The Wednesday Weekly - Addiction + Recovery News, December 29, 2021
The Wednesday Weekly is a collaboration of Sober Linings Playbook and Recovery in the Middle Ages Podcast.
Highlights
National
DOJ cracks down on fraud in SoCal treatment industry | Tips for a successful Dry January | Reconsidering the role of alcohol in the scientific workplace | Why judge rejected Sackler Settlement
State and Local
Fentanyl in the headlines in California, Idaho, New Mexico and Wisconsin
Studies/Research in the News
How exercise may affect alcohol consumption | Heaviest drinker in the animal kingdom? Consider the hamster | Do women have different drinking ‘triggers’? | ‘No Time to Die’? Scientists ponder health implications of James Bond’s behavior
Opinion
Dr. Carder Stout: Why we’re all addicts | Where will we draw the line on harm reduction?
Reviews
Book Review: ‘Love or Die Trying’
Podcasts
Author Duff McDonald on Rehab Confidential | Buddhist recovery on Flourishing After Addiction
Legislation
Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment Act (MAT Act H.R. 1384 / S. 445)
Add a Comment
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National State/Local Studies/Research Opinion Reviews Podcasts Leg/Advocacy Comments
National
Dry January Is Approaching Soon! We’re Giving You All the Tips on How to Get Started
MSN Health - Dec. 27, 2021
Richard Osman reveals ‘difficult journey’ with food addiction
The Pointless presenter Richard Osman has revealed he suffers from a lifelong food addiction, but is endeavouring to destigmatise the shame surrounding the affliction.
The Guardian - Dec. 26, 2021
What happens when you do drugs: rehabilitating addicts share dark tales, warn Hongkongers to beware amid Christmas merrymaking
From toilet woes to broken families and dreams, four long-time drug addicts sound a sober warning to young thrill-seekers. Number of drug users aged under 21 in first three-quarters of year surged nearly 80 per cent from same period in 2020.
South China Morning Post - Dec. 25, 2021
Why a judge rejected a settlement with the Sackler family for their role in opioid crisis
Last week, a federal judge overturned a $4.5 billion settlement that had been reached between the company, the Sacklers and local governments.
PBS News Hour - Dec. 24, 2021
California dad who lost daughter to fentanyl poisoning sends message to Biden: 'Mr. President, where are you?’
A California man whose 19-year-old daughter was killed by fentanyl-laced opioids called out President Biden Friday for not doing enough to combat drugs coming across the U.S.-Mexico border.
Fox News - Dec. 24, 2021
Killed by a pill bought on social media: the counterfeit drugs poisoning US teens
Accidental deaths soar among young people amid a proliferation of fentanyl-filled pharmaceuticals sold on platforms such as Snapchat and Instagram.
The Guardian - Dec. 23, 2021
Considering a Dry January? How to Embrace Mindful Drinking
Dry January offers your body and mind a chance to reset and reflect after the seasonal bloat and weariness.
NY Times - Dec. 23, 2021
DOJ Crackdown on Addiction Recovery Kickback Schemes: “Unconscionable” – Southern California Sober Home Owners and Patient Recruiters’ Toxic Game
Patient headhunting has no place in the addiction recovery process. As part of the Sober Homes Initiative in the past several months, the United States Department of Justice has pursued criminal charges against 10 addiction recovery facility owners and patient recruiters in Southern California.
National Law Review - Dec. 23, 2021
How Long Does Alcohol Stays in Your System? A Doctor Explains
Both the short-term and long-term effects of drinking too much are likely enough to make you want to get your habits in check and get a better handle on what your limits are or should be. Here, a physician breaks down the alcohol metabolism process and how booze can be detected in your body.
Men’s Health - Dec. 22, 2021
Vincent Jackson died from chronic alcohol use, medical examiner says
The Hillsborough County (Florida) Medical Examiner said Wednesday that former NFL wide receiver Vincent Jackson died from chronic alcohol use and that the manner of his February death was "natural."
