The Wednesday Weekly - Addiction + Recovery News, November 10, 2021
Highlights
National
As sober curious movement rises, brands take notice | Stigma of addiction remains pervasive
Special Section: Educating Doctors
The Hartford, Univ. of Iowa aim to educate doctors about addiction and stigma
State and Local
2021 fentanyl overdose deaths surpass homicides in Sacramento County | San Francisco ‘Street Overdose Response Teams’ working to stem tide of OD deaths | $112 million addiction treatment fraud in South Florida
Studies/Research in the News
Several new studies question claims about health benefits of alcohol | North Carolina State University finds 6 strategies alcoholics use to negotiate stigma of addiction
Opinion
NIDA’s Nora Volkow, MD, on the stigma of addiction | Author Ryan Hampton (‘American Fix’) on reimagining U.S. drug policy
Reviews
NPR sorts fact from fiction in ‘Dopesick’
Podcasts
Author Anne Lamott and son Sam on Heart of the Matter | RMA discusses Maia Szalavitz’s book ‘Unbroken Brain’ | Rehab Confidential interviews Dr. Anna Lembke (‘Dopamine Nation’)
Legislative Updates and Advocacy
Gov. Hochul signs bill allowing New Yorkers to direct personal income tax to fund SUD treatment and education
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National
DEA takes aggressive stance toward pharmacies trying to dispense addiction medicine
When Martin Njoku saw opioid addiction devastate his West Virginia community, he felt compelled to help. Njoku began dispensing buprenorphine at his Oak Hill Hometown Pharmacy in Fayette County. Buprenorphine, a controlled substance sold under the brand names Subutex and Suboxone, is a medication to treat opioid use disorder. Research shows it halves the risk of overdose and doubles people's chances of entering long-term recovery. But a few years later, the Drug Enforcement Administration raided Njoku's pharmacy and accused the facility of contributing to the opioid epidemic rather than curbing it.
NPR - Nov. 8, 2021
Cool girls don’t drink alcohol anymore: Where influencers are, brands will follow
American youths today just aren't as interested in drinking as their parents were. Tori Felder, Retired Party Girl's founder, said she felt unwelcome at traditional sobriety support groups. The recent wave of sober-curiosity hinges more on living comfortably around a culture steeped in alcohol when you're no longer imbibing. "If people can glamorize alcohol, then why can't we glamorize sobriety?" Felder said.
Business Insider - Nov. 6, 2021
Biden's outgoing acting drug czar: 'We face a steep climb to build the addiction infrastructure our nation needs'
Regina LaBelle, the former acting director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, is leaving her job at the White House on Friday following the recent confirmation of Dr. Rahul Gupta as drug czar, a source familiar told CNN. In a departure letter to stakeholders and staff obtained by CNN, LaBelle wrote that she's "heartened by the progress we've made to date but we face a steep climb to build the addiction structure our nation needs."
CNN - Nov. 4, 2021
Nick Stahl gets candid about drug and alcohol addiction: 'It's a horribly cliche child-actor story'
Nick Stahl is "grateful" to be alive. The Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines star is opening up to The Hollywood Reporter about his severe substance abuse problem that sidelined him from Hollywood for years.
Yahoo! - Nov. 4, 2021
Prosecutor: Henry Ruggs III Driving Over 150 MPH Before Fatal Crash
Former Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs III was driving at more than 150 mph with a blood-alcohol content twice Nevada’s legal limit before his sports car slammed into the rear of a vehicle that burned, killing a 23-year-old woman, a prosecutor said Wednesday.
Huffington Post - Nov. 3, 2021
100s Participate in Viral Video Campaign: Ending Addiction Stigma for 20 Million
A viral social media campaign is spreading to educate and end the stigma of addiction. Just days ago, a group of only 18 volunteers from Ascension Leadership Academy launched an “End the Stigma” awareness campaign using videos to educate the public on how words we use around addiction can lead those struggling to not seek treatment.
Minneapolis Star Tribune - Nov. 3, 2021
Stigma Around SUD Remains Pervasive Among Public—and Practitioners
More than three-quarters of Americans surveyed believe that substance use disorder is not a chronic medical illness and more than half said they believe SUD is caused by bad character or lack of moral strength, according to findings from the first publication from a research collaboration between Shatterproof, The Hartford, Ipsos, and researchers from Indiana University.
Psychiatry and Behavioral Health Learning Network - Nov. 2, 2021
Employees don’t want to work with someone with an addiction
According to a study by non-profit Shatterproof and insurance company The Hartford, 75% do not think addiction is a chronic disease and 53% believe addiction is caused by “bad character.”
