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.
Low-income families face health-related disparities on multiple levels. Laura Hamasaka of Legacy shares how the Head Start Tobacco Initiative seeks to increase awareness of the health consequences of tobacco use, reduce children’s exposure to secondhand smoke, and increase the capacity of its programs to address tobacco cessation and secondhand smoke.
Scientists are working to develop opioid painkillers with a low potential for abuse. About a dozen such drugs are currently in development, according to The Courier-Journal.
Now that four states have legalized recreational marijuana, the American Civil Liberties Union plans to turn its focus from legalization to decriminalizing drug possession, according to U.S. News & World Report.
Most smokers with bladder cancer are aware that using tobacco increased their risk of disease, a new study finds. More than half of bladder cancers in the United States are caused by smoking.
Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker is calling for drug testing for people receiving unemployment benefits and welfare. The proposal could run into legal obstacles, The Washington Post reports.
Some pain specialists are ordering costly, unneeded drug tests for their elderly patients, in order to receive payment from Medicare, The Wall Street Journal reports. These doctors are testing for drugs rarely used by elderly patients, such as heroin, cocaine and PCP.
A new poll finds 51 percent of U.S. adults favor legalizing marijuana, down from 58 percent last year.
Medicare issued a proposal this week to cover annual lung cancer screenings for people with a history of heavy smoking.
Dozens of websites selling illegal drugs and guns were shut down by law enforcement authorities across the United States and Europe last week, The Wall Street Journal reports.
Following the passage of measures to legalize recreational marijuana in Oregon, Alaska and Washington, D.C., advocates say they are now focusing on California.
Insomnia may lead to an increase in the risk of relapse for people in the early phases of recovery from addiction, suggests a new report. The researchers say the incidence of insomnia in early recovery may be five times higher than in the general population.
The country’s largest pharmacy benefits manager, Express Scripts, is considering creating a network of outlets that do not sell tobacco or alcohol, The Wall Street Journal reports.
A new study suggests menthol cigarettes could be more harmful to smokers than regular cigarettes. Researchers found menthol cigarette smokers had more trips to the emergency room and more hospitalizations or treatment for severe lung disease flare-ups.
Top headlines of the week from Friday, October 31- Thursday, November 6, 2014.
A public health and public safety partnership program in New York City called RxStat is using data from different government agencies to pinpoint opioid overdoses and to make changes to reduce the toll of prescription drug abuse. The goal is to reduce overdose deaths and to drive home the message that opioid overdose deaths are preventable.
Oregon and Alaska voted to legalize recreational marijuana use on Tuesday. In Washington, D.C., residents voted to allow possession of marijuana, but not retail sales of the drug, Reuters reports.
Walgreen and Rite Aid are unlikely to follow the lead of CVS in halting tobacco sales, experts say. Unlike CVS, which reported revenue growth in the third quarter of this year, its rivals do not have pharmacy benefit management units.
An antibody therapy could prolong the effect of medication designed to treat methamphetamine addiction, a study in mice suggests.
A new study in rats suggests heavy drinking during the teen years could lead to structural changes in the brain that last into adulthood. The changes occur in the region of the brain important in reasoning and decision-making.
Initiatives on the ballot in Oregon and Alaska on Tuesday, that would legalize recreational marijuana, are too close to call, according to NBC News. If the states approve the measures, they will join Colorado and Washington state, where recreational marijuana is already legal.
Increasing the availability of the opioid-overdose antidote naloxone could prevent more than 20,000 deaths in the United States annually, according to the World Health Organization.
A Food and Drug Administration hearing last week revealed there are a number of disagreements among experts about abuse-deterrent opioids, MedPageToday reports.
A new study concludes 19 percent of Americans suffer from chronic pain. Women and the elderly are most likely to have constant pain, HealthDay reports.
While many newly insured patients are seeking care now that the Affordable Care Act has expanded coverage, there has not been a rush of new patients receiving treatment for substance use disorders or mental health issues, according to U.S. News & World Report.
The Denver Police Department has posted a public service video, made in conjunction with a marijuana store owner, that advises parents to check their children’s Halloween candy to make sure it isn’t infused with marijuana.
Get Support
