The Wall Street Journal reports that parents are so alarmed by the soaring rate of overdose deaths among young people, that they are changing the way they speak to their kids about drugs, especially the synthetic opioid fontanel that is fueling the spike in fatalities. With two-thirds of overdose deaths linked to such synthetic opioids, parents are more worried than ever that their children will get hold of tainted drugs, which are made to look like prescriptions medications such as Xanax and Percocet that young people are very familiar with, but don’t know are laced with deadly fentanyl. The drugs can be ordered easily on social media and delivered to your house like a pizza, making detection difficult. Now, parents are pressing their schools, doctors, coaches, and dance instructors to help warn and educate kids about the danger. They also want peer-to-peer student programs that would train volunteers to inform, counsel, and possibly administer overdose reversal medications. Because fentanyl is so powerful, parents are imploring kids to play it safe, and not assume a pill someone gave you came from a pharmacy and is the real thing. The role of parents is critical to preventing drug use, but we also need a government-led, national campaign to increase awareness about the current wave of opioid-related risks.
The Daily Briefing 06.06.2022
An article in the Washington Post looks and the lives—and deaths—of two victims of the addiction and overdose epidemic, a drug dealer and the woman to whom he allegedly sold illicit drugs. The story highlights our tragic national drug crisis and how it impacts individuals and families, who are left to ponder how two lives might have been different. The victim was a 26-year-old woman who used illicit painkillers to ease her chronic anxiety and had struggled for years to break her addiction. The dealer ran a veritable pill factory from where he lived in his parents’ basement, making counterfeit oxycodone pills using a synthetic opioid similar to fentanyl that is 100-fold more potent than morphine. An autopsy found evidence of the chemical in the victim’s body. The dealer, who was later arrested following the suspicious death of another user, died in jail; the medical examiner has yet to rule on the cause of his death. With more than 107,000 overdose fatalities over the past year, the country is experiencing a public health crisis of unprecedented proportions, fueled by fentanyl-like synthetics that are sold as real prescription medications but are tainted and therefore deadly, and consumed unbeknownst to the user.
The Daily Briefing 06.02.2022
As New York State moves closer to implementing marijuana legalization and launching an adult-use market, its cannabis management board has announced strict rules to crack down on products designed to look like candy or other snacks, or otherwise appeal to children. As such, packaging regulations stipulate no cartoons, neon colors, and names that are any variation of “candy,” and packages must be children-resistant, non-toxic, and tamper-resistant.” Only one brand name can be featured on a cannabis item, with no pictures or graphics, except for what must be included—a new universal symbol that will be used to designate legal marijuana products. Perhaps more important, labels must contain details about the content and concentration of THC—the psychoactive component of pot—and the serving size for edible products, the weight, and lot number. This information is critical as concern grows about extremely high THC levels and its negative impact, especially on young people. It also addresses problems with underage access and consumption of marijuana in legal states—and hopefully, these rules will be enforced as New York opens its cannabis market.
The Daily Briefing 06.01.2022
The New York Times publishes another story about using psychedelic drugs as a potential treatment for mental health conditions, this time focusing on a U.S. war veteran suffering from PTSD who took part in a clinical trial for MDMA, the psychoactive drug commonly known as Ecstasy. The trial is part of renewed interest and research into psychedelics—including LSD, psilocybin, and poisonous toad venom—that early results indicate show promise in treating not only PTSD but also depression and some forms of addiction. While there’s no surefire cure for PTSD, with traditional medications and therapy, there's growing evidence that MDMA can significantly lessen or even eliminate symptoms in some patients. Psychiatrists say, however, that taking MDMA on its own does not automatically alleviate PTSD, but when paired with therapy, the drug does seem to catalyze a patient’s innate capacity for psychological healing.
Meanwhile, the Boston Globe reports that Massachusetts is still running prison-like facilities for men with substance use disorder, despite warnings from addiction specialists who have long decried the practice of forcing people into correctional settings for addiction treatment. The state says it’s not a prison but a medical facility, although those who have been involuntarily incarcerated say it felt like a prison. Some families regard the involuntary treatment as a last resort when addicted relatives refuse treatment or cannot find an opening in a treatment program, and thousands petition for commitment each year. But many addiction specialists say such an approach shames and traumatizes people who are sick, not criminals.
