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.
Health insurance companies, facing an increase in claims for substance abuse treatment, are pushing for changes such as emphasizing medication-assisted treatment over abstinence, according to the Hartford Courant.
Doctors say they are finding it challenging to add the newly approved addiction treatment medicine Probuphine to their practice, WBEZ reports. They say they have to learn how to implant the drug in the upper arm of patients. They must also deal with new requirements.
Some doctors are voicing their opposition to new state laws that limit opioid prescribing. The American Medical Association and other medical groups say doctors and patients should be able to balance the need to treat pain against the risk of addiction, Stateline reports.
The number of deaths in the United States involving heroin more than tripled between 2010 and 2014, according to a new report by the Drug Enforcement Administration. The number of people reporting current heroin use nearly tripled between 2007 and 2014, the agency said.
Many disabled Medicare patients are still using prescription opioid painkillers despite the passage of state laws designed to control use of the drugs, HealthDay reports.
A new study suggests adults who were victims of sexual and/or physical abuse in childhood, or who witnessed chronic parental violence, are at greatly increased risk of substance use.
Top headlines of the week from Friday, June 24- Thursday, June 30, 2016.
A new video game is being lauded in reviews for its refreshing approach and a diverse cast of heroes, and tobacco use is front and center in the form of a lit cigar in the mouth of one of those heroes, explains Robin Koval of Truth Initiative.
Many pharmacists are not using monitoring systems designed to reduce prescription drug abuse, a study of Maine pharmacists suggests. The study found only 56 percent of those surveyed used their state system.
A new study suggests wristband biosensors may be useful in tracking relapses in people in recovery from opioid addiction. The biosensors track how the body reacts to opioids.
Even teens who are not athletes are using performance-enhancing supplements in an attempt to enhance their appearance, the American Academy of Pediatrics warns in a new report.
Pediatricians should look for risk factors linked to teen suicide, the American Academy of Pediatrics advises. Risk factors include substance abuse, a history of physical or sexual abuse, mood disorders, being lesbian, gay or bisexual, and bullying, the group notes in new guidelines.
An estimated one million people used heroin in the United States in 2014, almost triple the 2003 rate, according to a new report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Heroin-related deaths have increased five-fold since 2000, the World Drug Report 2016 found.
Routinely prescribing naloxone to certain patients who take opioid medications might reduce the number of overdose deaths, a new study suggests.
Medical examiners and coroners around the nation are struggling to deal with the large number of drug overdose deaths, the Associated Press reports.
Some doctors are finding it challenging to balance the mandate to reduce opioid prescriptions with a federal policy that links hospital payments to patient satisfaction surveys, Kaiser Health News reports.
Almost 10 million Americans say they misused opioid medications in 2012-2013, according to a new study from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Nonmedical use of prescription opioids more than doubled over a 10-year period, the study found.
Almost one-third of Medicare beneficiaries—nearly 12 million Americans—received a prescription for commonly abused opioids in 2015, according to a new report. Spending for these drugs exceeded $4 billion, according to the Associated Press.
As the Obama Administration and public health officials push for a reduction in prescription opioids, they are facing some resistance from both patients and doctors, experts tell The New York Times.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has found that a vast drug-distribution network that originates in China is feeding the deadly opioid fentanyl to the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Top headlines of the week from Friday, June 17- Thursday, June 23, 2016.
The drug naloxone reverses overdoses, but it needs to be used as a tool -- not treatment – in saving lives, much like a defibrillator for the heart attack victim. We need more effective ways to save people from drug overdoses, explains Karen Perry, Executive Director of the NOPE Task Force.
Some dental schools are training their students to reduce the amount of opioid painkillers they prescribe for their surgical patients. Dentists are among the leading prescribers of opioids, especially for surgical tooth extractions, NBC News reports.
The American Medical Association is calling for a ban on powdered alcohol to protect young people, Medscape reports. The group notes alcohol is the most widely used substance of abuse among young people, leading to 4,300 underage deaths annually.
A new study suggests smokers who quit try to give up cigarettes an average of 30 times before they succeed. Previous studies indicated the number was much lower, Reuters reports.
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