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The Prevention of Prescription Drug Abuse in the Workplace (PAW) TA Center addresses prescription drug abuse—a growing public health problem with increasing burdens on workers, workplaces, and our economy. To subscribe colleagues, family members, or friends to this listserv sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), please click here or send their e-mail addresses to [email protected].
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National Prevention Week: May 15–21, 2016
SAMHSA’s fifth annual National Prevention Week (NPW) is dedicated to increasing public awareness and prevention of mental and substance use disorders. During NPW, community organizations nationwide host health fairs, educational assemblies, town hall meetings, memorial walks, social media campaigns, outdoor events, and more. This year’s theme, Strong as One, Stronger Together, recognizes that one person can make a positive difference in his or her community, but when we all unite together, we can achieve even more. Actress Torrey DeVitto, who plays an emergency department pediatrician in NBC’s “Chicago Med,” is this year’s NPW ambassador. Watch her in the NPW promotional video.
Get Involved
- Sign up for and watch the kick-off webcast for NPW 2016, held in partnership with Morgan State University.
- Listen to the NPW Theme song “Stronger Together,” written by Rock and Roll Hall of Fame singer and guitarist Lou Esposito.
- Incorporate the song into your prevention efforts this year. Share it on social media using #StrongerTogether, or record your own video version of the song. Be creative!
- Join our webinar, Preventing Youth Marijuana Use: Changing Perception of Risk, Thursday May 19, 2016, from 2–3 p.m. (ET), which will explore how attitudes, beliefs, and norms about marijuana influence its use, highlighting examples of how states have increased perception of risk among young people.
- Participate in SAMHSA’s #NPW2016 Twitter chat about the prevention of suicide featuring Torrey DeVitto, Friday, May 20, 2016, 1–2 p.m. (ET).
- Add the power of your voice to SAMHSA’s “I Choose” photo project. People of all ages are already participating, and their “I Choose” photos will inspire you.
Visit the NPW website (http://www.samhsa.gov/prevention-week) for more materials and information. Get involved, let your voice be heard, and #ChoosePrevention.
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J.M. Buchanich, L.C. Balmert, J.L. Pringle, K.E. Williams, D.S. Burke, and G.M. Marsh. 2016. “Patterns and Trends in Accidental Poisoning Death Rates in the US, 1979–2014.” Preventive Medicine, doi:10.1016/j.ypmed.2016.04.007.
Analysis of mortality data (1979–2014) shows drug overdose rates continue to be high in the 31 high-intensity drug trafficking areas (HIDTA) that Congress designated in 1988, with the exception of some HIDTAs along U.S. borders that are drug pathways into the country rather than areas with high usage rates. Over time, overdose rates have risen to HIDTA-like levels in some other parts of the country, notably western Pennsylvania and Massachusetts, suggesting an urgent need to designate more HIDTAs. HIDTAs receive coordinated law enforcement resources dedicated to reducing trafficking and production.
Read More:
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0091743516300627
N. Vest, C.J. Reynolds, and S.L. Tragesser. 2016. “Impulsivity and Risk for Prescription Opioid Misuse in a Chronic Pain Patient Sample.” Addictive Behaviors, doi:10.1016/j.addbeh.2016.04.015.
A survey of 143 patients receiving treatment for chronic pain at a regional Washington state pain clinic found the urgency facet of impulsivity was associated with risk for future misuse, current misuse, and symptoms of current opioid use disorder. Sensation-seeking was also associated with current misuse. However, impulsivity facets related to lack of premeditation, and lack of perseverance were not associated with any misuse measure. Identifying the urgency and sensation-seeking facets of impulsivity may help providers to understand and assess risk of prescription opioid misuse during chronic pain treatment.
Read More:
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306460316301642
D.A. Rastegar, S.S. Kawasaki, V.L. King, E.E. Harris, and R.K. Brooner. 2016. “Criminal Charges Prior to and After Enrollment in Opioid Agonist Treatment: A Comparison of Methadone Maintenance and Office-based Buprenorphine.” Substance Use and Misuse, doi:10.3109/10826084.2016.1155608.
This study compared law enforcement data on all 252 opioid dependent adults who entered office-based buprenorphine treatment at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore (2003–07) and a random sample of 252 of the university’s methadone maintenance patients. Among buprenorphine patients, neither the percent offending nor the mean number of charges declined. In contrast, methadone patients facing criminal charges declined from 50 percent in the 2 years prior to treatment to 33 percent in the 2 years after enrolling, and those facing drug charges declined from 25 percent to 18 percent. Mean criminal charges per methadone patient declined from 0.97 to 0.63, including a decline in drug offenses from 0.38 to 0.23. Buprenorphine patients were significantly more likely than methadone patients to be male (56 percent vs. 42 percent), be employed (45 percent vs. 13 percent) or disabled (26 percent vs. 16 percent), and use commercial insurance (41 percent vs. 1 percent).
Read More:
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3109/10826084.2016.1155608
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Journal Articles and Reports
E.A. Abood and M Wazaify. 2016. “Abuse and Misuse of Prescription and Nonprescription Drugs from Community Pharmacies in Aden City—Yemen.” Substance Use and Misuse, doi:10.3109/10826084.2016.1155619.
In Aden, Yemen, a survey randomly distributed to 200 community pharmacies in June through September 2013 drew 170 responses. More than half of responding pharmacists had received suspicious drug requests in the past 3 months, with requests for alprazolam, ketoprofen, tramadol, and antibiotics being the top suspects and 83 percent of respondents saying use and misuse of these drugs was increasing. The survey instrument previously was used in Northern Ireland and in Jordan.
Read More:
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3109/10826084.2016.1155619
T. Alves-dos-Reis, A.L. Papoila, and R. Gusmão. 2016. “Changes in Prescribing Patterns of Benzodiazepines after Training of General Practitioners.” European Psychiatry, doi:10.1016/j.eurpsy.2016.01.045.
In Portugal, evaluation of an educational session about benzodiazepine prescribing for a group of general practitioners found no gains. Although trainees prescribed fewer benzodiazepines after the session, so did a non-intervened group from the same region and a non-intervened group from a different region.
Read More:
https://www.infona.pl/resource/bwmeta1.element.elsevier-a22a6f7d-d846-3e31-a120-ecd06af99290
A.G. Barthwell. 2016. “Clinical and Public Health Consideration in Urine Drug Testing to Identify and Treat Substance Use.” Substance Use & Misuse, doi:10.3109/10826084.2015.1135953.
The author contrasts a clinical test to ensure patient safety with a forensic test is to ascertain innocence or guilt. Test sensitivity in a clinical setting is important for different reasons than in a forensic setting. False negatives in a clinical setting result in patients not receiving treatment for substance use disorders and in overdose risk if improper drugs are prescribed. False positives can result in patients being scrutinized and not receiving proper medications to most effectively address their pain. American Society of Addiction Medicine guidelines suggest that no single urine drug test method or regimen is suitable for all clinical scenarios; rather, regimens should be tailored to patients’ unique needs.