And finally, the Canadian province of British Columbia has won approval from the federal government to decriminalize small amounts of illicit drugs, including heroin, cocaine, and opioids, amid soaring overdose fatalities. The decision makes the province the first to decriminalize possession and follows similar moves by several cities and states in the U.S., which are also facing an unprecedented level of drug-related deaths. Officials emphasize that this does not legalize the trafficking, production, and importation of such drugs, but seeks to reduce the stigmatization of drug use which can lead many people to avoid seeking treatment. Overdose deaths have climbed dramatically in the province, increasing by 125 percent between 2016 and 2021, and is now the leading cause of death for people ages 19 to 39.
The Daily Briefing 05.26.2022
As interest grows in the potential of psychedelic drugs used to treat mental health conditions such as depression, addiction, and PTSD, there’s been a steady stream of stories about such emerging therapies, how they are administered, and their impact on patients. The latest comes from the New York Times which reports on a Mexican clinic that caters to female U.S. veterans who have experienced war and sexual assault and are seeking treatment that is not currently a standard of care at VA hospitals. Many former military members have become forceful advocates for psychedelic therapies—including a powerful hallucinogen derived from the poison of the Sonoran desert toad—and go to Mexico to get it, as the legal landscape in the U.S. is in a grey zone (some cities and states are decriminalizing such drugs but they are illegal on a federal level). In the Times story, participants go through a harrowing experience, but some report positive results and an improvement in their conditon. There is a growing body of evidence showing that psychedelics may be helpful for these conditions, and the field is attracting the attention of scientists and psychiatrists as well as venture capitalists interested in gaining a stakehold in what could be a lucrative market. Still, many are warning that the hype about the curative potential of psychedelics has so far outpaced hard evidence and that the risks—including episodes of psychosis—are considerable. We should move ahead with more studies about psychedelics to establish their safety, efficacy, and clinical best practices to administer them to ensure patients are not harmed.
The Daily Briefing 05.24.2022
With drug overdose deaths at a record 108,000 last year the New York Times looks at the synthetic drug phenomenon that’s driving fatalities, led by fentanyl and meth. Both drugs have proliferated because they are easy to make in a lab and ship around the world more directly and quickly than substances such as heroin and marijuana. Drug cartels no longer need to grow plants in a field with dozens of workers; all they need is a tucked-away warehouse or apartment and a few chemists. Drug users like synthetics too, as they are usually cheaper and more potent, but can be deadly. Last year fentanyl caused more overdose deaths in a single year than any other drug, followed by meth, which is also produced in labs. So far, law enforcement has not been very successful in stopping the flow of synthetics, compared to drugs grown on farms, and nobody now has come up with any alternatives.
Meanwhile, the L.A. Times looks at the fentanyl problem from a harm reduction perspective, noting that test strips are a simple solution to ensure that drugs are safe—but that drug mixing by users makes this so much more difficult. It says we need more sophisticated toos to identify both known and new dangers, as drug deaths are now tied to more than one drug. The year before the pandemic, nearly half of deadly overdoses across the country involved a combination of fentanyl, cocaine, heroin, or meth. While drug mixing is noting new, fentanyl is popping up in many kinds of drugs, so testing solely for one synthetic can miss other hazards. In addition, drug-testing strips are still officially illegal in about half of states, as they are classified as “drug paraphernalia” according to laws dating back decades. As part of harm reduction measures, we need to make drug testing tools legal, widely available, and capable of detecting a wide range of substances.
The Daily Briefing 05.19.2022
Drug overdose deaths among teens and young adults are climbing dramatically, as more and more of them buy fentanyl-laced pills bought online, unaware that they are contaminated with the deadly synthetic opioid. Law enforcement authorities say an alarming portion of the nearly 108,000 overdose fatalities over the past year were young people: overdoses are now the leading cause of preventable death among people ages 18 to 45, ahead of suicide, traffic accidents, and gun violence. Although experimental drug use by teens has been dropping since 2010, deaths from fentanyl have surged over the past few years, to 884 in 2021 from 253 in 2019. Social media apps such as Snapchat are TikTok are the leading online marketplace for drugs such as Percocet, Xanax, and other prescription medications. Suppliers have embraced the anonymity and privacy of social media—for example, using encrypted or disappearing messages—to sell their deadly wares, unbeknownst to buyers. The drugs, made to look like real medications, are pressed in Mexico with chemicals from China and India and leading to not only deaths from higher rates of addiction.
