The Wednesday Weekly - Addiction + Recovery News, December 1, 2021
The Wednesday Weekly is a collaboration between Sober Linings Playbook and Recovery in the Middle Ages Podcast
Highlights
National
Gender differences in addiction and treatment | Myth vs. fact: is there fentanyl in the weed?
State and Local
Maryland considers decriminalizing needles | West Virginia local govt officials consider needle exchange programs
Studies/Research in the News
Virgnia Tech studies hallucinogenic drugs to treat mental illness | UC San Francisco finds alcohol (not caffeine, diet or lack of sleep) trigger heart rhythm condition
Opinion
Maia Szalavitz on harm reduction | Father and son celebrate sobriety on the Appalachian Trail
Reviews
Film: ‘Tipping the Pain Scale’ features artist and educator Joseph Green | Book: J.M. Thompson, ‘Running is a Kind of Dreaming’
Podcasts
TNM’s Annie Grace interviews RMA’s Nat X | Philosophy professor Owen Flannagan explores role of shame in recovery on Flourishing After Addiction
Legislative Updates and Advocacy
The bipartisan Non-Opioids Prevent Addiction in the Nation (NOPAIN) Act
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National State/Local Studies/Research Opinion Reviews Podcasts Leg/Advocacy Comments
(Inter)National
'It's scary': Overdose deaths driven by fentanyl mixed with other drugs
The spike of drug overdose deaths this year and last year has many drug abuse and addiction researchers, doctors and health officials worried about a growing trend among overdose victims that appears to indicate a new and different wave of the opioid epidemic.
NBC News - Nov. 27, 2021
America’s Gambling Addiction Is Metastasizing
Once there was Las Vegas; now there’s a Las Vegas in every phone. The chief benefit is that there’s a lot of money to be made, for governments and businesses both. The primary cost is that many unlucky and vulnerable people are destroyed. American society has accepted that trade-off—big money now for social crisis later.
The Atlantic - Nov. 26, 2021
Many in the UK may be in for a Christmas without wine and liquor
Shops in the United Kingdom could run short of wine and liquor ahead of Christmas because there aren't enough drivers to make deliveries. The warning was made in a letter sent by the UK Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WTSA) to UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps last week. "This is an urgent issue for our businesses, and it is imperative that [the UK] Government takes immediate steps to help mitigate the impact of the driver shortages crisis before the Christmas period," the letter stated.
CNN - Nov. 25, 2021
Glaring gender differences in drug addiction and treatment
Drug rehabilitation specials say the drastic gender differences even include drug addiction and recovery. Women are far more likely to be single parents and unable to find long-term childcare while they enter residential rehab.
News Channel 3 Kalamazoo - Nov. 24, 2021
Give People Safe Drugs
The rise of overdose deaths stems not from the Sackler family or a sudden increase in new fentanyl users but from a volatile and lethal drug supply that people are navigating during heightened social isolation due to the pandemic.The Drug User Liberation Front, an activist group in Vancouver, has distributed free heroin in doses that were measured and tested negative for fentanyl.
New Republic - Nov. 24, 2021
What not to say to someone who doesn't drink alcohol
There are a variety of reasons why people don't drink alcohol. Maybe it's a simple lifestyle choice, or they might be trying to overcome an addiction. Whatever the situation, it's important to be respectful, particularly as we enter Christmas and New Year party season.
Patient Info - Nov. 24, 2021
How to Support Your Employees' Mental Health During the Holidays
Fortunately, as an employer there are ways you can help. Here are ways to support your employees through the holiday season, from Moreira, Gruttadaro, and other CEOs and experts.
Inc.com - Nov. 24
Rumer Willis on taking responsibility for her alcohol abuse: 'I'm not a victim of my life'
During a recent interview with American Addiction Centers on Instagram Live, the 33-year-old actress, who battled with alcoholism in the past, revealed that she realized her drinking was a problem when she used it to treat panic attacks and did not recognize herself.