Read more:
http://dx.doi.org/10.3109/10826084.2015.1135953
S.E Brennan and C.F. Coutu. 2016. “Prescription Drug Abuse on the Water.” Improving Maritime Safety.
The U.S. Coast Guard monitors very strict federal drug use rules for individuals with a merchant marine credential. Workers who used illicit substances while holding their credential, even if not on duty or on the water at the time of use, are subject to suspension and revocation proceedings. Despite growing prescription drug misuse, the Coast Guard currently has no mechanism to test for prescription drug misuse and does not require marine employers to report results of non-Department of Transportation testing to the Coast Guard.
Read More on Page 41:
http://uscgproceedings.epubxp.com/i/617100-win-2015/5
T. Burk, M.L. Sampilo, T. Wendling, C. Nguyen, and J. Piatt. 2016. “Prescription Drug Misuse and Associated Risk Behaviors Among Public High School Students in Oklahoma: Data from the 2013 Oklahoma Youth Risk Behavior Survey.” Journal of the Oklahoma State Medical Association, 109(3):103–10.
Analysis of 2013 Oklahoma Youth Risk Behavior Survey data revealed that 1 in 5 high school students had misused prescription drugs, with female students 1.5 times more likely than male students to report misusing, and senior-year students 1.7 times more likely to have misused than first-year students. Students who reported misusing prescription drugs were more likely to be engaged in tobacco use, binge drinking, and marijuana use, and more likely to be suicidal.
Read More:
https://www.ok.gov/health2/documents/YRBS_RX_JOSMA_March16_Burk.pdf
S.F. Butler, K.L. Zacharoff, S. Charity, R.A. Black, E. Chung, A. Barreveld, M. S. Clark, and R.N. Jamison. 2016. “Impact of an Electronic Pain and Opioid Risk Assessment Program: Are There Improvements in Patient Encounters and Clinic Notes?” Pain Medicine, doi:10.1093/pm/pnw033.
An electronic self-report assessment, called PainCAS, which captures demographic information, pain assessment, quality-of-life variables, and contains validated electronic versions of screeners for risk of aberrant opioid related behaviors was developed and implemented in three hospital-based clinics. In study 1 of a 2-part evaluation, chart reviews of 89 pain patients who completed the electronic program and 120 controls who represented standard of care found significantly more key, pain-relevant chart elements documented in charts of patients who completed the PainCAS. In study 2, 147 chronic pain patients were randomly assigned to complete PainCAS before their visit or received treatment-as-usual. Of these patients, 57 percent were making initial visits. Patients were surveyed by mail in a 3-month follow-up with an 87 percent response rate. The PainCAS patients reported more discussion about legal issues, substance use history, and medication safety during the index visit. At follow-up, pain ratings and satisfaction with pain treatment did not differ significantly or substantially between the groups.
Read More:
https://painmedicine.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2016/04/20/pm.pnw033
B. Cook, L. Chavez, R. Carmona, and M. Alegria. 2016. “Assessing Comorbidities and Service Use Among Patients with Benzodiazepine Abuse.” European Psychiatry, doi:10.1016/j.eurpsy.2016.01.1003.
In 2013–15 electronic health record data from a Boston healthcare system, predictably, patients with existing comorbid substance use and mental health disorders were significantly more likely to misuse benzodiazepines than patients with only mental health disorders.
Read More:
https://www.infona.pl/resource/bwmeta1.element.elsevier-182b7e56-1a0d-3e3e-8bbd-78a27e3eb8ff
G. Fond, F. Berna, and P. Domenech. 2016. “Motives and behaviors of Medical Students (Mis)using Prescription Stimulants.” European Psychiatry, doi:10.1016/j.eurpsy.2016.01.1629.
In France, an online survey drew responses from 1718 medical undergraduate and postgraduate students. One third had used psychostimulants at least once, with 29.7 percent using over-the-counter (OTC) drugs, 6.7 percent using medically prescribed drugs, and 5.2 percent using illicit psychostimulants (cocaine or amphetamines). OTC consumption typically involved corticoid use to increase wakefulness during competitive exam preparation and internship. This usage could pose a public health problem given the potential for severe side effects (lower serotonin levels leading to depression and aggression). OTC consumption was twice as frequent among users of other psychostimulants as among nonusers. Corticoids also accounted for two-thirds of the prescribed psychostimulants, and again were used to increase academic performance/concentration–memory and wakefulness. Unlike corticoids, methylphenidate and modafinil prescriptions are tightly regulated in France.
Read More:
https://www.infona.pl/resource/bwmeta1.element.elsevier-83bf8948-8337-3a60-843b-c8f8e8790f3e
M. Graziani and R. Nistico. 2016. “Gender Difference in Prescription Opioid Abuse: a Focus on Oxycodone and Hydrocodone.” Pharmacological Research, doi:10.1016/j.phrs.2016.04.012.
A literature synthesis suggests that oxycodone and hydrocodone pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic effects do not differ according to sex, but that females report more gastrointestinal adverse reactions.
Read More:
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1043661816302523
O.H. Griffin III and V.H. Woodward. 2016. “Using Drug Courts for Drug Post-Marketing Surveillance.” Drugs and Alcohol Today.
One challenge for drug regulation is valid, comprehensive surveillance of drugs after they reach the pharmaceutical market. These researchers propose individual and aggregate-level post-market surveillance using data previously, and continuously, collected by drug courts, which operate throughout the United States. Using intake data for the 532 participants between September 2012 and November 2013 in an urban, southern county drug court, for example, it would be possible to break down drug use by sociological and criminological variables including familial and social support, church attendance, and adult criminal history.
Read More:
http://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/abs/10.1108/DAT-07-2015-0034
H. Palis, K. Marchand, D. Peng, J. Fikowski, S. Harrison, M.T. Schechter, and E. Oviedo-Joekes. 2016. “Factors Associated with Perceived Abuse in the Health Care System Among Long-Term Opioid Users: A Cross-Sectional Study.” Substance Use and Misuse, 51(6):763–76.
In a Vancouver, Canada, survey of a community-recruited convenience sample of 175 long-term adult opioid users (average age 45) interviewed between December 2011 and June 2013, all respondents at one time had been on methadone maintenance and almost all currently were active heroin injectors. Virtually all (98 percent) reported being maltreated (abused or neglected) as children, 86 percent reported being physically abused as adults, and 23 percent reported physical or sexual abuse in the past month. Half reported an adult health care provider had disrespected them (offensive, degrading, or insulting behavior), blackmailed them, or taken advantage of them. As part of that total, a quarter reported someone in health service purposely “hurting you physically or mentally, grossly violating you or using your body and your subordinated position to your disadvantage for his/her own purpose.”
Read More:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27096889
E. Peles, A. Sason, E. Malik, S. Schreiber, and M. Adelson. 2016. “Characteristics and Outcome of Methadone Maintenance Treatment (MMT) Patients with Depression.” European Psychiatry, doi:10.1016/j.eurpsy.2016.01.1065.
