The Wednesday Weekly - Addiction + Recovery News, December 15, 2021
The Wednesday Weekly is a collaboration of Sober Linings Playbook and Recovery in the Middle Ages Podcast.
Highlights
(Inter)National
The Met removes Sackler name | Civil War medicine linked to first U.S. opioid crisis | Drew Barrymore discusses two years of sobriety
State and Local
$200 million settlement in NY opioid case | Tennessee counties sue McKinsey over consulting firm’s role in opioid epidemic
Studies/Research in the News
Nonfatal opioid overdoses can change the brain | Rate of opioid overdoses increasing among Black Americans
Opinion
Are the courts the forum for effectively addressing the opioid crisis? | UK’s ‘tough on crime’ drug strategy
Reviews
Rolling Stone says Mary Gauthier’s ‘Saved by a Song’ is a Must-Read | 12 best movies that deal frankly with recovery and addiction
Podcasts
On Rehab Confidential, Matt Escobas discusses stigma-free employee mental health and SUD programs at Fors Marsh | Dr. Jay Van Bavel (‘The Power of Us”) on Flourishing After Addiction | Mackenzie Phillips on Dopey
Legislation
Opioid Danger Awareness Act | Opioid Treatment Access Act | Halt All Lethal Trafficking of (HALT) Fentanyl Act
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National State/Local Studies/Research Opinion Reviews Podcasts Leg/Advocacy Comments
(Inter)National
Russell Brand Celebrates 19 Years of Sobriety After Heroin Addiction
The comedian and actor had been addicted to heroin before quitting the drug, along with alcohol, in 2002.
People - Dec. 14, 2021
Outpatient programs make addiction treatment more accessible, affordable
Where can people turn when they’re ready to recover? Outpatient addiction treatment is a solution that fits into everyday life and is often covered by insurance.
Yahoo! News - Dec. 13, 2021
Meet an ex-crack addict marathon runner — and more extremists
When it came to smoking crack, Charlie Engle was the best. He was pretty good at drinking, too. It was only in his late twenties that he finally managed to quit and took up ultrarunning instead.
New York Post - Dec. 11, 2021
Metropolitan Museum of Art axes Sackler name amid anger over opioid crisis
The Metropolitan Museum of Art is dropping the Sackler name from seven exhibition spaces amid growing outrage over the role the family may have played in the opioid crisis.
Los Angeles Times - Dec. 10, 2021
Patrick Radden Keefe: An Astounding List of Artists Helped Persuade the Met to Remove the Sackler Name
Richard Serra, Kara Walker, and Ai Weiwei were among a group of more than seventy that quietly pressured the museum to end its association with the family that made a fortune on the opioid crisis.
New Yorker - Dec. 10, 2021
Lesson of the Day: ‘Overdose Deaths Reached Record High as the Pandemic Spread’
In this lesson, you will learn more about what recent research has revealed about overdoses in the United States and what people think should be done to address this public health crisis. Then, you will discuss your solutions to address this situation. Note to teachers: Since this lesson deals with a sensitive topic, please preview it and the articles to make sure they are appropriate for your students.
New York Times - Dec. 10, 2021
Drew Barrymore Says She's Been Sober for Over 2 Years
Drew Barrymore says she's been on a sobriety journey for the last few years, and decided to speak openly about it after interviewing Machine Gun Kelly about mental health during a recent episode of "The Drew Barrymore Show."
Insider - Dec. 10, 2021
Man recovering from addiction lost 203 pounds to become an ultra-marathoner
Just five years ago, ultra-marathoner Shawn Eckert said he was 446 lbs and couldn't even bend over to tie his shoes. The 41-year-old told Insider he was once addicted to cocaine, Xanax, and psychedelic mushrooms, and at his lowest, he couldn't even make it to mid-day without drinking alcohol.
Insider - Dec. 10, 2021
Bam Margera Lashes out at 'Jackass' Again With Blame for Addiction Battles
Jackass star Bam Margera is calling out his former co-stars again, this time throwing some blame on them for his addiction issues.
Popculture.com - Dec. 10, 2021
Former opioid addict who inspired film 'Four Good Days': 'I lost everything' but 'recovery is possible'
Former opioid addict Amanda Wendler, who is the inspiration behind the 2020 film "Four Good Days," joined "America's Newsroom" on Wednesday to discuss her road to recovery, advocating that addicts can recover and live normal lives.