Employee Benefits News - Nov. 1, 2021
National State and Local Studies in the News Opinion Reviews Podcasts Leg/Advocacy Comments
Special Section: Educating Doctors About Addiction
Reforming substance use curriculum in medical training can aid addiction treatment
I’ve been preparing for medical school, which as any other pre-med knows is quite a lot of preparation. Through all of my shadowing, MCAT practice and volunteering, I’ve yet to see anything covering treating patients with addiction. There is an apparent gap in the curriculum for medical students and a lack of holistic preparation for practicing physicians. The first step in combating this disparate system is to improve addiction education.
Daily Bruin - Nov. 6, 2021
Connecticut partnership aims to 'make a difference' in opioid crisis
The Hartford, one of the country’s largest providers of workers’ compensation and disability insurance, and the Yale School of Medicine have announced an initiative focused on improving training for the medical professionals who treat one of the groups most vulnerable to opioid dependence and addiction: injured workers, who are often prescribed potent drugs to manage their pain.
CT Insider - Nov. 6, 2021
Press Release: The Hartford Announces Pilot To Train Connecticut Medical Providers On Addiction, Pain Management, and Stigma
The Hartford, a leading workers’ compensation and disability insurer, announced a new partnership with the Yale Program in Addiction Medicine (Yale-PAM) to develop a training program focused on addiction, pain management, and stigma for Connecticut medical providers who treat injured workers.
The Hartford - Nov. 5, 2021
Univ. of Iowa Carver College of Medicine to begin addiction treatment curriculum
The University of Iowa’s Carver College of Medicine received a grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to further education on substance abuse and medicines used for addiction treatment (MATs).
KCRG - Nov. 4, 2021
State / Local
‘Medical, sterile and clean’: Nation’s first harm reduction center will likely open in Providence
Gov. Dan McKee signed off on legislation allowing for a two-year pilot program earlier this year, making Rhode Island the first state in the nation to authorize the so-called harm reduction centers. The R.I. Department of Health has already drafted regulations for these centers, which are based upon those from similar sites in other countries. While critics believe the facilities encourage drug use, RICARES Community Engagement Coordinator Selene Means said they can be the difference between life and death for those struggling with addiction.
WPRI.com - Nov. 5, 2021
Fentanyl killing more in Sacramento than homicide in 2021, county officials, DA say
Sacramento County officials continue to warn about a drastic increase in fentanyl deaths, overwhelmingly linked to counterfeit prescription pills that are either laced with the dangerous opioid or are just straight-up fentanyl. The county as of early November estimated 87 deaths this year from fentanyl, just one shy of the total for all of 2020, according to a news release from the Department of Health Services and the District Attorney’s Office. That’s up from 36 fentanyl deaths reported countywide in 2019, already a big increase from 14 in 2018.
Sacramento Bee - Nov. 5, 2021
Louisiana: Lafayette man arrested after bringing several drugs inside of local addiction center and giving them to other patients
On Thursday, November 4, 2021, West Monroe Police were dispatched to the New Day Recovery Center on the 1400 block of Natchitoches Street in reference to a drug investigation. Upon arrival, officers made contact with the complainant who advised officers that 27-year-old Parker Myles Richard snuck narcotics into the facility.
BRPRoud.com - Nov. 5, 2021
South Florida Addiction Treatment Facility Operators Convicted in $112 Million Addiction Treatment Fraud Scheme
After a seven-week trial, a federal jury in the Southern District of Florida convicted two operators of two South Florida addiction treatment facilities for fraudulently billing approximately $112 million for services that were never provided or were medically unnecessary, and for paying kickbacks to patients through patient recruiters, and receiving kickbacks from testing laboratories. One defendant was also convicted of money laundering, and of separate charges of bank fraud connected to Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans.
US Dept. of Justice News Release - Nov. 4, 2021
Press Release: Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, and NJSIAA Team Up to Educate Student-Athletes on Opioid Use and Addiction
The Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey (PDFNJ) and Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey will work together once again to bring their Knock Out Opioid Abuse initiative to the residents of New Jersey, this time with a focus on the health of student-athletes in collaboration with the NJSIAA (New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association).
PR Newswire - Nov. 4, 2021
San Francisco's new rapid response teams race to save lives as ODs dramatically rise
Faced with a stunning rise in drug overdose deaths the last few years, the vast majority tied to fentanyl, San Francisco has launched mobile teams made up of paramedics and nurses. The new Street Overdose Response Teams (SORT), a collaboration between the city's health and fire departments, aim to deliver a broad range of support and care directly following an overdose.
