We curate a digest of the latest news in our field for advocates, policymakers, community coalitions and all who work toward shaping policies and practices to effectively prevent substance use and treat addiction.
Expanding access to Medicaid in 20 states that have not done so under the Affordable Care Act could help the estimated 1.9 million people living in those states who have a mental illness or substance use disorder, a new report concludes.
Almost all physicians who write prescriptions for opioid painkillers exceed the federally recommended three-day dosage limit, according to a survey by the National Safety Council.
A measure designed to protect babies born to mothers who used opioids during pregnancy was introduced in the U.S. House on Wednesday, Reuters reports. A similar bill moved to the Senate floor last week.
Young transgender women are more likely than the general U.S. population to be affected by mental health issues such as addiction and depression, a new study suggests.
Most teens who have gone through the juvenile detention center in Chicago have been diagnosed with drug or alcohol abuse or dependency at some point in their lives, a new study finds.
New York City officials report a large influx of the synthetic opioid fentanyl, according to The Wall Street Journal. Fentanyl is 30 to 50 times more powerful than heroin.
Top headlines of the week from Friday, March 18- Thursday, March 24, 2016.
A new study suggests many patients who are taking a high dose of opioid medication to treat chronic pain are willing to taper off their medication if they are given guidance in how to cope with pain without drugs.
The Food and Drug Administration announced Tuesday it will require immediate-release opioid painkillers to carry a “black box” warning about the risk of misuse, abuse, addiction, overdose and death, CNN reports.
Representative Elijah Cummings of Maryland criticized the maker of the opioid overdose antidote naloxone Tuesday for increasing the price of the drug as demand has increased. He spoke at the Full House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform hearing on the heroin epidemic.
A commission appointed by President Obama and Congress urged the federal government to increase protections for drug-affected babies, Reuters reports.
An increasing number of veterans are treating their post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with marijuana, according to the Associated Press.
A new study finds states that require people convicted of drunk driving to install ignition interlock devices in their vehicles have lower rates of alcohol-related crash deaths compared with states that don’t require the devices.
A proposal that would allow patients being treated for addiction to consent to disclose their records to the healthcare system affiliated with their provider is spurring a debate about privacy, according to NPR.
New York has become the second state to require electronic prescribing, in an effort to combat the opioid addiction epidemic. Minnesota has required e-prescribing since 2011, Marketwatch reports.
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear a lawsuit brought by Nebraska and Oklahoma over Colorado’s system of legalized recreational marijuana, according to NPR. Nebraska and Oklahoma said they are having trouble protecting their borders from the increased flow of marijuana.
A Senate committee on Wednesday unanimously passed an amendment that would greatly increase access to buprenorphine to treat opioid addiction, according to The Huffington Post.
A new study suggests meditation can significantly reduce pain, without using the body’s opioid receptors. The findings are especially significant for people who have built up a tolerance to opiate-based medications and are seeking a non-addictive way to reduce pain, the researchers say.
A measure aimed at protecting babies born to mothers who used heroin or other opioids during pregnancy was approved by a U.S. Senate committee this week.
A new survey finds medical students have double the rate of alcohol abuse or dependence, compared with surgeons, U.S. physicians or the general public, HealthDay reports. The researchers cite burnout and school debts as possible factors.
Top headlines of the week from Friday, March 11- Thursday, March 17, 2016.
Smoking affects just about everything we care about in immediate and unexpected ways––even our pets. And it turns out that can serve as a powerful inspiration to help end tobacco use, according to the truth campaign.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued guidelines Tuesday that recommend primary care providers avoid prescribing opioid painkillers for patients with chronic pain, according to USA Today. The risks from opioids greatly outweigh the benefits for most people, the CDC says.
U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell says the department is taking a more proactive approach to enforcing a federal law that requires states to report and protect drug-dependent babies.
The number of people convicted of a drug offense carrying a mandatory minimum sentence fell last year, according to a new report by the U.S. Sentencing Commission.
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