ESPN - Dec. 22, 2021
Gordon Ramsay’s daughter marks a year of sobriety: ‘Alcohol and antidepressants do not mix well’
Holly Ramsay has celebrated a year of sobriety in a new Instagram post. On Tuesday, the 21-year-old daughter of TV chef Gordon Ramsay shared a long note on Instagram explaining how far she has come. “I chose to take a break from alcohol because it wasn’t improving my mental health - which for me, comes first.” The podcast host went on to say that alcohol and antidepressants “do not mix well at all”.
UK Style - Dec. 22, 2021
Mexican cartels turning to meth and fentanyl production
Mexican drug cartels are turning to bigger, more productive labs to churn out increasing quantities of synthetic drugs like meth and fentanyl, according to seizure figures issued Monday by the country's Defense Department.
NPR - Dec. 21, 2021
As COVID fueled the drug crisis, Native Americans hit worst
As the pandemic ravaged the country, deaths from drug overdoses surged by nearly 30%, climbing to a record high. The drug crisis also diversified from an overwhelmingly white affliction to killing people of color with staggering speed. The death rate last year was highest among Native Americans, for whom COVID-19 piled yet more despair on communities already confronting generations of trauma, poverty, unemployment and underfunded health systems.
SFGate - Dec. 21, 2021
Does Miranda have a drinking problem on 'And Just Like That...'? Experts weigh in
There is something concerning happening to Miranda Hobbes, one of the “Sex and the City” characters whose story continues in the HBO sequel series, “And Just Like That…” The no-nonsense lawyer, mom and now master’s degree student in her 50s — played by actress Cynthia Nixon — seems to be drinking alcohol a lot, and often during inappropriate moments.
Today - Dec. 21, 2021
Reconsidering the role of alcohol in the scientific workplace
Some societies and event organizers are rethinking their alcohol policies in a bid to be more inclusive.
Nature - Dec. 20, 2021
Permanent Pay, Originating Site Policies Boost Access to Virtual Addiction Services
By making temporary reimbursement and site-originating policies permanent, legislators could help increase access to virtual opioid use disorder treatment, according to a new report. Lawmakers have the power to solidify access to virtual opioid use disorder treatment by introducing policies that ensure reimbursement parity, solidify audio-only telehealth coverage, and expand the list of eligible originating sites, according to an issue brief from the Pew Charitable Trusts.
mHeatlh Intelligence - Dec. 20, 2021
National State and Local Studies in the News Opinion Reviews Podcasts Leg/Advocacy Comments
State / Local
West Virginia: Meth brings sea change in addiction treatment, law enforcement in SW VA
“From all accounts everywhere, meth is more affordable and available. It’s highly addictive and it causes brain damage with extended use. Meth causes such a higher level of dopamine release in the brain than do opioids, and that’s a key driver in its addiction potential. We don’t have good treatment options for meth abuse.”
Times News - Dec. 28, 2021
2 UW-Milwaukee students die from drug overdoses involving fentanyl
With Wisconsin and the nation facing a record number of overdose deaths — many involving illicit, highly lethal amounts of the opioid fentanyl mixed into other drugs, often without users knowing it — parents of the two students say college campuses need to sound the alarm.
Wisconsin State Journal - Dec. 23, 2021
Idaho: Alarming rise in North Idaho fentanyl deaths
Counterfeit prescription pills are killing North Idaho residents at an alarming rate, as reported by our news partner, Coeur d'Alene Press. In a year, the death toll from fentanyl-laced pills has doubled. “Our citizens are dying from this drug,” Idaho State Police Capt. John Kempf told Kootenai County commissioners this week. “These aren’t suicides. These aren’t intentional overdoses.”
KREM2 - Dec. 23, 2021
Oklahoma taking action to fight addiction
Oklahoma addiction specialists are finding that meth overdoses have gone up 10 fold in the last 10 years, and the types of drugs making the rounds are getting stronger. Now, the state is using old and new tactics to hopefully prevent more people from developing an addiction.
KTUL - Dec. 22, 2021
Mississippi prison may become addiction treatment facility for inmates
If Mississippi Corrections Commissioner Burl Cain has his way, a shuttered prison will become a haven of hope for addicted inmates — and a hell for inmates that prey on others.
Clarion Ledger - Dec. 22, 2021
Ohio changes its homebrew liquor laws, lowers age to serve alcohol
Ohio changed a whole bunch of new rules for brewing, serving and selling alcohol. Gov. Mike DeWine signed Senate Bill 102 Wednesday, a liquor reform bill that changed everything from the legal age for serving alcohol to the number of signatures needed to get a Sunday sales question on the ballot.