Yahoo! - Nov. 24, 2021
Cops Are Needlessly Scaring People With Fentanyl-Laced Weed Stories
A Connecticut health alert warned about a "lab confirmed" case of weed laced with fentanyl, but there are plenty of reasons to be skeptical. Doctors and drug policy experts said the case is extremely rare, and fentanyl-laced weed remains largely a myth spread by police.
Vice News - Nov. 23, 2021
Jury holds pharmacies responsible for role in opioid crisis
CVS, Walgreens and Walmart pharmacies recklessly distributed massive amounts of pain pills in two Ohio counties, a federal jury said Tuesday in a verdict that could set the tone for U.S. city and county governments that want to hold pharmacies accountable for their roles in the opioid crisis.
AP - Nov. 23, 2021
Opioid crisis hitting Black communities at alarming rates amid pandemic
“At the beginning of the opioid crisis it was primarily White Americans who were impacted by this but a growing number of Black Americans are dying at alarming rates,” says Dr. Nora Volkow, Director of National Institute on Drug Abuse. According to the CDC data, many of the deaths involve illicit fentanyl.
The Grio - Nov. 23, 2021
‘Am I an alcoholic?’: the blurred line between a daily drink and a drinking problem
The lines become blurred when it comes to deciding if a person has a problem with alcohol and whether they have developed an alcohol use disorder (formerly known as alcohol dependence).
The Guardian - Nov. 21, 2021
Connecticut officials warn of marijuana laced with fentanyl after reports of overdoses
“This is the first lab-confirmed case of marijuana with fentanyl in Connecticut and possibly the first confirmed case in the United States,” health officials said.
The Hill - Nov. 19, 2021
National State and Local Studies in the News Opinion Reviews Podcasts Leg/Advocacy Comments
State / Local
NYC: 1st supervised injection sites opening in New York City to help curb drug overdoses, treat addiction
New York City is opening its first overdose prevention sites, which will allow supervised injections in an effort to curb drug overdoses and treat addiction. The two sites opening as soon as Tuesday previously operated as needle exchanges, but they will now offer supervised injections with clean needles, provide naloxone to reverse overdoses, and offer addiction treatment.
ABC7NY.com - Nov. 30, 2021
Staffing shortages are holding back drug addiction treatment. Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro says opioid settlement funds can help
Starting next year, funds from a recently settled opioid lawsuit will be doled out to local and county governments to help solve the problems caused by addiction to opioids and other drugs, Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro said at a Monday news conference.
Morning Call - Nov. 29, 2021
Maryland lawmakers to weigh decriminalizing needles and other drug paraphernalia
When state lawmakers return to Annapolis for a special legislative session next month, they’ll face a question that has vexed some of them: Should they decriminalize needles, syringes and other supplies used by people who use drugs?
Baltimore Sun - Nov. 29, 2021
NJ rabbi: Hanukkah offers lesson on dealing with addiction
For Rabbi Michael Perice, the message of Hanukkah strikes deeper than that of an unlikely military victory that occurred more than 2,000 years ago in the land of Israel. The holiday commemorates the power of a shred of light to overcome impenetrable darkness, and is about "overcoming an oppressor against all odds through belief and hope," said Perice, who serves as rabbi at Temple Sinai in Cinnaminson. When it comes to beating the odds, Perice has firsthand experience. Ten years ago, he was an opioid addict desperate for a fix.
North Jersey.com - Nov. 28, 2021
Non-alcohol drinks in Sacramento; stay sober during holiday
The holidays are high time for parties, parties, parties. And for adults over the age of 21, that often means alcohol. For people trying to stay sober, or even limit their intake of alcohol, this season can be a difficult time as social drinking peaks. Planning everything from what drink you’re going to bring to a party to what you’ll say when someone offers you alcohol and when you’re going to leave is critical.
Sacramento Bee - Nov. 24, 2021
West Virginia: One By One, Local Leaders Give Blessing To Harm Reduction Programs
Under a new state law, needle exchange programs must now get local buy-in from county and city leaders. Without it, these programs can’t legally operate. One by one, local elected officials are signing off in support of their local harm reduction programs.
