The Wednesday Weekly - Addiction + Recovery News, April 20, 2022
The Wednesday Weekly is a collaboration of Sober Linings Playbook and Recovery in the Middle Ages Podcast.
Highlights
National
Psilocybin could be breakthrough for addiction treatment | Teaching medical students how to treat addiction | Keith Urban on past addiction
Fentanyl
May 10 is first-ever Fentanyl Awareness Day | 11-year sentence for rapper Mac Miller’s fentanyl dealer | Rise in teen OD deaths largely due to fentanyl
State and Local
Addiction treatment grants for pregnant women and mothers in KY | J&J to pay $99 million in W.VA settlement | Massachusetts addiction treatment staffing ‘crisis’ | CA Gov. Newsom signs addiction treatment ‘Client Bill of Rights’ into law
Studies/Research in the News
NFL to study cannabis for pain management | Benefits of buprenorphine go beyond addiction recovery |
Opinion
Mother makes case for Casey’s Law (court-ordered addiction treatment) | Op ed: ‘Felony charges would help the addicts we love’
Books and Movies
In “Skinful: A memoir of addiction” Kate Whitehead explores her grey area drinking | “Camp Betty’ is an historical memoir by Betty Ford Center CEO
Podcasts
Dr. Anna Lembke (‘Dopamine Nation’) on Armchair Expert | Author Koren Zailckas (‘Smashed’) Scope of Practice
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National
Psilocybin Could be a Therapeutic Breakthrough For Addiction
Experts increasingly see [psilocybin] as a potentially effective, low-risk tool to help patients break their dependencies on other substances.
Time - April 18, 2022
Keith Urban Opens Up About Past Drug and Alcohol Addiction
In a new interview with The Times, the country musician opened up about substance abuse in his early career and getting sober while building his life with Nicole Kidman.
People - April 18, 2022
President Biden's prerecorded remarks on substance use epidemic delivered April 19 at Rx Summit
Following a significant spike in overdose deaths in 2021, HMP Global, the world's largest healthcare event and education company, today announced that President Joe Biden will address participants of the 11th annual Rx Summit on April 19, discussing his administration's commitment to stem the tide of U.S. overdose deaths.
WFMZ - April 15, 2022
America’s Worsening Opioid Crisis Investigated in New Podcast “Outside Counsel”
Podcast by attorney Jeffrey B. Simon will reveal how Big Pharma deceived the public about the dangers of prescription opioids. Guests include Purdue Pharma whistleblower Carol Panara, addiction specialist Dr. Andrew Kolodny, a mother who lost her son to an overdose, and attorney Larry Francis Taylor.
AP - April 14, 2022
Mary Karr addresses mental health, addiction and writing during Oregon State talk
Award-winning poet and New York Times best-selling memoirist Mary Karr spoke candidly about addiction and mental health on Wednesday as part of Oregon State University’s Provost’s Lecture Series, noting that the COVID-19 pandemic had exacerbated a host of complex issues. Karr, the Jesse Truesdell Peck Professor of Literature at Syracuse University, said she had buried three of her former students in the past two years, including two who died from drug overdoses.
Oregon State University - April 14, 2022
Doctor For Johnny Depp Testifies About Actor’s Addiction Struggle In Defamation Trial
Amber Heard’s lawyers have argued that much of the Depp's alleged abuse against his ex-wife stemmed from his substance use.
Huffington Post - April 14, 2022
Teaching medical students how to prevent, treat addiction
An addiction medicine curriculum at Stanford School of Medicine trains students to better understand causes of and treatments for substance use disorders. As recently as a decade ago, not one hour of medical school was spent treating patients struggling with addiction. “Addiction was more commonly viewed as a moral issue, a matter of willpower and not a disease. There was not a lot of compassion for addicted patients,” said Stanford Medicine psychologist Keith Humphreys, PhD.
