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U.S. spending on behavioral health skyrockets
U.S. spending on behavioral health in 2020 exceeded $280 billion. An analysis by Bourne Partners found that this far outpaced spending on mental health treatment by six to one. These findings demonstrate the still-enormous mental health and substance use disorder crises pre-pandemic. Providers, specialty substance use disorder centers and prescription drugs were all part of this spending. The spending split into $238 billion for substance use disorder treatment and $42 billion for mental health treatment. The report found that spending on behavioral health had a compounded annual growth rate of 4.6% from 2009 to 2020. Because substance use disorders can coexist with other mental health issues, providers are branching out and adding services like detox and residential care to lengthen the time they can service a patient, the analysis found, as well as increasing efforts to reach certain populations.
Source: Charted: Mental health market surges (Axios)
Federal news
White House says China will increase regulations on fentanyl
The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy said in a statement that China will increase regulations on chemicals used to make illicit fentanyl. ONDCP Director Dr. Rahul Gupta calls this “an important step in the right direction.” As part of these regulations, China plans to schedule seven new substances. This marks the third significant action in drug policy since President Biden reopened bilateral counternarcotics cooperation with China in November 2023. President Biden has also called for all relevant federal departments and agencies to help curb the flow of illicit fentanyl into the United States.
Source: China to beef up regulations on fentanyl chemicals, White House says (Reuters)
State and local news
Recreational marijuana sales to begin in Ohio
Recreational marijuana sales began in Ohio this week. The state issued its initial opening certificates on Tuesday to 98 locations. The possession, purchase and growing of cannabis has been legal since being voted on last November, but recreational sales have not started until now. Cannabis purchases will be subject to a 10% state tax, with the funds going towards administrative fees; substance use disorder treatment; municipalities with dispensaries; and jobs supporting the cannabis industry.
Source: Recreational marijuana sales in Ohio can start Tuesday at nearly 100 locations (ABC News)
Experts support lower BAC limit
A year after Utah lowered its allowable BAC (blood-alcohol content) from .08 to .05 in 2018, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) found that fatal car crashes in the state were reduced by almost 20%. Utah is currently the only state with a .05 BAC limit. All other states have a .08 limit. Other countries, including Australia, France, Thailand and about 50 other nations, have a BAC limit of .05. The limit is even lower in more than 30 other countries. The NHTSA recently found that U.S. drunk-driving deaths rose about 33% between 2019 and 2022. Several states, including New York, Washington, Hawaii and Connecticut, are now considering legislation to reduce the legal BAC driving limit.
Source: How Much Alcohol is Too Much for a Driver? (The New York Times)
Other news in addiction policy
Advocates hope for more progressive drug policy from Harris
Advocates want to see a potential Kamala Harris administration do more on drug policy. In particular, they want to see a shift away from punitive policy already started in the Biden administration, which includes descheduling cannabis. Kassandra Frederique of the nonpartisan organization Drug Policy Action argues that simply rescheduling cannabis does not actually deal with criminal justice issues and that a potential Harris administration can build on President Biden’s evolution on the issue.
Source: What Drug Policy Advocates Want to See From a Kamala Harris Administration (Mother Jones)
Contingency management for stimulant use treatment underfunded by government
Experts say that there is a significant lack of federal funding for contingency management for methamphetamine and other stimulant use disorder. The Biden administration has not raised the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) $75 cap on funding for contingency management services despite pushback. Many lawmakers have condemned harm reduction and contingency management programs across the country despite their efficacy. While opioid use disorder can be treated with highly effective medications, there are not yet ones available for stimulant use treatment. As a result, providers have increasingly turned to contingency management. States like West Virginia that have raised the cap on a trial period have found greater rates of engagement and recovery management as opposed to states like New Jersey that maintain the $75 cap. SAMHSA is undergoing a review of the cap.
Source: Politics is holding back the best tool for treating meth addiction (STAT)
Published
August 2024