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The Latest News from Our Field

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. Sign up here to receive weekly updates straight to your inbox.

STAT op-ed: Federal funding and coordination needed for prevention

A STAT opinion piece outlines the need for the federal government to prioritize mental health and substance use disorder prevention and provide sufficient funding and coordination.

Concerns rise over USPSTF future

Another meeting of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force was postponed, leaving some concerned that HHS is abandoning the group that provides key recommendations for free preventive care.

SAMHSA unveils $69M mental health grants

SAMHSA announced funding for the Children's Mental Health Initiative, Implementing Zero Suicide in Health Systems, and Assisted Outpatient Treatment grants and tied them to addressing the root causes of addiction.

FDA seeks input on opioid disposal standards

FDA issued a Request for Information on potential new standards for in-home opioid disposal products.

Survey: Americans trust scientists and professional associations over health agencies

A survey found U.S. adults trust career scientists and professional health associations more than federal health agencies and their leaders, including on guidance concerning safe alcohol use.

Research News Roundup: March 12, 2026

View our curated digest of the latest research news, including a study showing a significant shift in addiction treatment centers following their acquisition by private equity firms. While these acquisitions led to an increase in the number of patients receiving care, the quality of that care—specifically the length of time patients remained in treatment—showed a notable decline.

KFF: Opioid and alcohol death trends 2024

KFF released new issue briefs examining trends in opioid overdose deaths and alcohol-induced deaths, showing recent decreases, though levels remain above those from before the pandemic.

Casey Means faces Senate HELP Committee

Casey Means, President Trump’s nominee to be surgeon general, went before the Senate HELP Committee for a confirmation hearing. Among other topics, she touched on psychedelics, maternal mental health, and youth mental health and technology.

Big cities innovate for adolescent health

Boston Public Health Commission partnered with Big Cities Health Coalition members to conduct a national landscape analysis that highlights city and county programs to improve adolescent health, including related to mental health and substance use.

Research News Roundup: March 5, 2026

View our curated digest of the latest research news, including how billions of dollars from opioid lawsuits are finally reaching states — yet the funding gap in addiction treatment keeps growing. The research shows that these legal payouts are no substitute for federal investment: they are too small, too restricted in how they can be spent, and are arriving just as federal treatment funding declines.

Trump delivers first State of the Union of second term

President Trump delivered his State of the Union address on Tuesday. While he touched on health care and addressing fentanyl trafficking, the addiction crisis was not otherwise a central focus.

Overdose deaths decline but new risks emerge as drug supply changes

The illicit drug supply is changing to include lethal combinations of fentanyl with stimulants, sedatives, and novel synthetics, but testing and treatment have not caught up with this reality.

Nicotine pouches marketed as health hack

Companies and influencers are pushing purported cognitive and health benefits of oral nicotine as a productivity or wellness aid, but experts are concerned about youth use, addiction, and other health effects.

NIH director Bhattacharya to lead CDC

NIH Director Bhattacharya took on the additional role of acting CDC director, as CDC continues to operate without a Senate-confirmed, full-time director.

States tackle parity violations

A Nevada report found that at least 16 insurance carriers in the state likely violated parity last year, while EmblemHealth agreed to a $2.5 million settlement with New York for continued ghost networks.

Research News Roundup: February 26, 2026

View our curated digest of the latest research news, including how a large study has found that teenagers who use cannabis are at a significantly higher risk of developing serious mental health conditions, specifically bipolar disorder and psychotic disorders. Because cannabis is becoming legal in more regions, the researchers suggest that doctors and parents need better educational tools to talk to teens about these risks. They also recommend that lawmakers create stronger policies to help prevent or delay marijuana use among young people to protect their long-term mental health.

NYT Editorial Board: Regulate marijuana to curb downsides

The New York Times Editorial Board argues that while America should not go back to marijuana prohibition, lawmakers should do more to regulate marijuana to address the problems that have arisen from legalization.

Shift from injecting to smoking opioids

Drug consumption has shifted away from injection and towards smoking, decreasing the risks of infections and fatal overdose.

DOL and Kaiser settle investigations into MH/SUD access issues

The Department of Labor announced a settlement with Kaiser Foundation Health Plans to resolve investigations into the company’s failure to provide timely and appropriate access to mental health and substance use services.

Lawsuit could establish protections for harm reduction services under ADA

A lawsuit brought by a local ministry against a Washington county could help establish Americans with Disabilities Act protections for harm reduction services like syringe exchange programs.

Flawed drug tests and processes harm families

A Marshall Project investigation of state and federal data documents the scope and issues associated with parental referrals to law enforcement over allegations of substance use during pregnancy.

Research News Roundup: February 19, 2026

View our curated digest of the latest research news, including how teenagers and young adults with a weaker brain reward signal were significantly more likely to develop problems with cannabis use over the following two years. The weaker the signal, the greater the risk. This same brain marker did not predict alcohol problems in the same way. The practical takeaway from this is that this brain signal could potentially serve as an early warning sign, helping identify young people at higher risk for cannabis problems.

Drug overdose deaths continue decline in 2024

Final numbers show that there were 79,385 overdose deaths in 2024, a 26% decrease in the overdose death rate from 2023.

Federal public health data access reduced

The Trump administration has restricted public health data collection and access, which may make it difficult to create policy interventions to address substance use.

Research News Roundup: February 12, 2026

View our curated digest of the latest research news, including how individuals demonstrating higher levels of substance use severity appear to exhibit a specific pattern of inconsistency when evaluating the negative consequences of their choices. While previous research often focused on a general insensitivity to costs, newer evidence suggests that the primary issue may be a failure to consistently apply learned cost information to future decisions.
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