In Tel Aviv, Israel, among 263 methadone maintenance patients screened at intake, 23 percent were depressed, as were 22 percent of 235 existing patients screened contemporaneously. At intake, depressed patients were more likely to also be misusing cocaine (56 percent vs. 35 percent) and benzodiazepines (74 percent vs. 58 percent). Retention a year later among all 498 was high and did not vary with depression (80 percent if depressed vs. 83 percent if not). Ongoing cocaine and benzodiazepine misuse were still higher among the depressed patients (cocaine 44 percent vs. 23 percent; benzodiazepines 61 percent vs. 40 percent). Depressed patients more often had a history of rape (25 percent vs. 10 percent) and suicide attempts (44 percent vs. 25 percent) than other patients.
Read More:
https://www.infona.pl/resource/bwmeta1.element.elsevier-a7b900e1-9ced-3930-96ff-015f9a55240a
S. Prakash and Y. Balhara. 2016. “Perceptions Related to Pharmacological Treatment of Opioid Dependence Among Individuals Seeking Treatment at a Tertiary Care Center in Northern India: A Descriptive Study.” Substance Use and Misuse, doi:10.3109/10826084.2016.1155615.
In New Delhi, India, among 85 people being treated for opioid dependence at a tertiary care center, all but 3 had taken buprenorphine and 26 had taken naltrexone. Fear of becoming dependent was the most common harm reported with buprenorphine (35 percent) while withdrawal control (82 percent) was the most common benefit. With oral naltrexone, precipitated withdrawal was the most common harm expected (21 percent) and relapse prevention was the most common benefit (53 percent).
Read More:
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3109/10826084.2016.1155615
T.S. Schepis and S.E. McCabe. 2016. “Trends in Older Adult Nonmedical Prescription Drug Use Prevalence: Results from the 2002–2003 and 2012–2013 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.” Addictive Behaviors, doi:10.1016/j.addbeh.2016.04.020.
Consistent with other studies, 2002–03 and 2012–13 data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health show lifetime nonmedical prescription drug use rates increased among both people ages 50–64 and people ages 65 and older. Adjusted for sex and race/ethnicity shifts, lifetime nonmedical prescription use rose by 45 percent for opioids, 57 percent for tranquilizers, and 36 percent for stimulants. The increases in past year usage rates were larger, 74 percent for opioids, 49 percent for tranquilizers, and 99 percent for stimulants. However, even in 2012–13, past year usage rates were modest: 1.7 percent, 0.9 percent, and 0.3 percent, respectively.
Read More:
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306460316301691
A.C. Sondhi. 2016. “Addressing Perceptions of Opiate-Using Prisoners to Take-Home Naloxone: Findings from One English Region.” Drugs and Alcohol Today.
In one region of England, evaluators surveyed 142 prisoners across 10 prison during take-home naloxone training (a 69 percent response rate) and held focus groups with 42 inmates. Among respondents, 54 percent had overdosed and 73 percent had witnessed another person overdose. Despite that, they were resistant to take-home naloxone training and questioned the mixed message it sent between harm reduction and recovery-oriented treatment. They also worried about the perceptions of police officers if they discovered ex-convicts in possession of naloxone kits.
Read More:
http://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/abs/10.1108/DAT-09-2015-0053
M.E. Zander, M. Norton-Baker, and A. Looby. 2016. “The Role of Anonymity in Determining the Self-Reported Use of Cocaine and Nonmedical Prescription Stimulant Use Among College Students.” Substance Use and Misuse, doi:10.3109/10826084.2016.1155607.
At a North Dakota university during the fall 2012 and spring 2013 terms, college students in introductory psychology courses were randomly assigned by classroom to complete an in-class survey using either a clicker-based data collection method that guaranteed their anonymity (n = 204) or a conventional pencil-and paper form that did not guarantee anonymity from the prying eyes of fellow students (n = 236). Reported nonmedical prescription stimulant use rates did not differ between the groups for either sex. When anonymity was guaranteed, male participants were significantly more likely to report cocaine use. The results might differ if the possible observer were a parent or employer.
Read More:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27097077
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Professional Development and Editorials
S.V. Cantrill. 2016. “The Prescribing of Opioids to Emergency Patients for the Treatment of Pain: The Issues Continue.” Current Emergency and Hospital Medicine Reports, doi:10.1007/s40138-016-0098-x.
Read more:
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40138-016-0098-x
I. Danovitch. 2016. “Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Opioid Use Disorder: A Narrative Review of Conceptual Models.” Journal of Addictive Diseases, doi:10.1080/10550887.2016.1168212.
Read More:
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10550887.2016.1168212
D. Kolar. 2016. “Pros and Cons of Prescribing Potentially Addictive Medications for Patients with Refractory Depression and Anxiety.” European Psychiatry, doi:10.1016/j.eurpsy.2016.01.1497.
Read More:
https://www.infona.pl/resource/bwmeta1.element.elsevier-98a2b54e-7a41-384d-9a60-0630a76bc4c3
D. McBride. 2016. “The Potential Impact on Children of New CDC Opioid Guidelines.” Journal of Pediatric Nursing, doi:10.1016/j.pedn.2016.03.021.
Read More:
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0882596316300021
C. Pasero, A. Quinlan-Colwell, D. Rae, K. Broglio, and D. Drew. 2016. “American Society for Pain Management Nursing Position Statement: Prescribing and Administering Opioid Doses Based Solely on Pain Intensity.” Pain Management Nursing, doi:10.1016/j.pmn.2016.03.001.
Read More:
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1524904216000837
F. Schifano, G.D. Papanti, L,. Orsolini, and J. M. Corkery. 2016. “The Consequences of Drug Misuse on Postmarketing Surveillance.” Expert Review of Clinical Pharmacology, doi:10.1080/17512433.2016.1178571.
Overall, the misuse and diversion of medications is a significant and increasing public health concern in the United Kingdom, with 5.4 percent of those ages 16–19 reporting prescription drug misuse in the past 12 months. Of concern, for a range of drug classes, the formal pre-marketing processes failed to appropriately identify potential for misuse. Not only prescription opioids, but benzodiazepines and z-hypnotics were considered ‘safe’ for many years before their addictive liability levels were identified. The authors suggest that the European Union needs to adopt a post-marketing surveillance system similar to the U.S. system.
Read More:
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/17512433.2016.1178571
Y.T. Yang, B. Chen, and C.L. Bennett. 2016. “FDA Approval of Extended-Release Oxycodone for Children with Severe Pain.” Pediatrics.
Read More:
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2016/04/16/peds.2016-0205.abstract.
R. Zivanovic, E. Wood, and S. Nolan. 2016. “A Clinical Review of the Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention of Opioid-Related Harms.” UBC Medical Journal.
Read more:
http://web.b.ebscohost.com/abstract?direct=true&profile=ehost&scope=site
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National
Congressional Task Force Introduces Bills to Fight Opioid Addiction
Join Together Staff
April 26, 2016
In the U.S. House of Representatives, the Bipartisan Task Force to Combat the Heroin Epidemic on Thursday introduced 15 bills aimed at fighting opioid addiction. The legislation includes $85 million in local grants, $10 million for prescription drug monitoring programs, reforms to opioid prescription practices, increased access to naloxone, and updated Veterans Administration pain treatment procedures.