Stanford Medicine News Center - April 13, 2022
'I was a drug addict with a PGA Tour card'
Before I met Willy Wilcox, I thought nothing was more addicting than hitting a perfect golf shot on the PGA Tour. But that was before Willy called me from a drug rehab center recently to reveal he had almost died. After that close call, he was finally ready to unburden himself of all of his secrets.
Golf Digest - April 12, 2022
Running has been a big part of ‘Bachelorette’ contestant Zac Clark’s recovery from addiction, and now he’s taking on Boston
Clark, then 27 and battling alcohol and substance abuse, had checked into the Caron Treatment Center in Wernersville, Pa., about a 90-minute drive from his hometown of Haddonfield, N.J. He weighed 240 pounds at the time, so his counselor suggested he pick up running for both the physical and mental benefits. Clark had run before, as a three-sport athlete in high school and a pitcher at York College, but these circumstances were different. “So much of my running journey is directly related to my recovery from addiction,” he said.
Boston Globe - April 12, 2022
Confidant Health’s Arsenault Wilson is Unlocking Value-Based Addiction Care
Sam Arsenault Wilson is Chief Quality Officer and Co-Founder of Confidant Health, a digital health company redefining addiction and mental health care. Confidant Health’s proprietary technology platform and interdisciplinary care team aim to reach the 90% of people with substance use disorders who go untreated today. Before Confidant Health, Sam led the development of ATLAS, the nation’s first public-facing quality measurement system for addiction treatment facilities.
StrtupBoost - April 12, 2022
National State and Local Studies in the News Opinion Reviews Podcasts Comments
Fentanyl
First Ever National Fentanyl Awareness Day Launches on May 10, 2022
A broad coalition of nonprofit organizations, major corporations, government agencies and schools – including Google, Snap, Meta, the Ad Council, Shatterproof and CADCA – have come together to launch the first ever National Fentanyl Awareness Day on May 10, 2022. The activation is designed to raise awareness about illicit fentanyl in fake pills and street drugs. Illegally made fentanyl is the primary driver of the recent increase in overdose deaths, and fentanyl involved deaths are fastest growing among 14- to 23-year-olds.
Daily Journal - April 19, 2022
Man who sourced fentanyl-laced pills that killed rapper Mac Miller gets 11 years
A man who admitted to handing over the fake pharmaceutical pills that killed Grammy nominated rapper Mac Miller received a federal prison sentence of nearly 11 years, according to court documents.
The Guardian - April 19, 2022
Like Colorado, other states scramble to confront fentanyl's deadly wake in America
Colorado is one of many states looking for answers to the deadly fentanyl crisis as overdoses hit an all-time high.
Denver Gazette - April 18, 2022
Teen overdose deaths rose recently, largely due to fentanyl
Drug use among teens has decreased in the past couple of years, but a new study finds that overdose deaths for this age group rose dramatically in 2020. It's the first increase in a decade. The study also zeroes in on what caused this rise in deaths.
NPR - April 12, 2022
State / Local
Ky. Gov. Beshear announces new grants for addiction treatment and recovery for pregnant women and mothers
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear announced new grants on Monday to address the ongoing opioid crisis. According to a press release, $4.9 million has been distributed to addiction treatment and recovery centers for pregnant women and mothers. They say the funding has been given to 17 non-profit organizations, such as Community Mental Health Centers and Neonatal Abstinence Treatment Programs, through the Senate Bill 192 Treatment Grant. “Our job as public servants is to work with partners throughout Kentucky to provide help, hope and a hand to lead individuals out of the darkness of addiction and into the light of acceptance, opportunity and community,” said Gov. Beshear.
14News - April 18, 2022
West Virginia: Drug Addiction is West Virginia's No.1 Problem
State and community leaders in West Virginia, health providers, emergency workers and addiction specialists are fighting this battle every day. Communities are adopting innovative strategies, such as quick response teams to try to get individuals into treatment, and myriad programs are in place, but it is a struggle to keep up, and it feels like we’re losing the fight.
