The New York State legislature has passed a landmark bill to ensure that all funds from opioid lawsuit settlements or judgments will go solely to a special fund for drug treatment services and prevention. As a number of opioid cases go to trial, and settlement talks move ahead, legislators don’t want any of the windfall to be siphoned off by states for other purposes—as is what happened after the tobacco settlements. If Governor Cuomo signs the bill, all the money New York receives from thousands of lawsuits would go to an Opioid Settlement Fund for prevention, education and treatment programs, which have struggled over the past years due to budget cuts.
Meanwhile, Politico reports that Republicans in several states are targeting needle exchange programs as part of their culture war agenda, shuttering many such facilities at a time when drug overdose deaths are at a record high, including in West Virginia. Republicans accuse the sites of encouraging addiction, despite evidence to the contrary, and ignore studies showing that needle exchanges can reduce the rate of infectious diseases from injecting drugs, such as HIV/AIDS and hepatitis. Needle exchanges are critical as part of harm reduction efforts, but must include mandatory drug treatment to be most effective.
And finally, pro athletes who are increasingly using marijuana and CBD products to manage pain are coming under scrutiny from leagues that point out there’s no scientific evidence such products actually work. In addition, concerned officials say marijuana may be more risky than most people think—especially for elite athletes—and could impair performance and memory, decrease judgment, reduce coordination and cause liver damage.