Fox News - Dec. 9, 2021
Biden administration drug czar says it's time to treat drug addiction like a chronic disease
The White House on Wednesday announced a new push to encourage harm reduction measures that make illicit drug use safer. Its supplying $30 million in grants for services such syringe exchanges and naloxone, the opioid overdose antidote. The announcement is part of the Biden administration's strategy to focus on harm reduction efforts, a priority announced in the spring. This administration is the first to so openly embrace this approach. But it comes as the country's overdose crisis has already become dire.
CNN - Dec. 8, 2021
‘It’s a different beast’: US fentanyl deaths will rise, warns Narcan developer
Deaths from fentanyl will continue to rise and overdoses may be increasingly difficult to battle in the US, said Roger Crystal, who helped develop Narcan nasal spray, an easy-to-use medication that reverses overdoses.
The Guardian - Dec. 8, 2021
New Zealand to ban smoking for next generation in bid to outlaw habit by 2025
New Zealand has announced it will outlaw smoking for the next generation, so that those who are aged 14 and under today will never be legally able to buy tobacco. New legislation means the legal smoking age will increase every year, to create a smoke-free generation of New Zealanders, associate health minister Dr Ayesha Verrall said on Thursday.
The Guardian - Dec. 8, 2021
How Civil War Medicine Led to America's First Opioid Crisis
During the Civil War, military hospitals considered opioids to be essential medicine. Some soldiers developed opioid addictions, either during the war or afterward when they sought medical treatment for wartime injuries or illnesses.
History.com - Dec. 7, 2021
Bident’s big decision on the opioid crisis and safe injection sites (overdose prevention programs)
In the coming weeks, a lingering Trump administration case against a proposed Philadelphia safe injection site called Safehouse could force the Biden administration to decide whether it is willing to quietly condone the practice.
Politico - Dec. 7, 2021
Shatterproof Hospitality Heroes honors Wyndham's Geoff Ballotti
Shatterproof, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to reversing the addiction crisis in the United States, will host its fourth annual Shatterproof Hospitality Heroes Reception to honor Geoff Ballotti, president and CEO, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, who has been an integral part of uniting the leaders of the hospitality industry to come together to raise awareness and shatter the stigma of addiction. Studies have shown the hospitality industry is impacted by addiction at two times the rate of other industries, so Shatterproof's mission is particularly relevant.
Hotel Management - Dec. 13, 2021
National State and Local Studies in the News Opinion Reviews Podcasts Leg/Advocacy Comments
State / Local
‘Be Well Texas,' New Virtual Program For Addiction Recovery, Launches
A new statewide addiction medicine treatment option, Be Well Texas, has launched virtual services for those seeking recovery from substance use disorders and mental health challenges. In partnership with UT Health San Antonio, services are delivered under the supervision of board-certified physicians in addiction medicine and psychiatry.
NBC5 Dallas-Fort Worth - Dec. 13, 2021
North Dakota adds funds for addiction treatment programs in underserved areas
The state of North Dakota has $5 million in grants available to help establish up to four addiction treatment programs in underserved rural areas of the state.
Grand Forks Herald - Dec. 11, 2021
Michigan: Man Who Helped Inmates Game Prison Drug Program Gets 6 Years
A Michigan man has been sentenced to six years in prison for coaching federal inmates with no addiction problems on how to lie their way into a drug and alcohol treatment program that could shave up to a year off their sentences.
U.S. News and World Report - Dec. 10, 2021
Ohio: Moving company giving those recovering from addiction second chances
As those who struggle with addiction recover, many say the hardest thing to find once sober is a job. A nationwide company, Big Blue Moving, trying to turn that trend around is really on the move.
Cincinnati Local 12 - Dec. 10, 2021
Drug Company Settles with N.Y. for $200 Million in Sprawling Opioid Case
Allergan, a large pharmaceutical manufacturer, has agreed to pay $200 million in a settlement reached just before closing arguments began in a monthslong opioid trial in New York, the state’s attorney general announced on Wednesday.
New York Times - Dec. 9, 2021
New York: Teva, affiliates ignored safety to boost opioid sales, jury told
Lawyers for New York and one of its counties on Thursday urged jurors to find Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Inc liable for fueling opioid addiction in the state, saying the company and its affiliates pushed the drugs for off-label use and failed to monitor suspicious orders.