WV Metro News - April 18, 2022
West Virginia: Johnson & Johnson to pay $99M to resolve opioid suits with West Virginia
Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) agreed to pay $99M to settle opioid-related claims by the State of West Virginia and its participating subdivisions.
Seeking Alpha - April 18, 2022
NYC overdose deaths have nearly doubled from pre-pandemic levels
Overdose deaths have nearly doubled from pre-pandemic levels in New York City, according to new city data. The Department of Health reports that 1,233 people died from drug overdoses during the first half of 2021, the most recent period available. That’s a startling 78% increase from the same period in 2019, and a 28% increase from the same period in 2020. And that’s not even the final count.
NY Post - April 16, 2022
Massachusetts addiction treatment faces a staffing 'crisis.' Rep. Clark says this program will help
In western Massachusetts, Dr. Ruth Potee says a shortage of workers — especially nurses — is delaying the opening of at least one planned addiction treatment facility. Potee is director of addiction services at Behavioral Health Network. A federal government initiative called the Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery Loan Repayment Program (STAR LRP) seeks to address the shortage by offering loan repayment to workers in addiction treatment.
WBUR - April 15, 2022
New Tennessee law hopes to prevent overdose deaths by making life-saving drug more accessible
Tennessee House Bill 2465 became law on April 4th. This new law will arm more Tennesseans with the necessary knowledge and tools to help prevent fatal drug-related overdoses that are all too common in our state.
WKRN - April 14, 2022
Alaska: Tlingit and Haida launches online tool for addiction treatment and education
Tribal citizens in Southeast Alaska who are experiencing addiction have access to a new, free online treatment. It’s called Culture Heals, and it’s offered by the new mental health program at the Central Council of Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska.
Alaska Public Media - April 14, 2022
California Governor Gavin Newsom Signs SUD Client Bill of Rights into Law
Governor Gavin Newsom today signed SB 349 which requires every treatment provider in California to adopt and provide a client bill of rights, ensuring that those seeking substance use disorder treatment are afforded basic rights and protections in a treatment setting that is safe and ethical. This legislation also prohibits treatment providers from engaging in false or misleading advertising. “People seeking treatment have a right to know that they are receiving appropriate and safe care,” said Governor Newsom.
Office of Governor Gavin Newsom - April 13, 2022
Florida: Addiction Treatment Facility Owner Convicted in $58 Million Health Care Fraud Scheme
A federal jury convicted a Florida woman today in a health care fraud scheme that billed private health insurers more than $58 million for services that were never provided and were not medically necessary.
US Dept. of Justice - April 13, 2022
Advocates call on Rhode Island to provide more funding for addiction prevention
We know that many Rhode Islanders are struggling with addiction. But funding comes back into play when it comes to providing money to help them fight the addiction. The governor has pledged more than $40 million in the state budget, but many say that’s still not enough.
10 WJAR - April 13, 2022
Washington State: Health officials alarmed by increase in overdose deaths
Washington health officials are urging the public to carry naloxone as drug-related overdose deaths climb statewide at an “alarming” rate. Overdose deaths in Washington surpassed 2,000 last year — a more than 66% increase since 2019, according to data released Tuesday by the state Department of Health. More than half of all overdose deaths involve fentanyl, the Seattle Times reported.
SF Gate - April 13, 2022
Pennsylvania: Oversight of Pa. addiction recovery homes will begin soon, but operators slow to opt-in
The Wolf administration is preparing to enforce its long-awaited licensing system for addiction recovery homes, which have operated with limited oversight for years. But with only two months before a major deadline, only a few dozen houses have submitted applications for a license, raising concerns that not enough operators will get on board with a reform meant to provide greater support for people struggling with addiction.
Philadelphia Inquirer - April 12, 2022
Kentucky: Advocates Say Family Drug Courts Could Save Kentucky Children, But State Support Is Still Limited
Advocates say family recovery courts — also known as family drug courts — are crucial in protecting children from abuse and neglect, which often go hand in hand with addiction. Despite their undisputed effectiveness in protecting children, and even though Kentucky has some of the highest rates of child maltreatment and opioid abuse in the nation, family recovery courts are still not widely available throughout the state.