Read More:
http://www.drugfree.org/join-together/u-s-house-task-force-introduces-bills-fight-opioid-addiction/?utm_source=Stay+Informed+-+latest+tips%2C+resources+and+news&utm_campaign=924620d02e-JT_Daily_News_Suicide_Rate_on_the_Rise_E4_26_2016&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_34168a2307-924620d02e-224293653
Advocacy Groups: House Opioid Abuse Bill Doesn’t Focus Enough on Recovery
The Join Together Staff
April 27, 2016
Addiction recovery groups say a U.S. House Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Reduction Act package introduced on Thursday does not focus enough on recovery. The bill is weaker than the Senate bill which passed 94–1 in a vote early this month. The Senate bill, crafted over three years, included input from recovery groups, law enforcement, prosecutors and public health organizations. The House measure emphasizes law enforcement, was written much more quickly, and has less outside input.
Read More:
http://www.drugfree.org/join-together/advocacy-groups-say-house-opioid-abuse-bill-doesnt-focus-enough-recovery/?utm_source=Stay+Informed+-+latest+tips%2C+resources+and+news&utm_campaign=d52716a474-JT_Daily_News_Powerful_New_Synthetic_Dru4_27_2016&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_34168a2307-d52716a474-224293653
Prince Death Investigation Focusing on Use of Opioids
Star Tribune
April 26, 2016
Authorities investigating the death of musician Prince are focusing on the role that prescription opioids apparently played in both his fatal collapse at his residence and in the medical emergency that forced his private plane to land in the middle of the night in Moline, Ill., days before. According to one article, Prince was given naloxone after an overdose, which led to his personal plane being grounded in Moline. Reports say that Prince had stayed awake for 6 days before his death. Insomnia is a known side effect of opioid misuse. (Video included = 2:12 minutes).
Read more:
http://www.startribune.com/prince-death-investigation-focusing-on-drugs/377060521/?utm_source=Stay+Informed+-+latest+tips%2C+resources+and+news&utm_campaign=924620d02e-JT_Daily_News_Suicide_Rate_on_the_Rise_E4_26_2016&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_34168a2307-924620d02e-224293653
http://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/prince-stayed-awake-six-days-7826976
Department of Health and Human Services Awards $94 Million to Treat Opioid Use Disorders
Julie A. Jacobs, JAMA
April 26, 2016
To expand treatment programs for patients with opioid and other substance use disorders, the Department of Health and Human Services awarded $94 million to 271 community health centers in 45 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. The awards will enable health centers to hire 800 additional health care clinicians to treat about 124,000 new patients in underserved populations in integrated primary care and behavioral health care programs.
Read More:
http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleID=2516694
Shortage of Addiction Treatment Personnel Intensifies as Opioid Crisis Worsens
Join Together Staff, Partnership for Drug-Free kids
April 27, 2016
Addiction treatment centers are struggling to find enough qualified personnel as the opioid crisis worsens. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates the number of jobs for addiction and behavioral-disorder counselors will rise 22 percent, from 94,900 to 116,200, between 2014 and 2024. The federal government has launched programs to address the shortage. Some programs increase addiction training for existing professionals in nursing, social work and other fields. Others aim to recruit workers to the behavioral health field as early as high school.
Read more:
http://www.drugfree.org/join-together/shortage-addiction-treatment-personnel-intensifies-opioid-crisis-worsens/?utm_source=Stay+Informed+-+latest+tips%2C+resources+and+news&utm_campaign=3976a63751-JT_Daily_News_Shortage_of_Addiction_Trea4_28_2016&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_34168a2307-3976a63751-224293653
Will Pain Management Practices be the NFL’s Next Public Relations Headache?
Dani Bostick, SB Nation
April 24, 2016
Virtually all National Football League (NFL) players have been medically treated for workplace injuries that resulted in lost work or restricted activity days. Players often are treated with opioids after injuries and surgeries, Many live and work in pain. A recent study found that retired NFL athletes are four times more likely to misuse prescription opioids than other men their age.
Read More:
http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/nfl-pittsburgh-steelers-news/2016/4/24/11495480/ravens-offensive-lineman-calls-nfl-out-on-archaic-drug-policy
Walgreens Puts Drug Disposal Kiosks in 50 California Stores to Fight Rx abuse
Neil Versel, MedCity News
April 22, 2016
Walgreens plans to provide 500 kiosks in stores across the country where customers can dispose of expired, unwanted and unused medications in a safe and controlled way. The disposal kiosks will be available 24 hours a day and for both over-the-counter and prescription medications. The program rolled out with 50 kiosks in stores across California.
Read More:
http://medcitynews.com/2016/04/walgreens-drug-disposal
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160422005532/en
Leslie Hayes, M.D., Others Recognized by White House as ‘Champion of Change’
Carol A. Clark, White House Media Affairs
April 24, 2016
The White House will recognize 10 individuals for their tireless efforts and leadership to prevent prescription misuse and heroin use, as well as to improve access to treatment and support for recovery.
Read More:
http://www.ladailypost.com/content/lahs-graduate-dr-leslie-hayes-be-recognized-white-house-%E2%80%98champion-change%E2%80%99-april-29
U.S. Home Builders Consultants Orders 5,000 Rx DrugSAFE Units
Rx Safes, Inc., Marketwired
April 26, 2016
U.S. Home Builders Consultants is purchasing 5,000 Rx DrugSAFE units over two years to install in new and remodeled homes. The Rx DrugSAFE is a fingerprint secured medication lock box for the home and is designed to prevent unauthorized access to medication. The company is developing an installation-training program for builders and a set of materials to provide customers outlining the dangers of prescription drug misuse, as well as operating instruction on how to use the RxDrugSAFE once installed.
Read more:
http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/us-home-builders-consultants-inc-orders-5000-rx-drugsafe-units-otcqb-rxsf-2118293.htm
How to Personalize Pain Management in Era of Opioids
Whitney McKnight, Clinical Psychiatry News Digital Network
April 22, 2016
Physicians are working to evolve the way they treat chronic pain as the opioid and prescription drug abuse crisis continues. In a candid interview, Patrice Harris, M.D., chair of the American Medical Association’s Task Force to Reduce Prescription Opioid Abuse, discussed the limitation of pain scales, the value of conversations between physicians and their patients, and the importance of cultural competency to alleviate suffering and avoid unintentional harm. (Video included = 6:34 minutes).
Read and Watch More:
http://www.clinicalpsychiatrynews.com/specialty-focus/neurology/single-article-page/video-how-to-personalize-pain-management-in-era-of-opioids/2edd17e6d46ff70e9860885660511dce.html
Street Opioids Getting Deadlier; Overseeing Drug Use Can Reduce Deaths
Maia Szalavitz, Guardian
April 26, 2016
As health officials battle increasing mortality associated with heroin and prescription opioids, an even more dangerous group of street drugs has appeared across the United States and Canada. Authorities are reporting a spike in overdoses of fentanyl, an opioid 25 to 50 times stronger than heroin. These drugs, which act so quickly that they can be used in anesthesia, are now being manufactured in clandestine Chinese and American labs and then sold either as heroin, in the form of fake Oxycontin pills and even in pills made to look like anti-anxiety medications such as Xanax. When users substitute mislabeled street fentanyl for prescription drugs, it can cause an overdose to quickly to permit intervention to save a life.