Meanwhile, what are the tech companies doing to crack down on the deadly merchandise that is trafficked on their sites? The nonprofit Ad Council recently announced a new campaign—backed by Snap, Meta, and Google—to alert teens and young adults about the dangers of fentanyl, using social media platforms Twitter, TikTok, Twitch, and Reddit to spread the word. Some companies are already targeting and interrupting drug exchanges, with Snap saying it took action on 144,000 drug-related accounts in the U.S. from July to December last year. A recent survey found that only 27 percent of teenagers knew that fentanyl could be found in counterfeit pills and 34 percent of adolescents said they didn’t know enough about the drug even to rank its danger level.
The Daily Briefing 05.18.2022
As more and more states take up marijuana legalization, Patrick Kennedy, a former U.S. representative from Rhode Island, has made a strong case for moving ahead with decriminalizing marijuana possession—while not normalizing and promoting its use. Pointing out the difference between the two, Kennedy says there are good reasons to end the criminalization of the drug, noting that over the past decades it has led to the mass incarceration of people, especially people of color. But he also believes that decriminalizing pot should not mean encouraging its use or downplaying its potentially harmful effects. While many people can use marijuana without it leading to problematic behavior, a growing body of evidence has shown that daily use of high-potency marijuana is linked to high rates of psychosis—especially in young people—as well as major depressive disorders and suicidal behavior and thoughts. Instead of helping what Kennedy calls the “addiction-for-profit” industry, the state must be a strong regulator of a marijuana market that prioritizes minimizing recreational use, educates the public about its harms, and expands the availability of robust mental health and substance use resources.
The Daily Briefing 05.17.2022
As psychedelics gain more respectability and even go mainstream for possibly treating some mental health disorders, the debate over the safety and effectiveness of these powerful drugs has shifted into high gear. A story in Vice looking at the fallout from one study, which touted psilocybin as a treatment for depression, is emblematic of the surging interest in psychedelics—as well as possible problems with the main players who are promoting its use. Recent landmark studies have suggested that such drugs could be used for treatment-resistant depression, PTSD, smoking, and more, sparking a broad consensus that they are worthy of further research. But as more studies are done, along with what many say is uncritical hype, there are now growing calls to be more circumspect and give these studies more scrutiny. This is also a pivotal moment, the article proposes, to reconsider how psychedelics are talked about and communicated to the public, especially when they are said to “liberate the mind” or “rewire the brain.” This is especially important in the growing for-profit psychedelic market, where results from small studies are routinely used to make advertising claims for psychedelic products and services. As this new ecosystem and interest in psychedelics mature, too much focus on tentative positive findings can obscure safety concerns and negative side effects. Let’s move ahead carefully to study the potential of these drugs, but remain cautious about overstating claims to protect patients.
The daily Briefing 05.12.2022
The announcement this week by the CDC that drug overdose fatalities continue to surge—to a record 197,000 last year—has led to renewed calls for urgent action to confront the crisis. Noting that the spike in deaths was mainly due to the widespread presence of the powerful synthetic opioid fentanyl, Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, called the latest numbers “truly staggering.” She added that many more people who use drugs both occasionally and even adolescents are now exposed to potent substances—often through counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl—that cause someone to overdose even with a relatively small exposure.
Meanwhile, Regina LaBelle, an addiction policy expert at Georgetown University, said the nearly108,000 estimated deaths were without precedent, adding that the increase during the first year of the pandemic did not seem to be letting up. Dr. Anne Zink, the chief health official in Alaska, which saw the largest overdose death percentage increase of any state in the nation, said that fentanyl kills many overdose victims before bystanders or emergency responders can revive them with naloxone, a medication that can quickly reverse an opioid overdose. “You don’t have a second chance if you don’t immediately have naloxone available,” she said.
And finally, the White House issued a statement calling the accelerating pace of overdose deaths "unacceptable." Dr. Rahul Gupta, the first medical doctor to oversee the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, said that one person dies every five minutes from overdose and noted that deaths involving methamphetamines almost tripled. He called for implementing the Biden administration's recently announced national drug control strategy, which calls for measures such as harm reduction, connecting more people to treatment, disrupting drug trafficking, and expanding access to the overdose-reversing medication naloxone.