Columbus Dispatch - Dec. 22, 2021
New Mexico: Fentanyl, a Game of ‘Russian Roulette’ for New Mexicans
Last year, the New Mexico Department of Health recorded 304 fentanyl overdose deaths between January and November, a 135% increase over 2019. From 2018 to 2019 officials had tallied a 93% jump, from 67 to 129, in fentanyl overdose deaths as 74% of overdose deaths in the state involved opioids. The steep rise saw fentanyl-related overdose deaths catch up to meth overdoses, the largest contributor, for the first time.
U.S. News and World Report - Dec. 21, 2021
California: ‘It’s shattering’: How the DA’s office is responding to rise in fentanyl deaths in Yolo County
Yolo county's top cop is working with local agencies to treat every fentanyl overdose or poisoning call as a crime scene. Like other DA offices in the country, Yolo County prosecutors introduced harsher penalties for those dealing drugs this year. When someone is convicted of trafficking drugs during their sentencing hearing, they are advised by the DA's office that a repeat offense could result in prosecution for manslaughter or murder.
KCRA - Dec. 21, 2021
National State/Local Studies/Research Opinion Reviews Podcasts Leg/Advocacy Comments
Studies/Research in the News
The Heaviest Drinker in the Animal Kingdom
The heaviest drinkers in the animal kingdom are punier than you might expect. Elephants, for example, are massive, but they are relative lightweights—they lack a gene for alcohol metabolism. Humans actually rank pretty highly, thanks to our ancestors’ propensity for picking fermented fruit off the ground. But to find the real champs, you have to think smaller. Think hoarder. Think hamster.
The Atlantic - Dec. 26, 2021
James Bond would have died from STIs, food poisoning and alcohol, study shows
Britain's most famous secret agent James Bond would have died several times over in real life due to a multitude of job-related risks, a new study shows. Researchers have analysed all 25 of the James Bond films made by Eon Productions, starting from 1962's 'Dr No' up to 2021's 'No Time to Die'. In particular, they looked at whether the fictional agent 'adhered to international travel advice' during the 86 international journeys he made over the course of the films.
UK Daily Mail - Dec. 25, 2021
What makes women drink more alcohol than men?
"If we want to help women, we can’t continue to use men-based models for medical research." Stress, researchers found, is a much more significant trigger for women in the context of excessive alcohol consumption than for men. Men in general are more likely to develop a drinking problem than women, but researchers say the gender gap is narrowing, and women are more likely to develop diseases due to excessive alcohol consumption.
The Jerusalem Post - Dec. 25, 2021
25% of Arkansans’ yearly alcohol intake takes place over the holiday season, survey reveals
A survey by detox.net discovered that the average Arkansan consumes 25% of their overall alcohol intake for the entire year during the end-of-year holiday season, beginning on Thanksgiving (compared to a national average of 29%).
ArkLaTex - Dec. 24, 2021
How Exercise May Affect Our Alcohol Consumption
People who work out regularly and are aerobically fit tend to guzzle a surprising amount of alcohol, according to a new study, well timed for the holidays, of the interplay between fitness, exercise and imbibing.
New York Times - Dec. 22, 2021
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Shows Promise for Alcohol Addiction
Deep, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is safe and effective in decreasing symptoms of alcohol addiction and brain reactivity, new research suggests.
Mecscape -Dec. 22, 2021
Changes in the brain hinder addiction recovery in people who are HIV-positive
Researchers with the Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience at the University of Rochester are studying how the brain puts the 'brakes' on behavior. That may be different in individuals recovering from cocaine addiction and who are also HIV-positive.
Technology Networks - Dec. 21, 2021
Addiction relapse driven by drug-seeking habit, not just drug
Why are some individuals able to use recreational drugs in a controlled way, whereas others switch to the compulsive, relapsing drug-seeking and -taking habits that characterize substance use disorder (SUD)? A new study in rats has identified the maladaptive nature of drug-seeking habits and how they contribute to the perpetuation of addiction by promoting the tendency to relapse.
