| 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]. | | WEBINAR Employee-Targeted Webinar: A Workplace Wellness Approach for Prescription Misuse Prevention
SAMHSA
Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016, 2–3:15 p.m. (ET)
This interactive webinar, facilitated by Joel Bennett, Ph.D., of Organizational Wellness & Learning Solutions, is geared toward workplace staff and best experienced in a group setting. Participants will learn about the role health consciousness plays in preventing prescription drug misuse; the risk factors associated with the increase in prescription drug misuse and healthy alternatives that can diminish those risks; action steps to implement healthy options; and how to reduce prescription drug misuse in their work setting. Those who plan on organizing a group to watch the webinar should contact Michael Neeper at [email protected] for materials to help with the session, including handouts and anonymous forms to assess changes in attitudes and behaviors resulting from the webinar. The webinar will also be archived on the SAMHSA YouTube site for later viewing. | | S.S. Davenport and J.P. Caulkins. 2016. “Evolution of the United States: Marijuana Market in the Decade of Liberalization before Full Legalization.” Journal of Drug Issues, doi:10.1177/0022042616659759.
Analysis of 2002–13 National Survey on Drug Use and Health data suggests that (a) the national market for marijuana has grown, especially in terms of the number of daily users; (b) marijuana users were consistently economically “downscale,” and in many ways resembled cigarette users; (c) distribution networks appear to be professionalizing, as fewer users obtain marijuana socially; (d) the typical purchase has gotten smaller by weight but not price paid, suggestive of a trend toward higher potencies; and (e) marijuana expenditures vary by user group. The 2013 data indicate that respondents with medical marijuana recommendations are more likely than other users to grow their own.
Read more:
http://jod.sagepub.com/content/early/2016/08/01/0022042616659759
J. Bechtold, A. Hipwell, D.A. Lewis, R. Loeber, and D. Pardini. 2016. “Concurrent and Sustained Cumulative Effects of Adolescent Marijuana Use on Subclinical Psychotic Symptoms.” American Journal of Psychiatry, 173(8):781–9.
In this longitudinal study, a cohort of 1,009 boys (55 percent black, 41 percent white, 4 percent other) were recruited in first and seventh grades in Pittsburgh in 1988–89. The sample included an oversample of boys with conduct problems. The cohort was surveyed annually at ages 13–18 for substance use and mental health issues. By the last assessment, 270 participants had used marijuana, 695 had reported at least one subclinical psychotic symptom, 391 had reported paranoia, 231 had reported hallucinations, and 574 had reported bizarre thinking. Population-weighted, multivariate time series models that controlled for socio-demographic factors, other substance use, internalizing and externalizing problems, and prior subclinical psychotic symptoms found that when these adolescent boys engaged in regular marijuana use, their expected level of subsequent self-reported subclinical psychotic symptoms rose by 21 percent and their expected odds of experiencing subsequent subclinical paranoia or hallucinations rose by 133 percent and 92 percent, respectively. The effect of prior regular marijuana use on subsequent subclinical psychotic symptoms persisted even when adolescents stopped using marijuana for a year. No support was found for reverse causation. The study concludes: “Given the recent proliferation of marijuana legalization across the country, it will be important to enact preventive policies and programs to keep adolescents from engaging in regular marijuana use, as chronic use seems to increase their risk of developing persistent subclinical psychotic symptoms.”
Read more:
http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/doi/abs/10.1176/appi.ajp.2016.15070878 | | Journal Articles and Reports A. Alabi, A. Todd, A. Husband, and J. Reilly. 2016. “Safety Profile of Lamotrigine in Overdose.” Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology, doi:10.1177/2045125316656707.
A systematic search was of on-line databases identified 26 articles, mainly case reports and series, about deliberate or accidental single drug overdoses of the anticonvulsant (and off-label mood stabilizer) lamotrigine. The most commonly described toxic effects were on the central nervous system: seizures, movement disorders, or reduced consciousness. Other toxic effects included heart rhythm problems; hypersensitivity reactions; serotonin syndrome; and dissolution of skeletal muscle, possibly due to seizures or agitation. Two studies documented deaths from cardiovascular and neurological effects.