Read More:
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/apr/26/street-opioids-use-deaths-perscription-drugs-fentanyl
Ten People Hospitalized after Possible Drug Overdoses on Skid Row
Doug Smith, Richard Winton, and Stephen Ceasar, LA Times.
April 23, 2016
As use of synthetic marijuana grows in the Los Angeles area, so do the negative effects of the drug. Recently, ten homeless individuals were hospitalized after keeling over on the street while smoking what officials say was a “bad batch” of Spice or K2. A local resident who saw the event from a window called 911. The Spice craze began about a year ago in the area due to the drug’s ease of access and low cost.
Read More:
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-eight-hospitalized-possible-drug-overdoses-skid-row-20160423-story.html
Don’t Ignore This Potential Contributor to the Opioid Epidemic
Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes
April 25, 2016
This article suggests a potential contributor to the opioid-use epidemic is the increasing workload of doctors. Adding regulations and restrictions may only make the problem worse. Drug seekers add to the burden, drawing on the limited bandwidth doctors are operating under. Drugs may be prescribed to these individuals simply due to the lack of time, energy and resources to resist their clever and convincing tactics.
Read More:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/brucelee/2016/04/25/dont-ignore-this-potential-contributor-to-the-opioid-epidemic/#4a2c5e0634df
FDA Approves Analgesic with Abuse-Deterrent Properties
GlobeNewswire
April 26, 2016
The FDA approved Xtampza ER (oxycodone) extended-release capsules CII, a twice-daily, oxycodone medication for management of pain severe enough to require daily, around-the-clock, long-term opioid treatment and for which alternative treatment options are inadequate. The drug is Collegium Pharmaceutical’s first product utilizing its proprietary DETERx technology platform that resists chewing and crushing.
Read more:
http://www.nasdaq.com/press-release/collegium-receives-fda-approval-for-xtampza-er-an-analgesic-with-abuse-deterrent-properties-for-th-20160426-01535#ixzz4742YN1sH
Nurses Have Important Role in Administering, Managing Pain Medications
Leah Lawrence, cancernetwork.com
April 27, 2016
This question and answer session with Jeannine M. Brant, Ph.D., includes a discussion of the difficulty of providing appropriate cancer pain treatment and prevention with the growing opioid crisis. Dr. Brant also presents a case study of a cervical cancer patient who relapsed into opioid dependence during treatment. (Audio included = 8:06 minutes).
Read more:
http://www.cancernetwork.com/ons-2016/nurses-have-important-role-administering-managing-pain-medications#sthash.AfwNiriG.dpuf |
B.J. Sherman, N.L. Baker, and A.L. McRae-Clark. 2016. “Gender Differences in Cannabis Use Disorder Treatment: Change Readiness and Taking Steps Predict Worse Cannabis Outcomes for Women.” Addictive Behaviors, doi:10.1016/j.addbeh.2016.04.014
A double-blind placebo controlled trial of buspirone treatment for cannabis dependence administered the Stages of Change Readiness and Treatment Eagerness Scale (SOCRATES) scale to its 175 participants. Counter to hypothesis, taking more steps was associated with a reduced likelihood that the 41 women in the trial would become abstinent and was not associated with the .likelihood that the 134 men in the trial would become abstinent. [Editor’s note: the authors previously reported that buspirone provided no advantage over placebo in reducing cannabis use.]
Read More:
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306460316301630
The Impact of Pennsylvania’s Medical Marijuana Act on Employers
Lauri A. Kavulich, Legal Intelligencer
April 24, 2016
Pennsylvania’s new medical marijuana law specifically outlines employee protections, and offers parameters on how the use of medical marijuana by an employee shall be treated by an employer. The law states that an employer may not discharge, threaten, refuse to hire, or otherwise discriminate against an employee solely on the basis of their status as a certified user of medical marijuana. However, it also states that employers need not accommodate use of the drug in the workplace and does not limit the ability of employers to discipline an employee for being under the influence of medical marijuana in the workplace.
Read More:
http://www.thelegalintelligencer.com/id=1202755729418/The-Impact-of-the-Medical-Marijuana-Act-on-Employers#ixzz472Am8PVO
Medical Marijuana Businesses Expected To Grow Throughout Pennsylvania
Justin Udo, CBS Philly
April 24, 2016
It will cost approximately $2.2 million to open a medical marijuana dispensary in Pennsylvania.
Read More:
http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2016/04/24/new-medical-marijuana-businesses-expected-to-grow-throughout-pa
Connecticut House Approves Medical Marijuana for Sick Children
Christine Stuart, New Haven Register
April 22, 2016
Connecticut’s house of representatives passed a bill, 129–13, to give children under the age of 18 access to non-smokeable medical marijuana. Lawmakers worked closely with pediatricians to assure the legislation provided the necessary safeguards. Only youth suffering from serious medical conditions such as terminal illnesses, epilepsy, and cystic fibrosis are eligible.
Read More:
http://www.nhregister.com/health/20160421/house-approves-medical-marijuana-for-sick-children-in-connecticut
Alabama Senate Passes Medical Marijuana Oil Bill
Associated Press
April 27, 2016
Alabama senators on Wednesday voted 29–3 for “Leni’s Law,” which would legalize possession of cannabidiol (CBD). The bill’s sponsor said he hopes CBD oil access will provide a little “sunlight” to families struggling with debilitating medical conditions. One dissenter said current evidence on the effects of CBD oils is too “experimental” and “anecdotal.”
Read more:
http://whnt.com/2016/04/27/alabama-senate-passes-medical-marijuana-oil-bill
Marijuana Legalization Clears Hurdle to Maine Ballot
David Sharp, Associated Press
April 27, 2016
A referendum proposal to legalize marijuana for recreational use in Maine has met the threshold to appear on the November ballot. The citizen initiative will be forwarded on April 29th to state lawmakers, who can either enact it now or put it before voters in the fall. David Boyer from the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol said he looks forward to educating Maine voters as to why ending marijuana prohibition makes sense.
Read more:
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/apnewsbreak-maine-pot-referendum-clears-hurdle-ballot-38713711
Louisiana House Medical Marijuana Bill Dies, Sets Up Debate for Senate Version
Kevin Litten, NOLA.com
April 27, 2016
A bill that would have substantially expanded Louisiana’s medical marijuana laws and allowed patients to petition the state to add conditions qualified for treatment died in the House Health and Welfare Committee. The sponsor of the bill agreed to defer his legislation after joining forces with a different medical marijuana bill which has already passed Louisiana’s senate. The committee will debate the senate-passed version in early May.
Read More:
http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2016/04/medical_marijuana_louisiana_defer.html
U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Approves Study on Marijuana as Posttraumatic Stress Treatment
Join Together Staff
April 26, 2016
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration approved a study that will enroll 76 veterans at clinics in Phoenix and Baltimore to evaluate the effectiveness of smoked marijuana in treating posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The study will use marijuana provided by the federal government and will examine how well smoking different strains and potencies of the drug treats PTSD. Recruitment could begin in June, with results expected in 2019. [Editor’s note: sample size in this study is consistent with a pilot and may result in an under-powered trial. Tetrahydrocanabinoid levels in the marijuana provided also will be relatively low.]