Reuters - Dec. 9, 2021
North Carolina: Henderson County receives $300K from Dogwood Health Trust to fight opioid crisis
Henderson County has accepted $300,000 in funding from the Dogwood Health Trust to help fight and further examine the local opioid epidemic. The Board of Commissioners approved the grant agreement on Monday. The money will go toward planning objectives for opioid litigation settlement funds, identifying gaps in services within the community, and providing training.
Blue Ridge Now - Dec. 9, 2021
Tennessee counties file suit against McKinsey consulting firm over its role in the opioid crisis
In a coordinated legal strategy, seven counties in east Tennessee and five counties plus one city in west Tennessee have filed separate lawsuits against consulting firm McKinsey & Co. over its involvement in the opioid crisis.
Tennessee Lookout - Dec. 9, 2021
New York: AbbVie settles New York opioid case for $200 million as trial winds down
AbbVie Inc agreed to pay $200 million to settle claims by New York that its Allergan unit helped fuel an epidemic of opioid addiction in the state, shortly before jurors heard closing arguments from remaining defendant Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd in a trial that has lasted more than five months.
Reuters - Dec. 8, 2021
Ohio: NaloxBox to help prevent overdoses in libraries and community centers
Libraries and community centers in Columbus are hoping that wall-mounted resuscitation stations called the NaloxBox will help prevent overdose deaths.
Columbus Dispatch - Dec. 8, 2021
Pennsylvania: Senate Democratic panel takes up improving Pa. treatment centers amid rising overdose deaths
‘Some treatment centers and recovery homes are wonderful while others are predatory,’ Heather Arata testified before the Senate Democratic Policy Committee during a public hearing on improving drug treatment centers in Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania Capital Star - Dec. 7, 2021
New Mexico to join nationwide opioid settlement with drug distributors
New Mexico has agreed to join a proposed nationwide settlement worth up to $21 billion resolving claims that the three largest U.S. drug distributors fueled a deadly opioid epidemic, the state's attorney general said on Tuesday.
Reuters - Dec. 7, 2021
Indiana: Press Release: Duke Energy provides $255,000 to address addiction, mental health needs in Indiana communities
The Duke Energy Foundation today awarded nine grants totaling $255,000 to programs that help Indiana communities grappling with mental health and substance abuse needs.
Duke Energy - Dec. 6, 2021
National State/Local Studies/Research Opinion Reviews Podcasts Leg/Advocacy Comments
Studies/Research in the News
Addiction-Proof Neurons Power Motivation in the Brain: Findings may point to new therapies for mental illness
A characteristic of depression is a lack of motivation. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) Professor Bo Li, in collaboration with CSHL Adjunct Professor Z. Josh Huang, discovered a group of neurons in the mouse brain that influences the animal’s motivation to perform tasks for rewards. Dialing up the activity of these neurons makes a mouse work faster or more vigorously—up to a point. These neurons have a feature that prevents the mouse from becoming addicted to the reward. The findings may point to new therapeutic strategies for treating mental illnesses like depression that affect motivation in humans.
Technology Networks - Dec. 10, 2021
Louisiana Addiction Research Center gains full approval from LSU Board
The Louisiana Board of Supervisors approved the Louisiana Addiction Research Center on LSU’s Shreveport campus Friday. “The mission of the (Louisiana Addiction Research Center) is to provide addiction research and education in an integrated environment pursuing the latest in innovative approaches,” LSU Interim VP and Provost Matt Lee said to the board. North Louisiana has some of the highest per capita rates of methamphetamine — commonly known as meth — use in the United States, Lee said.
Louisiana Illuminator - Dec. 10, 2021
Repeated opioid overdoses can change the brain, Drexel study suggests
Nonfatal opioid overdoses tend to be overlooked amid a crisis that killed more than 100,000 Americans last year. But people who survive overdoses are still at risk for health complications, including neurodegenerative issues, a new review from Drexel University researchers has found.
Philadelphia Inquirer - Dec. 9, 2021
Why Prescription Opioids Aren’t Only a Problem for White Americans
Media and pop culture often portray prescription opioid addiction in the U.S. as a scourge of white communities. But recent data suggest a changing reality. While white Americans were more likely than Black Americans to die from overdoses in 2019, the rate of opioid overdose deaths rose 38% among Black Americans from 2018 to 2019, according to a recent study of hard-hit communities in four states published in the American Journal of Public Health.
Time - Dec. 8, 2021
New Opioids Called Nitazenes May Be 20 Times Stronger Than Fentanyl
A potent synthetic opioid class called nitazenes has been discovered after people overdosed on them. The nitazene class of medication was created over 60 years ago as a potential pain-relief medication, according to the WHOTrusted Source. Medical experts say this opioid may be up to 20 times more powerful than fentanyl.