Read more:
http://tpp.sagepub.com/content/early/2016/07/29/2045125316656707.abstract
J.A. Arthur, T. Edwards, Z. Lu MPH, S. Reddy, D. Hui, J. Wu, D. Liu, J.L. Williams, and E. Bruera. 2016. “Frequency, Predictors, and Outcomes of Urine Drug Testing Among Patients with Advanced Cancer on Chronic Opioid Therapy at an Outpatient Supportive Care Clinic.” Cancer, doi:10.1002/Cncr.30240.
Chart review of 1,058 patients who attended an outpatient supportive care clinic at a Houston cancer center between March 2014 and November 2015 found 61 (6 percent) received chronic opioid therapy and were monitored with urine drug tests, with abnormal test results for 33 (54 percent of those tested). Among the 52 abnormal urine drug test results over time, 14 showed cancer patients were not taking their prescribed opioids and 13 detected additional unprescribed opioids. Multivariate analysis comparing the 61 patients to 120 patients who did not undergo urine drug tests [Editor’s Note: comparing to all 1,006 patients would have been a stronger design] showed that the odds of being monitored with testing was 3.9 for patients who had positive CAGE scores, 4.4 in patients under age 45, 5.6 in patients who had moderate-to-severe pain, 0.3 in patients with advanced-stage cancer, and 0.25 in patients who had moderate-to-severe fatigue. [Editor’s note: the study does not appear to control for dose prescribed.]
Read more:
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cncr.30240/full
B. Bachrach, P.M. Boozang, and M. Lipson. “Medicaid: States’ Most Powerful Tool to Combat the Opioid Crisis.” State Health Reform Assistance Network, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. July 2016
Medicaid law allows states to tailor their benefit packages to improve substance use disorder prevention and treatment. They may implement prior authorization requirements, institute quantity limits, and strengthen utilization review criteria for opioid prescriptions; expand Medicaid’s access to and use of the state’s prescription drug monitoring program; improve timely access to medications used in medication-assisted treatment (MAT) by eliminating or modifying prior authorization requirements, and reviewing prescription drug policies to ensure that they are evidence-based and do not impose lifetime, duration, or quantity limits that are not clinically indicated for MAT drugs; and add all forms of naloxone to their preferred drug lists. The Issue Brief provides numerous examples of ways states are using Section 1115 demonstration waivers to address substance use disorders. Under the Affordable Care Act, state Medicaid programs also can implement Health Homes to provide robust care management services to individuals with substance use disorders or other chronic conditions. In the first 2 years of an individual’s enrollment in a Health Home, states can access 90 percent federal matching funds. Maryland, Rhode Island, and Vermont have implemented Health Home programs specifically for individuals with opioid use disorders. They provide intensive care management and care coordination for individuals with opioid use disorders and provider and workforce education on evidence-based treatment for opioid use disorders.
Read more:
https://www.manatt.com/Insights/White-Papers/2016/Medicaid-States’-Powerful-Tool-to-Combat-the-Opio
D. T. Barry, T. Fazzino, E. Necrason, J. Ginn, L.E. Fiellin, D.A. Fiellin, B.A. Moore. 2016. “The Availability of Ancillary Counseling in the Practices of Physicians Prescribing Buprenorphine.” Journal of Addiction Medicine, doi:10.1097/ADM.0000000000000247.
An e-mail invitation to 7,000 American Society of Addiction Medicine members drew just 346 responses (a response rate below 5 percent, meaning respondents are unlikely to be representative). Most respondents reported either offering (66 percent) or referring patients for ancillary counseling (31 percent) when prescribing buprenorphine. Most offer or referrals were for individual counseling (51 percent) or self-help groups (63 percent).
Read more:
http://journals.lww.com/journaladdictionmedicine/Abstract/publishahead/
The_Availability_of_Ancillary_Counseling_in_the.99613.aspx
J.A. Boscarino, S.N. Hoffman, J.J. Han, and X. Chu. 2016. Abstracts From the 22nd Annual Health Care Systems Research Network Conference, April 13–16, 2016, Atlanta, Georgia: “Association of OPRM1 Polymorphisms with DSM-5–Defined Prescription Opioid Use Disorder Among Chronic Pain Patients on Opioid Therapy for Noncancer Pain.” Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews 3(3):212-3.