NPR - Nov. 3, 2021
Colorado voters to decide on raising marijuana sales tax
Colorado voters will decide in Tuesday’s election whether to raise the sales tax on marijuana to fund out-of-school programs, such as tutoring, technical skill training, mental health counseling and enrichment programs in the arts.
AP - Nov. 2, 2021
Michigan: Why the push to decriminalize psychedelics is growing in Michigan
Much like the wave of marijuana decriminalization that has swept the country in recent years, a growing number of cities and states are considering similar resolutions involving psychedelic substances.
PBS - Nov. 2, 2021
National State/Local Studies/Research Opinion Reviews Podcasts Leg/Advocacy Comments
Studies/Research in the News
New York University: Researchers find evidence of “immigrant paradox” among Latinx population—more acculturated immigrants more likely to drink alcohol
Among the Latinx population in the US, more acculturated immigrant youth are more likely to drink alcohol, concludes a team of New York University researchers in an analysis of more than 40 previous studies.
India Education Diary - Nov. 6, 2021
The odd glass of wine doesn't really benefit your health, new research suggests
It’s the story many of us love to read. The news that that slightly guilty pleasure, the thing we always assumed was a bit bad – the wine, the butter, the red meat – actually turns to out to be good for us. A newly published German study has blown a hole through the theory.
inews.co.uk - Nov. 6, 2021
Is moderate drinking really linked to a longer life?
A new study contradicts previous findings that link moderate alcohol consumption to health benefits and a longer life.
The researchers found that those who abstain from alcohol may have a higher mortality rate because of risky behaviors in which they engaged earlier in life. The study also shows that people who abstain from alcohol and who have no other risk factors, such as smoking or poor self-reported health, are not statistically more likely to die at an early age than those with low to moderate alcohol intake.
Medical News Today - Nov. 6, 2021
Binge Drinking Rates to Converge in Young Men and Women, and Increase Among 29- to 30-year-olds, by 2040
Binge drinking is implicated in over half of alcohol-attributable deaths in the US, and reducing its prevalence among young adults is a major public health goal. In the new study, reported in Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, researchers forecasted binge drinking prevalence and gender differences among cohorts of young adults from 2016 through 2040, and evaluated the influence of social and demographic determinants of binge drinking.
Newswise - Nov. 3, 2021
Defeating Gambling Addiction: New Study Looks To Defy The Odds With Psychedelics
New research is currently being conducted by a prominent biotech company to explore ketamine as a potential remedy for compulsive behaviors and more specifically gambling addiction.
Forbes - Nov. 3, 2021
Moderate alcohol use linked to lower rates of hospitalization and death, but researcher doubtful that alcohol benefits a person’s health
A VA study finds that hospitalization or death from any cause was higher in older Veterans who were nondrinkers or “harmful use” drinkers, compared with moderate drinkers. The results appeared in the journal “Alcoholism Clinical & Experimental Research” in June 2021. But even though the findings support prior literature showing that drinking a moderate amount of alcohol is linked with reduced risk later in life for hospitalization or death, the author expresses skepticism that even a small amount of alcohol is beneficial to one’s health.
VAntage Point - Nov. 2, 2021
6 strategies alcoholics use to manage the stigma of addiction
A recent qualitative study has identified six strategies that recovering alcoholics use to negotiate social situations and remain sober, depending on how they feel about stigmas associated with drinking and alcoholism: accepting, evading, highlighting recovery to downplay stigma, avoiding, denying, ignoring / embracing.
North Carolina State University News - Nov. 1, 2021
Exercise can reduce students’ desire to drink alcohol
Research indicates students who exercise are less likely to crave alcohol and can feel more positive.
Hindustan Times - Oct. 31, 2021
National State/Local Studies/Research Opinion Reviews Podcasts Leg/Advocacy Comments
Opinion
Author Ryan Hampton (‘American Fix’): As overdose rates reach record highs, it’s time to reimagine American drug policy
Drugs overdoses have hit an all-time record — and federal funding isn't getting where it should. Here's why. Ryan Hampton is the author of the book, "American Fix: Inside the Opioid Addiction Crisis—and How to End It,"
Salon - Nov. 7, 2021
Addiction is not just under bridges, it is in our homes
The seeming increase in reports from the press about alcohol and drug use and abuse is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, raising awareness of substance use and substance use disorder creates opportunities for the person suffering the disease and/or their loved ones to act, and creates a greater imperative for public action. On the other hand, these same reports unintentionally reinforce long-held attitudes about alcohol and drug use and abuse that create barriers to access to treatment or, worse, reinforce stereotypes that prevent the addict from seeking help.