Healthline - Dec. 8, 2021
U.S. Government Will Test Ibogaine Derivative As An Addiction Treatment
Massachusetts-based Delix Therapeutics, a startup trying to turn non-psychedelic analogs of powerful hallucinogens into medicines to treat psychiatric and neurological conditions, will be working with the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) to test its patented version of ibogaine as a potential treatment for a range of substance-use disorders.
Forbes - Dec. 7, 2021
National State/Local Studies/Research Opinion Reviews Podcasts Leg/Advocacy Comments
Opinion
Raising the White Flag on Addiction
The proliferation of Narcan vending machines throughout Philadelphia suggests a surrender to drug addiction, not treatment of it.
City Journal - Dec. 14, 2021
On Opioids, Why Are Lawyers Doing the Work of Lawmakers?
As the Oklahoma judges themselves put it last month, “Regulation of prescription opioids belongs to federal and state legislatures and their agencies.” In the end, the plaintiffs’ lawyers are stepping into a regulatory void. So long as that remains the case, money will continue to change hands between companies and plaintiffs, but the underlying problems will remain unsolved.
New York Times - Dec. 11, 2021
Our Opinion: Life-saving moves amid opioid crisis
Earlier this year, The Eagle editorial board called for first responders across Massachusetts to carry naloxone as a mitigating measure against an opioid-spiked addiction crisis. We are glad to see some progress in the adoption of this critical harm-reduction measure here in the Berkshires.
The Berkshire Eagle - Dec. 11, 2021
Cumulative acts of kindness led her out of addiction and into ‘bottomless hope’ for others
A woman in the depths of addiction comes full circle with one of the countless people whose kindness eventually pulled her back to life.
Philadelphia Inquirer - Dec. 10, 2021
UK drugs strategy promises to be tough on criminals, but evidence shows this doesn't work
We should invest in research, provision of new treatments, and safe injecting rooms, writes David Nutt. The UK government’s proposed new drugs strategy claims to offer a “once in a generation” revolution in drug crime and addiction outcomes in England.
British Medical Journal - Dec. 10, 2021
UK: Can the government's drug strategy be tough on addiction as well as crime?
The government message is that the distinction between treating drugs as a criminal problem and a health problem is a false one: they believe it can be done at once.
Sky News - Dec. 6, 2021
National State/Local Studies/Research Opinion Reviews Podcasts Leg/Advocacy Comments
Reviews
Rolling Stone says Mary Gauthier’s ‘Saved by a Song’ is a Must-Read
“In recovery, they have this saying: ‘You’re only as sick as your secrets.’ And I have very few secrets,” Mary Gauthier says. The songwriter isn’t being dramatic. In songs like “I Drink” and “Mercy Now,” she wrote and sang openly about her struggles with alcohol and drug addiction. Yet somehow Gauthier proved herself to be even more transparent in Saved by a Song, a compelling memoir that dove into the nitty-gritty of the songwriting process and her own life story. Released earlier this year, it’s one of the must-read music books of 2021.
Rolling Stone - Dec. 10, 2021
Award-winning documentary 'Jacinta' screening in Bangor
"Jacinta" is an award-winning documentary that profiles a family caught in the grips of addiction and incarceration. Jacinta is both a daughter and a mother. The relationships in the movie are complex, and the story is powerful.
News Center Maine - Dec. 6, 2021
'Opioid Reckoning' calls out the Twelve Steps in an age of fentanyl
Macalester professor's new book is a provocative look at the limitations of today's treatment industry in the face of the modern opioid epidemic. The "reckoning" in Amy C. Sullivan's title stands for the collision between the polite traditions of getting sober in the 12 Steps and the need for ideology-free medical care in the face of a deadly scourge.
Grand Forks Herald - Dec. 4, 2021
12 of the Best Movies That Deal Frankly With Addiction and Recovery
Addiction and recovery are potent sources of drama, and are thus frequently portrayed in media. They’re also easy to get wrong: to veer into melodrama, or to reach for easy answers and unearned conclusions. Some movies, though, get things right—at least in part. These 12 movies aren’t perfect in their depictions, but they do shine a light on aspects of addiction and recovery that reflect real life, if not quite capturing it with 100 percent accuracy.
