health care providers must contact child protective services any time a newborn has been exposed to opioids, including in-utero exposure to prescription medication used to treat an addiction to opioids. That can punish women in recovery, compelling some to stop treatment, according to a study out of Massachusetts General Hospital. The researchers have joined a growing list of child welfare experts calling for a change to the mandate.
WBUR - June 3, 2023
Teens who are dependent on booze ‘at greater risk of depression’ – is your child at risk?
Stopping teens drinking too much alcohol could reduce their risk of depression in their 20s, researchers say. Eighteen-year-olds who struggle to stop drinking once they start have a 15 per cent risk of facing the mental health condition by the time they’re 24, a study found.
U.S. Sun - June 1, 2023
New Orleans doctors advocate for device to help curb opioid addiction
A device temporarily implanted behind a person's ear that can help with people's suffering. "The Morph device is not a cure for opioid addiction; want to make that clear. It's a cure for withdrawal symptoms, and that's the key to get them to the next stage of treatment," George said. Here's how it works. The Morph is implanted behind a person's ear, and it stimulates the cranial nerves in the ear to aid in the reduction of withdrawal symptoms.
WDSU - June 1, 2023
Neonatal Outcomes after Medications for Opioid Use Disorder during Pregnancy in a State Women’s Prison Facility, 2016–2019
Although medications for opioid use disorder improve both maternal and neonatal outcomes, little is known about opioid-exposed infants born during episodes of incarceration. The study sought to examine birth outcomes for infants born with opioid exposure during perinatal incarceration. Consideration of avoiding separation of the parent-infant dyad may be needed to improve outcomes for these infants.
Journal of Addiction Medicine - June 1, 2023
Study finds rural substance use disorder patients face greater challenges when seeking treatment
A new analysis from the East Tennessee State University/NORC Rural Health Equity Research Center finds that people living in rural areas of the United States face greater challenges accessing substance use disorder treatment than people living in urban areas. The study shows that rural residents are four-and-a-half times more likely than urban residents to be admitted to inpatient treatment through a court order or by law enforcement and nine times less likely to have access to buprenorphine, a medication for opioid use disorder that suppresses withdrawal and relieves opioid-related cravings in a safe and controlled way.
Erwin Record - May 30, 2023
National State/Local Studies/Research Opinion Reviews Comments
Opinion
Who dies, who pays: Different standards of justice for a limo crash and an opioid epidemic
Hussain wasn’t driving the car. Rather, he rented out the vehicle — and a jury found evidence beyond a reasonable doubt that before doing so, he failed to ensure it was safe to drive. For that, he was convicted of 20 counts of second-degree manslaughter. In Manhattan Tuesday, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that members of the Sackler family, the billionaires who own Purdue Pharma, will get full immunity from all civil lawsuits related to the mass dissemination of powerful pain drugs that have addicted millions and killed thousands.
New York Daily News - June 5, 2023
Recovery From Addiction Is a Journey. There’s No One-and-Done Solution.
Addiction is a chronic illness requiring constant vigilance, there’s no one-and-done solution, and relapses are part of the journey to recovery. “Recovery happens,” says Michelle Doty Cabrera, executive director of the County Behavioral Health Directors Association of California. “Every single day people come into treatment and succeed in addressing their substance use disorders.”
California Healthline - June 5, 2023
Maia Szalavitz: What Ozempic Reveals About Desire
Discovering how the new weight loss medications alter appetite and the compulsive behavior that can be associated with it could offer new insight into the nature of pleasure and addictions. Adjusting brain systems that regulate desire may also affect the stigma that society pins on people with conditions that can lead to loss of control. When drugs can significantly ease weight loss or addiction recovery, it’s hard to argue that the problem is moral rather than medical.
New York Times - June 4, 2023
How George Soros is spreading addiction, death, and chaos across the US
The Drug Policy Alliance, a group that has received millions of dollars from international banker George Soros, takes credit for “creating cutting-edge policies that have fundamentally transformed the direction of drug policy in the U.S.” This claim is true. The alliance has been instrumental in legalizing marijuana in 11 states and Washington, D.C. The promised benefits of marijuana legalization, however, have failed to materialize, leaving hundreds of communities with more addiction, death, and chaos.
Washington Examiner - June 2, 2023
We cannot repeat failed war on drugs, but we must react to current fentanyl epidemic
We know that we cannot “interdict or punish” our way out of this crisis, and we certainly don’t want to return to failed war-on-drug policies from four decades ago. In California, we are no strangers to responding to and leading on difficult policy issues. We can learn from mistakes made during the war on drugs and make better-informed decisions.
Sacramento Bee - June 2, 2023
Sam Quinones: Consideration of avoiding separation of the parent-infant dyad may be needed to improve outcomes for these infants.
In a time of fentanyl and meth, we need to use law enforcement differently — and more often.
The Atlantic - June 1, 2023
To Combat the Overdose Crisis, Expand Drug-Checking Programs
Tools like mass spectrometers and fentanyl test strips provide people with real-time information about what’s in their drugs, which can help them make more informed decisions and reduce the possibility of an overdose. What’s more, they help public health and harm reduction workers understand what is in the drug supply, a necessary prerequisite for them to respond to crises and reduce risk.
Wired - May 31, 2023
Law enforcement leaders believe homelessness in California can be ended in a year
Opinion | Several large Democratic states have low homelessness rates, such as New Jersey, Maryland, Michigan and Illinois. We believe there is a reason for this: All these states have much stronger hard drug laws than California.
Sacramento Bee - May 31, 2023
It’s time to spotlight mental health in multi-cultural communities
According to the U.S. Census and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, more than 10 million Hispanics and Latinos living in the United States reported having a mental health condition in the last year. Yet, based on a study from The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), only 35.1% of Hispanic and Latino adults with a mental health condition receive treatment each year compared to the overall U.S. average of 46.2%. More must be done to close this gap.
PennLive - May 31, 2023
In defense of being ‘Cali sober’
The phenomenon of being “Cali sober” is taking the recovery world by storm. It is defined as dedicating oneself to a life free of drugs and alcohol — except for cannabis and other psychedelics. (Though many consumers don’t think of cannabis as a psychedelic, policy experts often consider it one because of its effects.) Hardcore proponents of abstinence-based recovery, such as Alcoholics Anonymous, dismiss the Cali sober approach as dangerous and “not really recovery.” “After all, you’re not sober if you’re still using mind-altering substances. You’re replacing one addictive substance with another. It’s a slippery slope.” But the “slippery slope” holds no water.
Stat - May 30, 2023
Teenagers Pathologized by Traditional Addiction Treatment
Traditional treatment can pathologize normal behaviors of adolescence, thereby reinforcing stigma and existing low self-esteem.
Filter - May 18, 2023
National State/Local Studies/Research Opinion Reviews Comments
Books and Movies
Filmmaker Mike Hyzy Sheds Light on the Opioid Crisis in "Prevention Through Engagement"
Acclaimed filmmaker and author Mike Hyzy announces the release of his latest documentary, "PreventionThroughEngagement," a compelling exploration of the opioid crisis and the transformative power of community-focused solutions. The film is an expose and a compelling exploration of the opioid crisis and the transformative power of community-focused solutions.
KTLA - June 5, 2023
National State/Local Studies/Research Opinion Reviews Comments