Austin American Statesman - Nov. 5, 2021
To end the drug crisis, bring addiction out of the shadows
Far too often, shame and stigma fuel addiction and prevent treatment, argues Nora Volkow, MD, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse. But replacing judgment with compassion can save lives.
Association of American Medical Colleges - Nov. 2, 2021
National State/Local Studies/Research Opinion Reviews Podcasts Leg/Advocacy Comments
Reviews
New podcast ‘Hooked’ explains how addiction led a Seattle Boeing engineer to rob banks
In 2005, Anthony Hathaway, a Boeing engineer, was prescribed the pain medication OxyContin after surgery for a ruptured disk in his back. Today, he’s nearly three years out of prison after robbing 30 Seattle-area banks to fund his addiction. Campside Media co-founder Josh Dean details Hathaway’s life in “Hooked,” a podcast series based on Dean’s original reporting for Bloomberg Businessweek.
Seattle Times - Nov. 9, 2021
Is 'Dopesick' a true story? Experts and the show's creators sort fact from fiction
Hulu's Dopesick depicts the start of the opioid addiction crisis in the U.S. and some of the people it has affected. NPR TV critic Eric Deggans and NPR addiction correspondent Brian Mann spoke with Dopesick author Beth Macy and Dopesick series creator/showrunner Danny Strong to discuss the show and just how real it is.
NPR - Nov. 8, 2021
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Podcasts: The Weekly Roundup
Heart of the Matter with Elizabeth Vargas - Anne and Sam Lamott on radical self-care, the genetics of addiction and recovery as inner grace
Bestselling novelist and essayist Anne Lamott had more than her share of experience with substance use disorders: Growing up with family members with addiction, she also had distinct memories of drinking as a child. Decades later, she watched as her son Sam began struggling with methamphetamines. Today, both mother and son have been in recovery for many years.
Recovery in the Middle Ages – Discussing ”Unbroken Brain” by Maia Szalavitz - Is Addiction a Learning Disorder?
This week on RMA: Addiction. Is it a disease of the brain, or is it something better thought of as a maladaptive learned behavior? Unbroken Brain by Maia Szalavits offers a radical and groundbreaking new perspective, arguing that addictions are learning disorders and shows how seeing the condition this way can untangle our current debates over treatment, prevention and policy. Combining Maia Szalavitz’s personal story with a distillation of more than 25 years of science and research, Unbroken Brain provides a paradigm-shifting approach to thinking about addiction.
Rehab Confidential – Dr Anna Lembke, professor of psychiatry at Stanford University of Medicine
Joe and Amy sit down with Dr. Anna Lembke, professor of psychiatry at Stanford University of Medicine and chief of the Addiction Medicine Dual Diagnosis Clinic. They discuss her new book “Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence”, delving into the pain pleasure trap, the importance of radical honesty in recovery, a scarcity vs plenty mindset and disclosure porn.
Dopey – Dopey 329: With Jeremy Turner, Suboxone, Meth, Fentanyl, Jail, Alan, Relapse, Recovery
This week on a homegrown episode of Dopey! Mr. Whitey Tighties himself, the king of the mighty Mississippi, Jeremy Turner checks in. Jeremy shares the ups and downs of his time before and during the pandemic in Louisiana. He raw dogs the truth on relapse and his path back to recovery. JT then drops a top 5 Dopey Jail Story, PLUS Dave reads a classic email, f***s up at work, almost catches up with Artie Lange and bashes The Many Shades of Newark(again). ALSO Alan drops in to read some reviews and criticize Dave and the show. All that and more on this dank return to Old School Dopey. Fire it up!
The Addicted Mind Podcast - Healing From Eating Disorder with Faith Elicia
On today's episode, Duane talks with Faith Elicia about her nine-year journey through an eating disorder. They discuss how she struggled several times to get help and how she finally found something that worked for her.
National State/Local Studies/Research Opinion Reviews Podcasts Leg/Advocacy Comments
Legislation
Hochul signs bill to fund substance abuse education, recovery
A bill pushed by Sen. Michelle Hinchey to create a substance use disorder education and recovery fund has been signed into law. Gov. Kathy Hochul has signed the legislation authorizing gifts on personal income tax returns for substance use disorder education and recovery. The legislation creates a personal income tax check-off which will be known as the Substance Use Disorder Education and Recovery Fund.
Post Star - Nov. 6, 2021