Science Daily - Dec. 17, 2021
National State/Local Studies/Research Opinion Reviews Podcasts Leg/Advocacy Comments
Opinion
The hardest part of being sober is explaining it to you. Here’s why you shouldn’t ask.
I’ve never had a drink of alcohol. Ever. People have strong reactions to that during this season of toasting. This year’s responses could be different, given the pandemic, the rising drinking rates and changes in alcohol consumption. People everywhere are evaluating their relationship to drinking. Still, every year, I anticipate regurgitating all the reasons I’m raising a glass of something different.
The Washington Post - Dec. 27, 2021
The Sacklers should pay dearly, but will they?
In tossing out OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma's bankruptcy settlement, U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon opened the possibility that the Sackler family could be held financially liable for its drug-pushing schemes. Unfortunately, it could also lead to another outcome. Purdue Pharma could be dissolved via bankruptcy, leaving many plaintiffs largely uncompensated, while the Sacklers remain out of reach.
The Day - Dec. 25, 2021
The Pope reflects on relationships in pandemic times in his traditional Christmas address
Pope Francis has dedicated a large part of his traditional Christmas message on Saturday to reflect on the pandemic and its impact on relationships. Speaking from the balcony overlooking St. Peter's Square in the Vatican, the Pontiff called the pandemic a "complex crisis" that has tested social relationships and increased tendencies of withdrawal. "Our capacity for social relationships is sorely tired," Francis told the people in the square as well as the millions of Catholics watching the address from around the world. "There is a growing tendency to withdraw, to do it all by ourselves, to stop making an effort to encounter others and do things together," he added.
CNN - Dec. 25, 2021
Why We're All Addicts
While these are the people society has characterized as true addicts, we often overlook a simple fact—that we may be addicts ourselves. Much like other psychological issues, addiction manifests in varying degrees of severity. Some individuals may be overcome by its powerful current while others may experience it more subtly, like a plodding drip. You may be unaware of your addictive tendencies or simply brush them off as non-threatening character flaws.
Goop - Dec. 23, 2021
A $13M penalty for not banning open alcohol containers
If politicians and top government officials love handing out money for public projects, the $1.2 trillion federal infrastructure bill is Christmas on top of Christmas. But wait, there’s something amiss! It’s a $13 million penalty, assessed by the Federal Highway Administration for a violation — Connecticut’s failure to ban open alcoholic beverage containers in cars.
CT Insider - Dec. 22, 2021
Don't forget the opioid epidemic as we battle COVID-19 pandemic
Between April 2020 and April 2021, drugs – mostly synthetic opioids such as fentanyl – took the lives of more than 100,000 of our sons and daughters, loved ones and neighbors, community members and friends. America’s other epidemic – our addiction epidemic – is not confined to a particular subset of our population. No, the plague of drug overdose deaths does not discriminate. It’s wealthy and poor. It’s Black and white. It’s rural and urban. It’s north, south, east and west. It’s red and it’s blue.
USA Today - Dec. 22, 2021
'Harm reduction' for drug use is here, but where do we draw the line?
Early this month, Dr. Rahul Gupta, the director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) - colloquially known as the "drug czar" - provided strong support for a category of drug policy strategies known as harm reduction. As the drug crisis worsens, we must be willing to consider alternative approaches, including some evidence-based harm reduction measures.
The Hill - Dec. 21, 2021
Hollis Lewis: WV must focus on addiction prevention in 2022
West Virginia’s biggest issue is our state’s prevailing drug problem. Much of the response to our current drug pandemic is an increasing focus on treatment and rehabilitation. While these efforts must continue, long-term solutions should be considered to ensure we do not have another generation suffering from addiction.
Charleston Gazette Mail - Dec. 21, 2021
Reviews
Book review: ‘Love or Die Trying: How I Lost It All, Died, and Came Back for Love’ - How the most connected man in Toronto came back from death
Bob Ramsay's memoir explains how he survived a brush with death–for love. The communications professional writes opinion pieces for media outlets and speeches for CEOs, and runs a speakers’ series that regularly presents thinkers from Niall Ferguson to Malcolm Gladwell. Husband to prominent MAiD (medical assistance in dying) physician Jean Marmoreo, Ramsay is also author of the arresting memoir Love or Die Trying: How I Lost It All, Died, and Came Back for Love.