Using electronic health records from a large physician-led health care system in northeastern and central Pennsylvania, this study identified 705 adult outpatients receiving opioid therapy for noncancer pain for at least 4 months in the past year. All patients were genotyped. Mean patient age was 55, with 61 percent female. Based on Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), Fourth Edition, criteria, the lifetime prevalence of opioid dependence was 35.6 percent. Lifetime use was 12.8 percent for cocaine and 14.9 percent for amphetamines/methamphetamines. Controlling for age, sex, education, and marital status, lifetime opioid use disorder by DSM–V criteria were 1.5 times as likely for carriers of the genetic G allele at SNP rs6923231. The genetic OPRM1 118A>G polymorphism (rs1799971) was not associated with use disorder. When assessing opioid disorders based on DSM–IV criteria, neither SNP marker rs6923231 nor rs1799971 was associated with disorder.
Read more:
http://digitalrepository.aurorahealthcare.org/jpcrr/vol3/iss3/105
J.M. DuBois, J.T. Chibnall, E.E. Anderson, M. Eggers, K. Baldwin, and M. Vasher. 2016. “A Mixed-Method Analysis of Reports on 100 Cases of Improper Prescribing of Controlled Substances.” Journal of Drug Issues, doi:10.1177/0022042616661836.
Researchers conducted a mixed-method analysis of published reports on 100 cases of improper prescribing of controlled substances in the United States. Most cases involved physicians who were non-board certified (63 percent), in small private practices (97 percent), male (88 percent), and over age 40 (90 percent), with 54 percent of cases involving physicians with self-centered personality traits.
Read more:
http://jod.sagepub.com/content/early/2016/08/08/0022042616661836.abstract
K.E. Dunn, F.S. Barrett, C. Yepez-Laubach, A.C. Meyer, B.J. Hruska, S.C. Sigmon, M. Fingerhood, and G.E. Bigelow. 2016. “Brief Opioid Overdose Knowledge (BOOK): A Questionnaire to Assess Overdose Knowledge in Individuals Who Use Illicit or Prescribed Opioids.” Journal of Addiction Medicine, doi:10.1097/ADM.0000000000000235.
This study described efforts to develop and validate the Brief Opioid Overdose Knowledge (BOOK) questionnaire to assess patient knowledge gaps related to opioid overdose risks. Two samples of illicit opioid users and a third sample of patients receiving an opioid to treat chronic pain (total N = 848) completed the BOOK. A 3-factor scale was established, representing opioid knowledge (4 items), opioid overdose knowledge (4 items), and opioid overdose response knowledge (4 items). The scale had strong internal and face validity. Patients with chronic pain performed worse than illicit drug users on almost all items assessed, highlighting the need to increase knowledge of opioid overdose risk among this population.
Read more:
http://journals.lww.com/journaladdictionmedicine/Abstract/publishahead/
Brief_Opioid_Overdose_Knowledge__BOOK____A.99610.aspx
K.W. Easterling, K.A. Mack, C.M. Jones. 2016. “Location of Fatal Prescription Opioid-Related Deaths in 12 States, 2008–2010: Implications for Prevention Programs.” Journal of Safety Research, doi:10.1016/j.jsr.2016.07.004.
Drug Abuse Warning Network census data for 2008–10 from 12 states included 14,091 opioid or illicit drug-related deaths. Most deaths (78.9 percent) involved prescription opioids, either without illicit drugs (63.4 percent), or in combination with illicit drugs (15.4 percent). For prescription opioids, 61.3 percent of deaths occurred at home, 25.3 percent in a health care facility, and 13.4 percent in another public place. Comparable percentages for illicit drug deaths were, respectively, 42.8 percent, 33.0 percent, and 24.2 percent.
Read more:
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022437516301499
L. Guo, Y. Xu, J. Deng, J. Huang, G. Huang, X. Gao, H. Wu, S. Pan, W.H. Zhang, and C. Lu. 2016. Association Between Nonmedical Use of Prescription Drugs and Suicidal Behavior Among Adolescents.” JAMA Pediatrics, doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2016.1802.