West Virginia Public Broadcasting - Nov. 24, 2021
New Mexico: Addressing addiction in Chimayó
Chimayó-based Barrios Unidos provides families with support when a member of the community becomes addicted to drugs or alcohol and gives instruction on how to heal from the ensuing trauma. The center offers counseling, education, training and healing for addicts and their families.
Santa Fe New Mexican - Nov. 24, 2021
Florida: Inmates receiving more treatment options to help curb addiction in Charlotte County
The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) expanded its Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) services which give inmates access to medication used to curb addiction to opiates.
Yahoo! - Nov. 23, 2021
New York: Tips From Booze-Free Spirited Away on Entrepreneurship
A marketing executive’s fascination with the “sober curious” movement turned into a business—and a career change.
Bloomberg - Nov. 23, 2021
National State/Local Studies/Research Opinion Reviews Podcasts Leg/Advocacy Comments
Studies/Research in the News
Medicinal plant extract could prevent morphine addiction
To find a substitute painkiller, researchers started looking for plants, specifically those that the Chinese have been using for centuries — traditional herbal and plant remedies. They eventually focused on the corydalis yanhusuo. The plant, which is legal and can be purchased at some stores or on the internet, showed some exemplary analgesic properties.
Spectrum News1 - Nov. 29, 2021
Psychedelics Show Promise in Treating Mental Illness: Depression, Anxiety, Addiction, and PTSD
One in five U.S. adults will experience a mental illness in their lifetime, according to the National Alliance of Mental Health. But standard treatments can be slow to work and cause side effects. To find better solutions, a Virginia Tech researcher has joined a renaissance of research on a long-banned class of drugs that could combat several forms of mental illness and, in mice, have achieved long-lasting results from just one dose.
Sci Tech Daily - Nov. 27, 2021
About 12 Percent of Patients Who Receive Common Cardiac Device Implants Develop Persistent Opioid Use
About 12 percent of patients who receive implantable cardiac devices such as a pacemaker or defibrillator and fill an opioid prescription after surgery will consistently use the pain medication in the months afterward, raising the potential for addiction. The findings are published in Circulation.
Penn Medicine - Nov. 26, 2021
Only alcohol -- not caffeine, diet or lack of sleep -- might trigger heart rhythm condition
New research from UC San Francisco that tested possible triggers of a common heart condition, including caffeine, sleep deprivation and sleeping on the left side, found that only alcohol use was consistently associated with more episodes of the heart arrhythmia.
Science Daily - Nov. 24, 2021
Is Psychedelic Research Funding Starting to Shift?
Once the province of philanthropy, industry and government sources show interest. Investment from industry has increased as biopharmaceutical companies are starting to bet on these substances becoming therapies in the coming years.
Medpage Today - Nov. 24, 2021
National State/Local Studies/Research Opinion Reviews Podcasts Leg/Advocacy Comments
Opinion
Over 23 years, lessons in life and sobriety for a father and son on the Appalachian Trail
In our 23 years on the AT, as it’s known, our lives were ever-changing, but the trail always offered us familiar peace from the outside world — a walking meditation through the quiet forest shared with each other and the countless hikers we met. Ours was a journey only made possible by sobriety, as both Dad and I struggled with alcohol dependence for many years.
Los Angeles Times - Nov. 25, 2021
Maia Szalavitz: How Key Early Ideas Helped Shape Today's Harm Reduction Movement
“What about the 90 percent for whom abstinence didn’t work?” “[H]arm reduction—being logical, practical, right and effective—is more enjoyable than following a path that leads nowhere and supporting ‘laws’ of behavior that do not work. Harm reduction is fun, and fun is what I suggest you [have] here.”
Filter Magazine - Nov. 23, 2021
There is hope: Treatment is available, recovery is possible
Individuals with a substance use disorder do not have to die from their disease. Treatment is readily available, and treatment works. Advancements in treatment interventions for substance use disorders are proven to be effective in halting the progression of the disease, and in most cases, putting the disease in remission.