In it he writes about his Edmonton childhood, the cocaine addiction that destroyed his business and upended his life at age 40, how his relationship with Marmoreo began in soul-baring phone conversations from an Atlanta treatment centre, and their transformed life together afterwards—mountain climbing, marathon running and circumnavigating Manhattan Island by kayak in 2019, when Ramsay was 70 and Marmoreo, 77.
Maclean’s - Dec. 22, 2021
National State/Local Studies/Research Opinion Reviews Podcasts Leg/Advocacy Comments
Podcasts: The Weekly Roundup
This Naked Mind Podcast – What I Wish I Knew Before My First Drink - The Thief of Joy
In the second episode of a 4-part series, Annie talks about the process the brain naturally follows to stay in balance and how alcohol disrupts it. In an effort to kick alcohol out of the body, it also leaves you with moments of stolen joy. The joy you thought you were experiencing from drinking in the first place. Tune in to find out how.
Recovery in the Middle Ages – RMA Holiday Spectacular! Monksters Call In and We Discuss the Pain of Holiday “Joy”
Merry NatXmas! It’s the RMA holiday special! This week we play listener voice-mails, share some holiday cheer and get in tune with the spirit of the season. There’s music, laughter and poetry coming your way. Happy holidays to all.
Rehab Confidential – Duff McDonald, Journalist and Author
Joe and Amy welcome back journalist and writer Duff McDonald to talk about his new book “Tickled: A Common Sense Guide to the Present Moment”, a radical departure from his 5 previous books. Duff describes his wild epiphany during the pandemic which taught him to live in the present moment. We talk sobriety, why it’s so difficult to tolerate uncertainty, and his practical way of living in the now.
Flourishing After Addiction with Carl Erik Fisher, M.D. – Buddhist recovery, lovingkindness, and feeling comfortable in your own skin, with Buddhist teacher Gary Sanders
Gary is a Buddhist teacher, person in recovery, and a joyful and energizing presence. As we discuss, he has had to practice deeply to get there. After an emotionally and physically abusive childhood, Gary was caught up in addiction, then embarked on a long road of exploring different mutual help approaches to recovery. We discuss his path, his meditation practice, psychedelics, and how he needed more than extraordinary states of consciousness as part of his recovery. We also talk at length about metta (lovingkindness), and how lovingkindness practices were a central part of his recovery from addiction and trauma. I found our conversation calming and inspiring, and I hope you do too.
Dopey – Dopey Christmas Special ‘21
This week on Dopey! It’s Christmastime once again and we have scoured the globe to bring you the Dopiest Christmas Show ever! Featuring old friends: Erin Khar, Skinny Vinny, and Jessica Kent and introducing our newest member of the Dopey Family - Ray the Clammer straight out of Eastern Long Island! Expect tons of debauchery, drug dealing, blow job machines, heroin withdrawal, homemade laudenum and so much more!!! So settle in, roast some chestnuts and fire up the vape and celebrate the season with your Dopey Family on this yule tide Dopey Special!
The Addicted Mind Podcast - Transferring Your Grit From Addiction to Your Recovery with Mike Grant
On today’s episode, Duane speaks with Mike Grant about his recovery story and how he used running as a tool to help him through his recovery process. Mike currently works in the health care system as a licensed clinical social worker. He primarily works with people stuck in addiction. He’s an alcohol and drug counselor and the author of (Re)Making A Sandwich: An Addiction Case Study. As a lover of ultra marathons, Mike started a local running club for people in recovery and they have organized runs and done races together.
National State/Local Studies/Research Opinion Reviews Podcasts Leg/Advocacy Comments
Legislation
Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment Act (MAT Act, H.R. 1384 / S. 445)
Currently in the House, the Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment (MAT) Act would provide greater buprenorphine access by removing the ‘x-waiver’ and launch a national educational campaign on best practices for treating SUD, a type of registration that allows providers to treat patients with OUD using buprenorphine. Faces & Voices is a confident supporter of the MAT Act. Read the MAT Act Fact Sheet and stay tuned for upcoming actions.
Faces and Voices of Recovery Fact Sheet