Leo Weekly - April 12, 2022
Florida says Walgreens fed opioid addiction, as trial starts
Walgreens supplied billions of opioid pills to drug addicts and criminals, contributing to an addiction epidemic in Florida, a lawyer for the state said on Monday as a civil trial against the pharmacy chain got underway. Walgreens filled one in four opioid prescriptions in Florida between 1999 and 2020, and failed to investigate red flags that could have prevented drugs from being diverted for illegal use, the state's lawyer Jim Webster told jurors.
Reuters - April 11, 2022
Virginia: Southwest Virginia patients struggle with access to addiction medication
Not a single pharmacy in Tazewell or the surrounding community was willing to prescribe Suboxone, a drug used to treat opioid addiction that’s also known by its generic name, buprenorphine. Ashley Harrell, a senior program adviser for Virginia’s Department of Medical Assistance Services, said two different office-based addiction treatment (OBAT) providers in the region reached out to 38 pharmacies — 18 chains and 20 independent stores — and everyone refused to dispense the medication.
NBC 12 - April 11, 2022
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Studies/Research in the News
Elizabeth Heller’s lab uncovers how drug addiction can create lasting changes in genes
Leading a neuroepigenetics lab at her alma mater, Heller and the work of her 10-person lab is focused on molecular brain mechanisms, aiming to uncover chronic changes that can happen and keep happening in the brain long after exposure to addictive substances ends.
Penn Today - April 18, 2022
NFL invests in research to study cannabis for pain management
A growing number of professional athletes are turning to cannabis for pain relief. While athletes have shared their stories publicly, little scientific research has been conducted to support the anecdotal reports. “The NFL, it's hard for them to throw support to something that has absolutely no evidence. So they’ve taken the leap to provide the funding to look for some evidence," said Mark Wallace, MD, chief of the division of Pain Medicine at UC San Diego.
WTXL.com - April 14, 2022
X Waiver Mini-Course Expands Emergency Clinician Recognition and Treatment of Opioid Withdrawal, Study Finds
The study’s findings suggest that a more brief training may be sufficient for emergency clinicians to recognize and initiate buprenorphine for treatment of opioid withdrawal and is consistent with the trajectory of new guidelines allowing emergency physicians to prescribe the treatment to up to 30 patients without completing the previously required 8-hour training.
AP - April 13, 2022
Benefits of Buprenorphine for Opioid Use Disorder Go Beyond Addiction Recovery
A review on the impact of buprenorphine on social determinants of health was recently published in the Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment. The researchers of the current study wanted to explore how the use of long-acting injectable buprenorphine (LAIB) affects employment, inclusion, and other social determinants of health compared with daily administration. Despite the limitations, the review offers insight into the importance of treatment with LAIB to “optimize psychosocial outcomes,” the researchers stated.
Psychiatry Advisor - April 13, 2022
Adolescent drug overdose deaths rose exponentially for the first time in history during the COVID pandemic
The rate of overdose deaths among U.S. teenagers nearly doubled in 2020, the first year of the COVID pandemic, and rose another 20% in the first half of 2021 compared with the 10 years before the pandemic, even as drug use remained generally stable during the same period.
Science Daily - April 12, 2022
Why some people become addicted and others don’t
Only about 10% of people who take opioids become addicted, and some of them struggle more than others to quit. Why some people become addicted and others don’t, and why some can quit and others cannot, is a major focus of addiction research.
ASU News - April 12, 2022
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Opinion
We Need an All-of-the-Above Strategy to Fight the Opioid Crisis
The U.S. must employ an "all-of-the-above" approach to the drug crisis that includes counterdrug measures like supply reduction, harm reduction and treatment. A comprehensive counterdrug strategy is needed to protect vulnerable Americans from unscrupulous drug traffickers, to minimize the risk of death or other harm to drug users and help those caught in the throes of addiction obtain treatment they need. However, without a significant decrease in demand, these measures alone are unlikely to bend the curve.