The Daily Briefing 05.11.2022
Provisional year-end data from the CDC finds that drug overdose deaths in the U.S. continued their unrelenting rise last year, surging to a record 108,000, and fueled by the powerful synthetic opioid fentanyl and, increasingly, methamphetamines. The increase of nearly 15 percent follows a much steeper spike of 30 percent in 2020, but the overall number of fatalities has gone over the country’s peak deaths from AIDS, car crashes, and guns, killing about a quarter as many Americans last year as COVID-19 (although San Francisco, for example, reported more overdose deaths than those from the virus). Deaths involving synthetic opioids — largely fentanyl — rose to 71,000 from 58,000, while those associated with stimulants like methamphetamine, which has grown cheaper and more lethal in recent years, increased to 33,000 from 25,000. Fentanyl, which is made in a lab, can be cheaper and easier to produce than heroin, enhancing its appeal to dealers and traffickers. But because it is strong and sold in varying formulations, small differences in quantity can mean the difference between a drug user’s usual dose and one that proves deadly. It is particularly dangerous when it is used unwittingly by drug users who do not usually take opioids. The White House recently issued its first national drug control strategy, calling for comprehensive programs combining arm reduction, treatment, and law enforcement. We need to move quickly to provide strong, committed leadership on both the federal and state level and to mobilize all available resources to confront this tragic public health crisis
The Daily Briefing 05.10.2022
While most Americans associate the opioid epidemic and nationwide opioid litigation with Purdue Pharma, the biggest maker of prescription painkillers was actually a company called Mallinckrodt, and its role in the epidemic is now being fully exposed. A cache of 1.4 million documents related to the company’s role has been made public after years of litigation and bankruptcy proceedings, revealing how Mallinckrodt sought to increase its market share through aggressive sales tactics as the epidemic and overdose deaths were raging across the country. Between 2006 and 2014 the company accounted for 27 percent of the opioid market, compared to 18 percent for Purdue. In Massachusetts, for example, Mallinckrodt’s pain pills were supplied to more than half of those who died of opioid-related overdoses during the past 12 years—nearly 10,000 individuals. The company also paid a key role in industry-wide efforts to convince the healthcare industry that addiction was rare among opioid users, although its opioid products were highly addictive, and marketed its drugs to specific segments of society.
Meanwhile, a judge in Ohio is set to rule on how much the nation’s three largest pharmacy chains—CVS, Walgreens, and Walmart should pay in damages as part of opioid litigation. All three pharmacy chains were found guilty by a jury for recklessly distributing massive amounts of pain pills in two Ohio counties—the first time such companies have been held responsible, along with opioid makers and drug distributors. Plaintiff’s attorneys say that each county needs about $1 billion to repair the damage caused by the flood of pills, which caused hundreds of overdose deaths. In one country, 80 million prescription painkillers were dispensed in a four-year period—about 400 for every county resident. Similar trials against the pharmacy chains are underway in West Virginia, Florida, and California.
And finally, if you are in need of drug treatment, the go-to site is often the one run by the government (FindTreatment.gov), which was launched in 2019 by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to help hundreds of thousands of Americans who are seeking services. But now, an investigation finds that the site—which lists some 13,000 state-licensed treatment facilities—has critical flaws, including inaccurate and outdated information, a lack of filtering options, and little guidance on how to identify high-quality treatment. For example, the site does not indicate which types of care are most likely to be successful—even though the government funds research on that subject. The site does only minimal vetting of the facilities displayed, which can lead patients to spend thousands of dollars on ineffective treatment or predatory facilities. With overdose deaths reaching record highs, it’s time to fix the site and help those struggling with addiction find the best, most effective, and safest treatment.
The Daily Briefing 05.05.2022
As fentanyl-related drug overdose deaths continue to soar, more and more states are legalizing the use of fentanyl test strips as part of harm-reduction programs to help save lives. Test strips are cheap and easy to use, and although they don’t gauge the amount of fentanyl in the drug they can detect its presence, which is critical as even a small amount of the powerful synthetic opioid can kill the user. Using testing strips seems like a no-brainer with more than 100,000 Americans dying each year from an overdose, a majority of such cases related to fentanyl. But due to drug paraphernalia laws enacted decades ago, many states still consider test strips off limits, including Florida, which recently rejected decriminalization. Test strips are illegal in about half of all states, including many in which overdose fatalities are spiking. In others, like Ohio, test strips are more easily available, including in vending machines, alongside the overdose-reversal drug naloxone. Test strips are all the more important now, as drug dealers increasingly contaminate all types of illicit drugs such as heroin and meth as well as legal ones like Xanax and marijuana with fentanyl to increase the high that many users crave. But many individuals take the drugs unknowingly and quickly overdose. Reversing old laws that define drug paraphernalia to include test strips—thereby blocking their large-scale use—is a simple and easy way to expand usage and save lives.