Yahoo! - Nov. 23, 2021
Opposition to harm reduction centers does not hold up
Fact: Addicts with access to harm reduction services are five times more likely to enter treatment.
NJ.com - Nov. 22, 2021
National State/Local Studies/Research Opinion Reviews Podcasts Leg/Advocacy Comments
Reviews
Life of Crime: a shocking film about three decades of addiction and incarceration
The often brutal HBO documentary follows 36 years in the life of a trio in New Jersey in the throes of vicious addictions.
The Guardian - Nov. 30, 2021
Escaping the Darkness: On J. M. Thompson’s “Running Is a Kind of Dreaming”
What J. M. Thompson explores in his memoir Running Is a Kind of Dreaming is running’s intimate relationship with mental health. In his sweeping personal account of depression, anxiety, addiction, and childhood trauma, Thompson brings readers on a journey to discover what it means to be not just an ultramarathoner but also a human being.
Los Angeles Review of Books - Nov. 28, 2021
Film - ‘Tipping the Pain Scale,’ Why Joseph Green is sharing his painful story of addiction
Joseph Green never thought he’d be telling his story, let alone sharing it with a worldwide audience. However, the artist and educator said talking about his painful journey has helped lead him to redemption. “Everything that I’ve done in my life up until this moment was meant for me to be here, right now, having this conversation with you,” Green said in a new documentary film on addiction. Green, a Richmond native, plays a starring role in the film, “Tipping the Pain Scale.”
WTVR - Nov. 24, 2021
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Podcasts: The Weekly Roundup
This Naked Mind - This Naked Nat X
(Recovery in the Middle Ages Podcast host) Nat X felt the pressure to drink to fit in after feeling like an outcast most of his life. Finally a part of the “cool crowd,” he slipped into a world of multiple addictions. Find out how he escaped his imposter syndrome and started embracing a journey of self-compassion free from regrets.
Rehab Confidential – MaryBeth Redmond, Vermont State Representative and Author of “Hear me, See me”
Joe and Amy talk to Vermont State Representative, Marybeth Redmond about her career in journalism, teaching, and now politics. Redmond discusses her writing program with incarcerated women, including the book of their work entitled “Hear me, See me”. She explains how much trauma informed women ending in prison.
Flourishing After Addiction with Carl Erik Fisher, M.D. – Working with the Shame of Addiction: A Philosopher's Perspective (Can shame play a positive role in recovery?)
Owen Flanagan is a distinguished philosopher at Duke who is also in recovery. I’m grateful that he agreed to meet with me and share so openly about his personal history of addiction and recovery, including how he had to work with shame in order to overcome his addiction. We also discuss his latest book, in which he argues that shame has a crucial function in moral development, and that there are ways of working with healthy and mature forms of shame to promote positive values and flourishing—an idea with significant relevance to addiction.
Dopey – An Old School Smattering of Gratitude -Thanksgiving with Ray Brown and Amy Dresner
This week on Dopey! It’s Thanksgiving and we are thrilled to share the holiday with some old friends. Ray returns and talks about his recent trip to Mexico, the Beatles special and a bunch of other dumb shit. Then Amy Dresner returns to talk about her recent Propyfol experience and more! Plus my dad pops in and some emails and messages of gratitude on a super not corny but still super grateful new episode of Dopey!
National State/Local Studies/Research Opinion Reviews Podcasts Leg/Advocacy Comments
Legislative Updates and Advocacy
Bipartisan Non-Opioids Prevent Addiction in the Nation (NOPAIN) Act more options to combat opioid addiction
The bipartisan Non-Opioids Prevent Addiction in the Nation Act, House of Representatives Bill 3259/Senate Bill 586, commonly called NOPAIN, will give health care providers greater latitude in prescribing safer and non-habit-forming pain relievers after surgery.
Aberdeen News - Nov. 26. 2021