Read More:
http://www.drugfree.org/join-together/dea-approves-study-effectiveness-marijuana-ptsd-treatment/?utm_source=Stay+Informed+-+latest+tips%2C+resources+and+news&utm_campaign=924620d02e-JT_Daily_News_Suicide_Rate_on_the_Rise_E4_26_2016&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_34168a2307-924620d02e-224293653
Hopes Dim for Medical Marijuana in Iowa
William Petroski and Brianne Pfannenstiel, Des Moines Register
April 26, 2016
Activists for medical cannabis issued an 11th-hour plea for help on Tuesday just one day after the Iowa House defeated a Republican-backed bill aimed at accessing marijuana oil in Minnesota and other states and bringing it back to Iowa. Iowans 4 Medical Cannabis, a coalition of people with debilitating illnesses and their supporters, held a Capitol news conference Tuesday where several speakers tearfully implored legislators to pass a comprehensive medical marijuana bill. The Legislature voted in 2014 to legalize cannabis oil for certain patients suffering seizures, but left them with no place to purchase it.
Read More:
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/politics/2016/04/26/hopes-dim-medical-marijuana-iowa/83545470
The Legislative Debate around Medical Marijuana in Utah
Lisa Christensen, Utah Business
April 26, 2016
This spring, Utah’s legislature debated two bills proposing legalization of some form of medicinal marijuana. One bill provided relatively broad use while the other pitched narrow restrictions on forms of the drug allowed. Neither bill passed.
Read More:
http://www.utahbusiness.com/utah-experiments-legislative-debate-around-medical-marijuana-utah
Could Marijuana Help Treat Opioid and Heroin Addiction?
CBS News
April 28, 2016
The growing number of patients who claim marijuana has helped them drop their opioid habit has intrigued lawmakers and emboldened advocates. Many are pushing for cannabis as a treatment for the abuse of opioids and illegal narcotics such as heroin, and as an alternative to opioids. While this is an attractive claim in areas where the opioid and heroin crisis is hitting the hardest, very little research suggests marijuana is an effective treatment for such addictions. Numerous anecdotes claim that medical marijuana use by chronic pain patients helped some to significantly decrease their opioid use. However, many physicians feel there is not enough evidence to confidently prescribe the drug.
Read More:
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/could-marijuana-help-treat-painkiller-and-heroin-addiction
Is Marijuana a Gateway Drug?
Jim Gehrz, Star Tribune
April 26, 2016
The New York Times provides a series of discussion articles that present both sides of the contentious debate over whether marijuana use leads to future use of other drugs.
Read More:
http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2016/04/26/is-marijuana-a-gateway-drug?utm_source=Stay+Informed+-+latest+tips%2C+resources+and+news&utm_campaign=924620d02e-JT_Daily_News_Suicide_Rate_on_the_Rise_E4_26_2016&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_34168a2307-924620d02e-224293653
The Paradox at the Heart of Our Marijuana Laws—and How to Fix It
Keith Humphreys, Washington Post
April 26, 2016
This opinion article highlights the inconsistencies of federal drug scheduling. It focuses debate within Congress and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration on if marijuana should be rescheduled.
Read more:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/in-theory/wp/2016/04/26/the-paradox-at-the-heart-of-our-marijuana-laws-and-how-to-fix-it/?utm_source=Stay+Informed+-+latest+tips%2C+resources+and+news&utm_campaign=3976a63751-JT_Daily_News_Shortage_of_Addiction_Trea4_28_2016&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_34168a2307-3976a63751-224293653
Legalizing Pot Won’t Snuff Out Organized Crime, Report Warns
Jim Bronskill, cbcnews.ca
April 25, 2016
Legalizing marijuana will not automatically eliminate Canada’s illegal marijuana market or banish organized crime, warns a draft Canadian federal discussion paper on regulation of the drug. It flags infiltration of the new system by organized crime as a key issue government must confront.
Read more:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/marijuana-legalization-organized-crime-1.3551204
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International
Victoria (Australia) to Spend $29.5m on Real-Time Monitoring of Prescription Drugs
Melissa Davey, Guardian
April 24, 2016
The state budget of Victoria, Australia, will include $29.5 million to implement the most comprehensive real-time prescription drug monitoring program in Australia. The system will create a real-time record each time a person gets a prescription filled for any medication classed as a “drug of dependence,” including oxycodone, morphine and alprazolam (Xanax).
Read more:
http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/apr/25/victoria-to-spend-295m-on-real-time-monitoring-of-prescription-drugs
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2085966-prescription-monitoring-system-to-curb-drug-abuse-in-australia/
More Failing Workplace Drug Tests in New Zealand
Kim Fulton, Bay of Plenty Times
April 22, 2016
Drug Detection Agency figures show 7.01 percent of all Bay of Plenty, New Zealand, workplace drug tests were positive last year compared with 5.85 percent the previous year. Data showed 85.9 percent of those who tested positive for drugs had used cannabis, up from 76.2 percent the previous year; 13.1 percent had used methamphetamine, up from 10.9 percent the previous year; and 7.0 percent used opiates, unchanged from 2014. Nationwide, positive workplace drug tests increased from 6.14 percent in 2014 to 6.19 percent in 2015 with methamphetamine involved in 11.8 percent of positive tests, up from 8.1 percent.
Read more:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/bay-of-plenty-times/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503343&objectid=11627039
Nations Fail to Agree on Major Shift in Drug Policy at UN Conference
Join Together Staff, Partnership for Drug-Free Kids
April 26, 2016
At the UN Special Summit on Drugs, countries continued to disagree on decriminalizing drug use, legalizing marijuana and capital punishment for drug traffickers. An agreement called an “outcome document,” negotiated months before the conference, was adopted by member states at the beginning of the meeting. It upheld the policy of banning all recreational narcotics and criminalizing their use.
Read more:
http://www.drugfree.org/join-together/nations-fail-agree-major-shift-drug-policy-un-conference/?utm_source=Stay+Informed+-+latest+tips%2C+resources+and+news&utm_campaign=924620d02e-JT_Daily_News_Suicide_Rate_on_the_Rise_E4_26_2016&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_34168a2307-924620d02e-224293653
Rethinking the Global War on Drugs
Editorial Board, New York Times
April 25, 2016
At the UN Special Summit on Drugs, the presidents of Colombia, Mexico, and Guatemala argued that the war on drugs has had devastating effects on their countries and must change. Several countries with considerable diplomatic clout, including China and Russia, maintain that criminalization should remain the cornerstone of the fight against drugs. The United States, Canada, and Mexico will all violate the drug treaties that these policies were developed to the extent they legalize marijuana.