The Daily Briefing 05.04.2022
The deadly synthetic opioid fentanyl is fueling the spike in overdose deaths across the country, but where is the drug coming from? As law enforcement and investigators try to stop the flow, they say that both fentanyl and fentanyl-laced contaminated drugs made to look like prescription medications and illicit drugs are coming in from China and across the U.S.-Mexican border. Despite government crackdowns on production in China, experts say drug suppliers there send the ingredients to Mexican cartels who make the drug either in raw powder or pill form and then ship them across the border in trucks. Last year more than 11,000 pounds of fentanyl made its way into the U.S., and more than half of that came through the border of Mexico and San Diego. More than 107,000 individuals died of a drug overdose over the past 12-months—a record—with many victims unknowingly taking drugs they believed were Xanax or heroin and the like but were contaminated with lethal doses of fentanyl.
Meanwhile, overdose deaths are surging among many ethnic groups, including Blacks, and a recent study found that the fatality rate is also spiking for Indigenous Americans, with fatalities increasing five-fold from 1999 to 2019, while the number has quadrupled nationwide. The study looked at overdose deaths attributed to opioids in combination with alcohol and other drugs such as meth, cocaine, and benzodiazepines, and deaths linked to specific types of opioids among American Indians and Alaska natives aged 12 and older.
And finally, Washington State has reached a $518 million agreement with the nation’s large drug distributors for their role in the opioid crisis. Under the settlement with McKesson Corp., Cardinal Health, and AmerisourceBergen, the state is obliged to spend $476 of the total to address the crisis, including on substance abuse treatment, expanding access to overdose-reversal drugs, and providing housing, job placement, and other services to those struggling with addiction. The deal came months into a complex trial in Washinton against the drug distributors after the state decided not to participate in a national settlement reached last summer with these companies and Johnson & Johnson. Other trials are underway in West Virginia, Florida, and California as part of far-reach opioid litigation involving thousands of cases, many of which have been settled out of court for hundreds of millions of dollars, and will be used for prevention, education, and drug treatment.
The Daily Briefing 05.03.2022
States that legalized marijuana a decade ago are now studying the public health implications of a variety of high-potency cannabis products after doctors and medical researchers reported possible links to psychosis. Oregon and Washington State, which pioneered cannabis reform, are now looking into the potential dangers of marijuana concentrates and considering placing limits on levels of THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana. Such products can have THC levels of up to 90 percent compared to about 5 percent 20 years ago. Emergency room doctors in Colorado prompted the state to study such products, after finding that they were seeing increasing cases of psychosis connected to marijuana concentrates, which led to a bill to curb access to powerful pot products. Researchers in Washington concluded that the more THC consumed, the worse the negative effects, especially among young people, who are particularly vulnerable to addiction. To be sure, the cannabis industry is pushing back against efforts to curtail concentrates, saying the products are popular with consumers and falsely claiming there’s no evidence to suggest widespread risk from THC. It would have been more prudent to consider the dangers of high-potency pot before legalization, but it’s not too late for state legislatures to act to impose THC caps to protect public health and vulnerable populations.
Meanwhile, major food companies are warning the public about the rise of so-called copycat edibles that look like “real” food products but actually contain cannabis and incidental amounts of THC. The Consumer Brands Association says that while marijuana may be legal in some states, the misuse of these famous rands has created serious health and safety risks for consumers, particularly, children, who cannot tell the difference between these brands’ true products and copycat THC products “that leverage the brand’s fame for profit.” A recent study by New York University found that policies to prevent cannabis packaging from appealing to children haven’t stopped such products from entering the market.
And finally, the CDC features marijuana use disorder as its “disease or health condition of the week,” warning consumers about the dangers of cannabis. It says that approximately 3 in 10 people who use marijuana have the disorder, meaning that they are unable to stop using marijuana even though it is causing health and or social problems in their lives. Those risks include stroke, heart disease, other vascular diseases, and psychosis.
