This past year the nation confronted daunting public health challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic killed more than 300,000 Americans and continues to strain our healthcare system. The subsequent lockdowns, social distancing and economic downturn severely impaired the work of drug treatment providers, while the loneliness and stress of the pandemic led to record levels of drug overdose deaths. At the same time, voters in more and more states disregarded warnings of marijuana’s harmful health impacts, and—swayed by such purported benefits as additional tax revenues and social justice that have not for the most part materialized—approved the drug’s legalization.
Throughout the year, the Rosenthal Center addressed these and other issues by offering insightful commentary and in-depth reports across our print and online channels. Our goal, as always, was to inform the public, policymakers and addiction professionals about ongoing drug crises—and to offer viable solutions. Here are a few highlights:
Telehealth and the Opioid Epidemic
As the pandemic worsened and overdose fatalities spiked, state and federal authorities loosened limitations on drug treatment. A special edition of the Rosenthal Report looked at how practices such as telehealth and telemedicine were providing services. The conclusion was that online treatment is beneficial for many individuals but is not a panacea for substance use disorder or a replacement for in-person treatment.
Reforming Law Enforcement and Drug Policy
The eruption of civil unrest this year over race, policing and incarceration led to calls for radical reform of law enforcement and drug laws. We examined two innovative programs in New York State: one in Albany that diverts individuals to drug treatment while they remain in jail (where services are often lacking), and another in Buffalo, in which the police and addiction professionals work together to help individuals in crisis and refer them to treatment rather than the criminal justice system.
Shifting Public Views on Marijuana Legalization
Overall, the movement to legalize marijuana gained ground, with supporters claiming widespread public approval of cannabis reform. But the 2020 Rosenthal Cannabis Report revealed some surprisingly different perspectives—namely that a majority of those surveyed favor curbs on commercialization of marijuana and even a moratorium on legalization until we know more about its impact. We continue to make these findings public in order to influence cannabis reform policy.
Justice for Victims of the Opioid Epidemic
Efforts to resolve thousands of opioid lawsuits moved ahead, although some proposed settlements failed to adequately compensate victims and communities for the losses they endured during the decades-long opioid epidemic. I spoke out strongly in favor of a monetary settlement that reflects the vast scale of the crisis—and not only ensures justice for those who suffered, but also guarantees funding that goes directly to expanding drug treatment.
As the year has come to a close, I am encouraged by the incoming Biden administration’s proposed drug policies. Most important is an ambitious $125 billion initiative over the next decade to combat the opioid crisis. Biden opposes federal-level marijuana legalization, but advocates decriminalizing drug possession and expanding drug treatment. The President-elect’s pick for Secretary of Health and Human Services Secretary, Xavier Becerra, has focused on anti-vaping initiatives among youth as California’s Attorney General. And finally, Biden might bring the nation’s “drug czar” back to the Cabinet, giving that position more prominence and power.
I look forward to seeing what happens in the New Year, and am cautiously optimistic about what lies ahead.