LifeHacker.com - Dec. 2, 2021
National State/Local Studies/Research Opinion Reviews Podcasts Leg/Advocacy Comments
Podcasts: The Weekly Roundup
Recovery in the Middle Ages – Extra! Extra! Recovery in the News - Get Smart with Erin Moore Crossover Episode
This week on RMA, Erin Moore returns to the podcast to discuss addiction, connection, alienation and Maia Szalavitz’s recent Op-Ed in the NY Times, Opioids Feel Like Love. That’s Why They’re Deadly in Tough Times. What is the relationship between our endogenous opiate system and social disconnection? Can connecting with other people really lower our propensity for addiction? Tune in to hear the discussion. Plus, Recovery in the News, The Week in Weird, Monksters Speak and a holiday themed life update, on a contented, stress-free, yet occasionally anhedonic episode of Recovery in the Middle Ages
Rehab Confidential – Matt Escobas, Director of Special Initiatives at Fors Marsh group
Joe and Amy talk to Matt Escobas, the Director of Special Initiatives at Fors Marsh group (FMG) a research firm developing shame and stigma-free mental health and SUD programs for their employees. Matt explains how it all works, the personal reasons that led him to develop it and what a B Corp is.
Flourishing After Addiction with Carl Erik Fisher, M.D. – Self-control, the science of social psychology, and “The Power of Us”
What happens when we define ourselves in terms of group memberships? How does culture and society affect our capacity for self-control and self-regulation? Why does the toxic binary of “us” versus “them” seem to be so powerful these days? How can we instead use our shared identities to improve our wellbeing and work toward harmony and flourishing? My guest for this episode of Flourishing After Addiction is Dr. Jay Van Bavel, a social psychology researcher who studies questions like this in his Social Identity and Morality Lab at NYU.
Dopey – Mackenzie Phillips! Fame, IV Cocaine, trauma, arrest, heroin, recovery
This week on Dopey! After near felonious persistence, Film and Television icon and drug addict extraordinaire Mackenzie Phillips calls into the show! We get a potent dose of honesty as McKenzie takes us on a wild tour of her storied past. The daughter of The Mommas and the Papa's architect and legendary junky, John Phillips, Mackenzie has seen it, done it, smoked it and shot it all. Appearing in the classic 70's film, American Graffiti, and then starring in Norman Lear's hit TV show, One Day at a Time. We hear the rise and fall of a true Dopey Legend. From sexual trauma, to arrests, recovery, relapse and back to recovery again. We are overjoyed to present a Dopey for the ages! This episode is Rated F for FIRE!!!!!!!!🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
The Addicted Mind Podcast - The Science of Addiction with Gill Tietz
On today’s episode of The Addicted Mind Podcast, Duane speaks with Gill Tietz, a biochemist and the host of the Sober Powered Podcast. Gill shares her alcohol addiction journey, the connection between our brain chemistry and addiction, and how she used her knowledge of science to achieve sobriety, change her way of thinking, and ultimately change her life.
National State/Local Studies/Research Opinion Reviews Podcasts Leg/Advocacy Comments
Legislation
Press Release: House Passes Congressman Kim’s Bill to Highlight Dangers of Synthetic Opioids
Today, the House of Representatives passed Congressman Andy Kim’s (D-NJ) Synthetic Opioid Danger Awareness Act, a bill to help raise awareness of the dangers of synthetic opioids. In November, the CDC announced that drug overdose deaths in the United States had surpassed 100,000 per year for the first time ever. Deaths due to opioids—mostly synthetic opioids like fentanyl—accounted for more than 75 percent of these deaths.
Office of Rep. Andy Kim - Dec. 8, 2021
Norcross Bill would increase access to and modernize opioid use disorder treatment
Today, U.S. Congressman Donald Norcross (D-NJ-01) announced the imminent introduction of the Opioid Treatment Access Act, innovative legislation that would increase access to and modernize the process of obtaining methadone to treat opioid use disorder (OUD).
Gloucester City News - Dec. 8, 2021
Griffith and Latta lead Halt Fentanyl Act
Today, Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) and Congressman Bob Latta (R-OH) introduced the Halt All Lethal Trafficking of (HALT) Fentanyl Act. Currently, fentanyl and fentanyl related substances temporarily fall under Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) due to a temporary scheduling order that runs through February 18th of 2022. Due to the increase in overdose deaths related to fentanyl and fentanyl related substances (FRS), this bill will address the permanent scheduling of fentanyl analogues in the schedule I category as well as grant researchers the ability to conduct studies on these substances.
U.S. House of Representatives - December 8, 2021