The Daily Briefing 04.28.2022
Methadone has long been regarded as a life-saving medication for opioid use disorder that keeps people from experiencing debilitating withdrawal or seeking dangerous street drugs. But to the U.S. government, it’s a highly regulated Schedule II substance akin to cocaine, meth, or fentanyl, making the drug difficult to access. As the nation’s overdose crisis worsens, the New Republic looks at how methadone could be more widely used to help those struggling with addiction—but isn’t due to price, over-regulation, and stigmatization. Strict rules curtail access to methadone and dictate how and where it is dispensed, mostly in specialized urban clinics that are out of reach to those in rural areas. The federal government bans primary care doctors from prescribing it and pharmacies from dispensing it. And unlike buprenorphine, another medical treatment for OUD, methadone can only legally be dispensed at one of these clinics, which usually have long waitlists or financial costs. For patients, breaking one of the rules can lead to dismissal from the program which was likely difficult to get into in the first place. The Biden administration has recently signaled its intention to make such medications more widely available, via mobile methadone vans, for example, as part of broader harm reduction initiatives. This would be welcome at a time when overdose rates have reached record levels and we have the tools and resources to start reducing fatalities today—but are not taking advantage of them.
The Daily Briefing 04.27.2022
A new study finds that a pilot program to reduce drug overdose fatalities in California prisons has been hugely successful, with the death rate dropping nearly 60 percent over the past two years. The California program—the largest of its kind in the country—provides medicated-assisted treatment (MAT) to prisoners, including addiction withdrawal medications and cognitive therapy. This large-scale experiment with MAT in incarceration facilities adds to a growing body of evidence that such therapy is both safe and effective, and can significantly reduce overdose deaths and hospitalizations in prison settings. In California, officials estimate that up to 65 percent of inmates have a substance abuse problem, but until recently only a small fraction of them receive any kind of treatment services. Before the program began, overdose was the third-leading cause of death for inmates, but that has fallen to eighth in 2020, the lowest ranking in nearly a decade, while at the same time the overdose fatality rate climbed dramatically nationwide to more than 105, 000 annually. Currently, Gov. Gavin Newsom is seeking $162.5 million annually to expand the program—money that would be well spent on a program that should be replicated among the general population.
Meanwhile, as statewide marijuana legalization continues across the country, new studies continue to uncover evidence of the negative impact of cannabis—this time, secondhand smoke. Research shows that bystanders may inhale air pollutants from pot smoke at concentrations more than twice federal air quality limits. The study, at UC Berkeley, measured bong smoke in an ordinary household living room where young adults socially smoked marijuana for several hours. The smoke increased background levels of pollution by at least 100-fold and above the air quality levels. Such fine particulate matter can travel deep into the respiratory tract, damaging the lungs and affecting their function.
And finally, while we’re on the subject of pot: with New York about to implement legalization, the classic New York slice (of pizza) is being pushed as the next pot-infused food product.Pizzamakers have been discussing such a savory topping and a few are even experimenting with it, but the state’s cannabis regulatory agency says no decision has yet been made. Advocates say the law doesn’t explicitly mention food, but neither does it prohibit such products. Still, as the law does establish a 21-year old age limit for consumption, it might be tough to keep kids away from a high-inducing slice of pot-laced pepperoni.
The Daily Briefing 04.25.2022
The Biden administration has finally released its inaugural national drug control strategy, with an emphasis on “saving lives, getting people the care they need, going after drug traffickers, and making better use of data to guide these efforts.” The comprehensive plan is the first such effort that puts harm-reduction strategies front and center—including making overdose reversal medications and drug testing strips more available, among other measures—while also promoting the expansion of drug treatment, educating young people about the dangers of drug use, reducing drug trafficking and the flow of illicit drugs into the country, and building what the administration calls a “recovery-ready nation” that provides housing and workplace opportunities for those in recovery. In other words, the strategy is aimed at meeting “people where they are” to address their substance use issues and provide a continuum of care. Equally important, it recognizes the drug problem in prisons and jails, where drug use is overrepresented in the incarcerated population and treatment services are very limited. Additionally, it promotes expanding the treatment workforce and the use of peer-based specialists as an integral part of services. Still, it’s not exactly clear if there is additional funding available to pay for all of these programs, except for the $4 billion appropriated in the American Rescue Plan to expand access to vital mental health and substance use disorder services.