Read more:
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/25/opinion/rethinking-the-global-war-on-drugs.html?_r=2&utm_source=Stay+Informed+-+latest+tips%2C+resources+and+news&utm_campaign=d52716a474-JT_Daily_News_Powerful_New_Synthetic_Dru4_27_2016&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_34168a2307-d52716a474-224293653
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Northeast/Mid-Atlantic News
Connecticut House Passes ‘Comprehensive’ Opioid Bill
Arielle Levin Becker, CT Mirror
April 25, 2016
Connecticut’s house unanimously passed a bill that would require first responders to carry overdose-reversing drugs, require health insurers to cover naloxone, limit initial opioid prescriptions to seven-day supplies in most cases involving acute pain, require prescribers to check the prescription drug monitoring program before prescribing more than a three-day supply of opioids, and charge an expanded alcohol and drug policy council with developing a plan to reduce the number of opioid-induced deaths in the state. The bill moves to the senate. Last year, 723 people died from accidental drug overdoses in the state, and more than 60 percent involved opioids.
Read more:
http://ctmirror.org/2016/04/25/house-passes-comprehensive-opioid-bill
New York and New Jersey Partner to Fight Prescription Drug Abuse
Joe Gullo, News10.com
April 26, 2016
New York and New Jersey began sharing prescription drug monitoring program data on April 14.
Read more:
http://news10.com/2016/04/26/ny-nj-partner-to-fight-prescription-drug-abuse
Overwhelmed by Overdoses, Boston Clinic Offers a Room for Highs
Sacha Pfeiffer, Boston Globe
April 26, 2016
On April 27, Boston Health Care for the Homeless opened Supportive Place for Observation and Treatment (SPOT), a room where drug users can ride out their highs under medical supervision, with the aim of preventing deaths. It is furnished with monitoring equipment and nine reclining chairs, and will be staffed by an addiction nurse and case manager. Visitors will not pay for the service or be required to give their names, and will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. The site will not permit people to inject illegal drugs since that would violate federal law.
Read more:
https://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2016/04/25/overwhelmed-overdose-epidemic-health-clinic-offers-room-for-supervised-highs/vQ61K3jao0vXNUPHK0iQhP/story.html
Amherst (N.Y.) Pain Doctor Faces Federal Charges
Phil Fairbanks, Buffalo News
April 26, 2016
Federal prosecutors charged Eugene J. Gosy and his College Parkway practice, one of the largest pain-treatment centers in New York, with a 114-count indictment alleging that he provided opioids to patients without a proper medical reason. Prosecutors the neurologist to a criminal conspiracy that issued more than 300,000 illegal prescriptions in 4 years.
Read more:
http://www.buffalonews.com/city-region/amherst-pain-doctor-faces-federal-charges-20160426
New Jersey First Lady, Prosecutor Join Fight Against Opioid Addiction
Dave Hutchinson, nj.com
April 22, 2016
New Jersey First Lady Mary Pat Christie and Acting Somerset County Prosecutor Michael H. Robertson formed a partnership with Community in Crisis to combat the opioid epidemic plaguing the county. Narcan has been used in New Jersey more than 11,000 times in the past two years and drug courts are in place statewide.
Read more:
http://www.nj.com/somerset/index.ssf/2016/04/nj_first_lady_prosecutor_join_fight_against_opioid.html
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South News
Tennessee Bill Would Focus on Drug Abuse Treatment
Rusty Mauney, Publication
April 24, 2016
Tennessee’s proposed Access to Substance Abuse Treatment Act of 2016 (H.R. 4378) addresses the need for drug treatment facilities. National spending on substance abuse treatment totals $600 billion annually. The economic advantage of treatment versus no treatment is seen in a return rate of 12:1 when comparing the associated health care and judicial costs.
Read more:
http://www.tennessean.com/story/opinion/contributors/2016/04/24/bill-would-focus-drug-abuse-treatment/83199234
Tennessee Reportedly Making Progress Reducing Prescription Drug Abuse
TheChattanoogan.com
April 25, 2016
In 2014, the Prescription for Success partnership launched in Tennessee led by the TN Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. Noteworthy Prescription for Success achievements include: reduced patient doctor shopping for pain medications by 50 percent; increased funding to counties with high overdose deaths and neonatal abstinence syndrome births; increased funding to community anti-drug coalitions; reduced prescription drug poisonings and overdose deaths; reached more than 6 million with the “Take Only as Directed” commercial, expanded intervention, treatment, and recovery programs; increased permanent prescription drug collection boxes from 36 to 155; 460,000 fewer opioid prescriptions reported to the Controlled Substance Monitoring Database; 563,000 fewer opioid morphine milligram equivalents dispensed; nearly 100 faith communities certified as Recovery Congregations; and number of Recovery Courts increased by 54 percent.
Read more:
http://www.chattanoogan.com/2016/4/25/322856/Tennessee-Making-Progress-Reducing.aspx
West Virginia Attorney General Sends $10 million to State for Drug Abuse Treatment
Charles Dickerson, West Virginia Record
April 26, 2016
West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey’s office is sending $10 million back to the state’s general fund and governor’s office for drug abuse treatment and to reduce the backlog of drug tests at the West Virginia State Police crime lab.
Read more:
http://wvrecord.com/stories/510719531-morrisey-sending-10-million-to-state-for-drug-abuse-treatment
Tennova Ceasing Opiate Rx at Pain Clinics in Tennessee
Kristi L. Nelson, Knoxville News Sentinel
April 25, 2016
Tennova Pain Management Centers will no longer prescribe long-term opiate medications to patients. Patients of the centers have been given letters as they come in for appointments, notifying them of the change and offering both “widely used, non-opiate alternatives” as well as an in-house “clinically appropriate tapering regimen to transition you to the appropriate alternatives.”
Read more:
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/local/tennova-ceasing-opiate-rx-at-pain-clinics-31571e35-8f66-3eab-e053-0100007ffe85-377043111.html
Opiate Abuse is Cause for Concern for Tennessee Employers
Michelle Willard, Daily News Journal
April 22, 2016
Employers could get tripped up when trying to create a drug-free workplace, because the most commonly used form of drug screening does not test for opiates. That means prescription opioids such as hydrocodone and oxycodone will not be detected. The lack of testing could cause problems when screening potential employees or after workplace incidents. At least 1,263 Tennesseans died from opioid overdose in 2014. For every person who dies, 851 people are in various stages of misuse, abuse and treatment. That’s over a million Tennesseans, or one sixth of the state population.
Read more:
http://www.dnj.com/story/money/business/2016/04/22/opiate-abuse-cause-concern-employers/83189732
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Midwest News
St. Louis Alderman Seeks Prescription Drug Monitoring Program
Nicholas J.C. Pistor, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
April 26, 2016
A St. Louis city alderman filed legislation to create a prescription drug monitoring program that will integrate with the surrounding county’s monitoring system. It will monitor all Schedule II, III, and IV controlled substances.
Read more:
http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/st-louis-alderman-seeks-prescription-drug-monitoring-program/article_01f72635-222a-5fba-800d-976830771542.html
Advocates Call for Easier Access to Abuse-Resistance Prescription Drugs in Illinois
Drew Zimmerman, GateHouse Media Illinois
April 26, 2016
Drug abuse prevention advocates are urging Illinois lawmakers to pass HB 2743, which has been in the House Rules Committee for about a year. The bill would require insurance companies to pay for opioids with abuse deterrent formulations.