Newsweek - April 18, 2022
How Casey's Law can help those struggling with addiction
[Casey’s law is] a way for loved ones to intervene [by getting court-ordered addiction treament] when they notice someone in need of help. “You’re not taking away their freedom. They will have no record, there’s no criminal or court record. They follow everything under Casey’s Law, what the judge orders, they seek the treatment and get the treatment, there’s no court record.”
Spectrum News1 - April 16, 2022
Colorado Springs Gazette: Felony charges would help the addicts we love
Felony penalties for possession would give prosecutors the leverage to bargain with addicts by offering lower charges in exchange for treatment. This is a common practice of prosecutorial discretion. Some would take the deals, others would not. Either way, no one would do prison for a felony conviction of possession alone. The right law will save — not imprison — our friends and relatives who suffer from addiction and don’t deserve to die. Hit them with felony charges (tough love) that will interrupt their use and encourage treatment, recovery and lives worth living.
Colorado Politics - April 12, 2022
Convene Opioid Settlement Fund to save lives
Twenty-one experts with intimate, ground-level views of the immense pain and extraordinary need resulting from opioid overprescription and abuse, including personal experiences of recovery — that’s who is supposed to be helming badly needed disbursements from the state’s Opioid Settlement Fund, to pay for treatment and prevention, if only the state government will let them. For months, Albany policymakers dragged their feet on appointing members of the Opioid Settlement Board, claiming that a chapter amendment expanding the body from 19 to 21 members and making tweaks to the appointment process needed to pass before they could fill the board’s seats and let it get to its crucial mission.
Olean Times Herald - April 12, 2022
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Books and Movies
After 40 years of ‘grey area’ drinking, one woman quit alcohol, realised she’d been an addict all along – and at last understood why
Professionally successful but personally unsettled, Robyn Flemming easily fell into the after-work drinking culture of Hong Kong, then added Xanax to the mix. With April being Alcohol Awareness Month, she tells Kate Whitehead how she finally stopped drinking – and wrote about it in Skinful: A Memoir of Addiction. When she first approached publishers with the manuscript she was turned down because her personal story wasn’t bad enough, but that’s exactly what makes Skinful relevant – it is the story of everyday social drinking that slides down the slippery slope into “grey-area drinking”.
South China Morning Post - April 18, 2022
Camp Betty: How first lady Betty Ford and the Betty Ford Center Transformed Addiction Recovery
Camp Betty is a historical memoir told by John Schwarzlose, the first and only CEO of The Betty Ford Center, who shared in the groundbreaking to the worldwide credibility of the gold standard in substance use recovery treatment. Camp Betty is a profound reflection on how the world’s first Addiction Hospital changed lives for the better. It is to be published by 4th Dimension Publishing in June of 2022.
AP - April 14, 2022
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Podcasts: The Weekly Roundup
Armchair Expert - Stanford University Psychiatrist and Author Anna Lembke (Dopamine Nation)
Anna Lembke (Dopamine Nation) is a psychiatrist and professor at Stanford University. Anna joins the Armchair Expert to discuss why the opioid crisis has been so dangerous, how language is shifting when talking about people with addictions, and how being addicted to romance novels affected her personal life. Anna and Dax talk about how addiction drives people into isolation, how social media and drugs stimulate the same parts of the brain, and how nature, nurture, or neighborhood can affect peoples’ likelihood of forming an addiction. Anna explains how people rationalize their addictions in their own minds, what specific chemicals affect our moods, and how we need to explore reframing our concept of pain.
Scope of Practice (a podcast from the Connecticut Certification Board) – An Interview with Author Koren Zailckas (Smashed)
Award winning and New York Times bestselling author Koren Zailckas (Smashed, Mother Mother, Fury, The Drama Teacher" joins us to talk about the power of the written word in self-discovery. She talks about the clarity that writing has brought to her recovery process and how different forms of writing come from different places in the mind, body, and soul.
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