The Daily Briefing 04.22.2022
As New York State prepares to introduce a legal, adult-use marijuana market, Governor Kathy Hochul is rolling out a public service ad campaign to warn New Yorkers about the potential dangers of using legal pot. The campaign, called Cannabis Conversations, is the state’s first public service campaign and goes into depth about the dangers of impaired driving while high, the risks of youth cannabis use, how to store cannabis safely in your home, and to respectfully consume cannabis in public. The ads bluntly tell consumers that it is never safe to drive under the influence of marijuana, and that cannabis can damage growing brains in youth—a finding supported by a growing body of scientific evidence, but which was passed over during debates about legalization. According to the state’s cannabis control board, legalization is grounded in the principles of public safety, social justice, and equitable economic development. Yet if safety were a primary concern, there would have been stricter measures included regarding underage consumption and impaired driving.
Meanwhile, public safety concerning pot apparently wasn’t on the agenda for a bride in Florida, who is accused along with her caterer of spiking the food at her wedding reception with enough marijuana to make many guests feel sick, nauseated, and dizzy. The bride and the caterer were arrested and charged with two felony counts including food tampering and distribution of marijuana, in a state where recreational cannabis is still illegal. The effects underscore warnings from the medical community about the possible dangers of ingesting or smoking marijuana, which can include disorientation, vomiting, impaired driving as well as other health issues.
And finally, another drug danger—the growing use of psychedelic drugs—was highlighted in an investigation by STAT News into the case of an elderly man who was allegedly taken advantage of by a caregiver who gave him hallucinogenics to treat depression and suicidal ideation. The case reflects not only the mainstreaming of psychedelics but also the growing industry around its use and so-called therapists who administer these very powerful drugs and “guide” patients through the experience. They are sometimes used to ease patients’ anxieties at the end of life, and therefore have the potential for an increase in elder abuse, the report points out. Psychedelic drugs, which are still largely illegal for treating depression and PTSD, are becoming more popular, and researcher is opening up in the field. As this happens, there’s a critical need for strong regulations to protect users of psychedelic medicines against potential abuse from unlicensed therapists—especially the elderly, who experience cognitive decline, are often frail, and are at risk of being taken advantage of financially.
The Daily Briefing 04.18.2022
Business stories about the newly legal marijuana industry portray the sector as both booming and imperiled, depending on the U.S. state or country. The New York Times, for example, reports from Toronto that pot shops are flourishing in several areas of the city, thanks to loosened regulations that were first implemented during the pandemic and have been allowed to continue. In 2020, just 12 retail stores existed in the city of 2.8 million, but today there are 430 with another 88 in the approval process. On one street, there are more than 13 shops along a 2-mile stretch, which are changing the character of an iconic neighborhood. Unlike other provinces, the Ontario government favored unbridled competition, introducing just one simple restriction on shops: they must be located no closer than 150 meters to a school. In only three years, sales of legal marijuana in Ontario boosted the economy by an estimated $10.6 billion and today, more Canadians consume the drug than ever before—including 25 percent of people 16 and up. While sales are booming, there’s no mention in the story about health impacts.
Meanwhile, things are not going so well in California’s legal market, according to the Los Angeles Business Journal. When the state legalized weed in 2016, there were promises of a great retail surge and the elimination of the black market. However, legal marijuana sales are slumping and the illicit market is going gung ho; today, there are roughly 850 licensed dispensaries statewide, a staggering drop of nearly 90 percent over just five years. In fact, retailers say they’re in a struggle for survival, due to high taxes and stringent regulations. And contrary to popular belief, the black market isn’t only the stereotypical drug dealer on the street corner, but hundreds of shops that look like licensed dispensaries but don’t pay taxes or comply with regulations—yet another example of how rushing to legalize marijuana has led to a poor business model and potential harm to consumers.
And finally, New York City Mayor Eric Adams has come up with an unusual idea now that the state is about to implement its marijuana legalization law: set up cannabis greenhouses on the rooftops of public housing buildings. This would not only increase the supply of pot in a city with little space for agriculture, the mayor believes, but also provide jobs for residents, part of the state’s efforts to use legalization as a way to help communities disproportionately harmed by the war on drugs. Several complications here: one is that marijuana remains illegal under federal law, and the NYC public housing authority—known as NYCHA—receives half of its annual subsidies from the federal government. Equally important, marijuana is still illegal in public housing. And, nobody has apparently asked residents if they want marijuana growing up on the roof.