Read more:
http://www.pjstar.com/news/20160426/advocates-call-for-easier-access-to-abuse-resistant-prescription-drugs?page=1
Medication Gives Opioid Addicts in Ohio Fighting Chance to Quit
Catherine Candisky & Alan Johnson, EMS World
April 24, 2016
In Ohio, in 2014, Medicaid paid $72.9 million for the treatment, including $52.9 million for Buprenorphine, $16.6 million for methadone and $3.4 million for Vivitrol. By mid-2015, there were 87,071 Ohioans on Medicaid with a diagnosed opioid addiction, a 42 percent increase from 2012. Of those, nearly 27,000 were receiving medication-assisted treatment. The number of Ohio residents getting such treatment through private insurance is unknown.
Read more:
http://www.emsworld.com/news/12198427/medication-gives-opioid-addicts-fighting-chance-to-quit
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West News
Utah City Defends Police Use of Prescription Drug Database
Lindsay Whitehurst, Salt Lake Tribune
April 28, 2016
Police did not violate the rights of two firefighters when detectives accessed their prescription records without a warrant during an investigation, according to arguments made in a Utah court case. Utah’s police used the database during a 2013 investigation into ambulance drug thefts.
Read more:
http://www.sltrib.com/home/3831693-155/utah-city-defends-police-use-of
Proposed Los Angeles County Law Would Make Pharma Pay for Drug, Sharps Disposal
Stephanie O’Neill, scpr.org/news
April 22, 2016
Discarded syringes, needles and lancets--collectively known as sharps--turn up in Burbank, California’s mix of recyclables several times a week, forcing a temporary shutdown of the sorting line. It is one of the public health risks targeted by a proposed “take back” law scheduled to come before the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors early next month. The ordinance would require pharmaceutical companies to design, manage and pay for the collection and disposal of unused prescription medicines and sharps.
Read more:
http://www.scpr.org/news/2016/04/22/59515/proposed-la-county-law-would-make-pharma-pay-for-d
Drug-Addicted, Dangerous and Licensed for the Operating Room in Colorado
David Olinger and Christopher N. Osher, Denver Post
April 23, 2016
Nationally, six infectious disease outbreaks have been linked to addicted healthcare workers stealing drugs. In Colorado, hospital workers caught stealing powerful narcotics often are not reported to police or to federal authorities. Unless the state takes formal action against them, their names do not show up on licensing disciplinary lists and they again pose a risk to patients when they apply to work at other hospitals and health agencies. (Video included = 8:23 minutes).
Read more:
http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_29806013/drug-addicted-dangerous-and-licensed-operating-room
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Other Resources
Partnership for Drug-Free Kids Responds to Youth Rx Abuse with Film
Josie Feliz, Partnership for Drug Free Kids
April 26, 2016
Breaking Points, a short documentary film from the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids, is intended to raise awareness about the level of stress that high school and college students experience and the unhealthy ways that many of them cope. The film explores behavior that is becoming normalized among students—taking prescription medicines not prescribed to them, notably stimulants used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Read More:
http://www.drugfree.org/newsroom/partnership-drug-free-kids-responds-youth-rx-abuse-breaking-points-short-film/?utm_source=Stay+Informed+-+latest+tips%2C+resources+and+news&utm_campaign=d52716a474-JT_Daily_News_Powerful_New_Synthetic_Dru4_27_2016&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_34168a2307-d52716a474-224293653
Effects Of Mixing Many Opioids
MentalHelp.net
This Web page provides information on what opioids are, the effects of combining opioids with other medications, why some users combine opioid medications, and what the research says about treatment.
Read more:
https://www.mentalhelp.net/articles/effects-of-mixing-many-painkillers
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Webinars
National Prevention Week 2016 Kick-Off Webcast
SAMSHA and Morgan State University
Monday, May 16, 2016
11–11:45 a.m. ET
http://apps1.seiservices.com/samhsa/npw/
Preventing Youth Marijuana Use: Changing Perceptions of Risk
Center for the Application of Prevention Technologies
Thursday, May 19, 2016, 2 p.m. (ET)
https://captconnect.edc.org/event/preventing-youth-marijuana-use-changing-perception-risk
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Grant Awarded
Next Generation Award Winners for Adolescent Substance Use Prevention Announced
Addiction Medicine Foundation, newswise.com
April 22, 2016
Read more:
http://www.newswise.com/articles/the-addiction-medicine-foundation-announces-winners-of-next-generation-awards-for-adolescent-substance-use-prevention?utm_source=Stay+Informed+-+latest+tips%2C+resources+and+news&utm_campaign=924620d02e-JT_Daily_News_Suicide_Rate_on_the_Rise_E4_26_2016&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_34168a2307-924620d02e-224293653
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Grant Announcements
Prescription Drug Overdose: Data-Driven Prevention Initiative
Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control
Due: May 27, 2016
http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=282529
Enhanced State Surveillance of Opioid-Involved Morbidity and Mortality
Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control
Due: June 27, 2016
http://www.grants.gov/view-opportunity.html?oppId=283253
Bottle Tracking Program
National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators
Due: None Specified
http://www.naddi.org/aws/NADDI/pt/sp/programs_grants
http://naddibottletracking.org/law-enforcement/
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Take-Back Events & Drop Boxes
Many media outlets nationwide ran articles in anticipation of National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day. For a list, please e-mail [email protected].
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Upcoming Conferences and Workshops
National Prevention Week–Strong as One. Stronger Together.
SAMSHA
May 15–1, 2016
Nationwide
http://www.samhsa.gov/prevention-week
Twenty-Fourth Annual Meeting
Society for Prevention Research
May 31–June 3, 2016
San Francisco, Calif.
http://www.preventionresearch.org/2016-annual-meeting
International Conference on Opioids
Journal of Opioid Management
June 5–7, 2016
Boston, Mass.
http://www.opioidconference.org
2016 Annual Conference
International Health Facility Diversion Association
September 13–14, 2016
Duke Energy Convention Center
Cincinnati, Ohio
https://ihfda.org/2016-annual-conference
Register:
https://www.regonline.com/Register/Checkin.aspx?EventID=1803476
Twenty-Ninth Annual National Prevention Network Conference
National Prevention Network
September 13-15, 2016
Buffalo, N.Y.
http://www.npnconference.org
Register:
http://www.npnconference.org/registration
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The Weekly Update is a service provided by the SAMHSA Preventing Prescription Abuse in the Workplace Technical Assistance Center (PAW) to keep the field abreast of recent news and journal articles to assist in forming policy, research, and programs to reduce prescription drug misuse or abuse. Please note, the materials listed are not reflective of SAMHSA's or PAW's viewpoint or opinion and are not assessed for validity, reliability or quality. The Weekly Update should not be considered an endorsement of the findings. Readers are cautioned not to act on the results of single studies, but rather to seek bodies of evidence. Copyright considerations prevent PAW from providing full text of journal articles listed in the Weekly Update. |
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