In this longitudinal study, 3,273 students in randomly selected schools in Guangzhou, China were surveyed in 2009–10 (response rate, 96.8 percent) and resurveyed in 2011–12 (retention rate = 96.1 percent). Baseline opioid misuse (odds ratio [OR] = 2.3), sedatives misuse (OR = 4.5) and nonmedical use of any prescription drug (OR = 2.0) were positively associated with suicidal ideation at follow-up, controlling for sex, age, household socioeconomic status, and living arrangements, baseline depressive symptoms, baseline alcohol-related problems, baseline suicidal ideation, and baseline suicidal attempts: Baseline opioid misuse (OR = 3.4) and nonmedical use of any prescription drug (OR = 2.9) also were associated with subsequent suicidal attempts and with depressive symptoms.
Read more:
http://archpedi.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=2543282
I.V. Haller, C.M. Renier, P. Hitz, J.A. Palcher, and T.E. Elliott. “Validation of the Automated Diagnosis, Intractability, Risk, Efficacy (DIRE) Opioid Risk Assessment Tool.” Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Review 3(3):227.
Diagnosis, Intractability, Risk, Efficacy (DIRE) is a seven-item opioid risk assessment tool usually administered by a clinician and used to predict efficacy of analgesia and patient compliance with long-term opioid therapy. Each item is rated from 1 (least favorable case for opioid prescribing) to 3 (more favorable case). Those scoring below 14 are unsuitable candidates for opioid therapy. The authors plan to compare automated and clinician-administered DIRE scores using data from a cohort of chronic non-cancer pain patients on long-term opioid therapy.
Read more:
http://digitalrepository.aurorahealthcare.org/jpcrr/vol3/iss3/136
C.M. Jones, P.K. Muhuri, and P.G. Lurie. 2016. “Trends in the Nonmedical Use of OxyContin, United States, 2006–2013.” Clinical Journal of Pain, doi:10.1097/AJP.0000000000000426.
According to 2006–13 National Survey on Drug Use and Health data, 0.5 percent of Americans ages 12 and older (approximately 1.3 million people) admit to nonmedical use of OxyContin in the past year. That rate was stable over time, prior to and after abuse-resistant reformulation. Among past-year nonmedical users of pain relievers, the prevalence of OxyContin use also was stable over time at 13.0 percent. In multivariate analysis, groups with increased odds of using OxyContin nonmedically in the past-year were similar prior to and after reformulation. Odds for past-year OxyContin nonmedical use after reformulation were greatest for: people reporting > 200 days of pain reliever nonmedical use (odds ratio [OR] = 3.6); past-year heroin users (OR = 3.4); and people with past-year pain reliever use disorders (OR = 2.6).
Read more:
http://journals.lww.com/clinicalpain/Abstract/publishahead/Trends_
in_the_Nonmedical_Use_of_OxyContin,_United.99132.aspx
D. Purviance, B. Ray, A. Tracy, and E. Southard. 2016. “Law Enforcement Attitudes Towards Naloxone Following Opioid Overdose Training.” Substance Abuse, doi:10.1080/08897077.2016.1219439.
Four sites in Indiana trained law enforcement personnel to detect signs of an opioid related overdose and administer naloxone. They administered pre and post surveys (N = 97). Naloxone training resulted in significant increases in competency, comfort, and readiness. The training had the greatest effect on competency to administer naloxone and in easing concerns that law enforcement personal might have in administering naloxone.
Read more:
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/08897077.2016.1219439
J. Rudski. 2016. “Public Perspectives on Expanding Naloxone Access to Reverse Opioid Overdoses.” Substance Use & Misuse, doi:10.1080/10826084.2016.1197267.
In March 2015, with crowd-sourced recruitment using Amazon’s Mechanical Turk, 266 self-selected people completed an online survey examining concerns with and support for expanding naloxone access. Four different hypothetical situations were considered, varying according to type of opioid (heroin versus nonmedical prescription opioid) and recipient (suburban middle class versus recent parolee). Most participants agreed with at least some degree of expanded access. Type of opioid or recipient did not affect attitudes toward expansion.
Read more:
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10826084.2016.1197267
O. Zhabenko, E. Austic, D.A. Conroy, P. Ehrlich, V. Singh, Q. Epstein-Ngo, R.M. Cunningham, and M.A. Walton. 2016. “Substance Use as a Risk Factor for Sleep Problems Among Adolescents Presenting to the Emergency Department.” Journal of Addiction Medicine, doi:10.1097/ADM.0000000000000243.
During 2011–12, 1,852 people ages 14–20 presenting for care to the University of Michigan Emergency Department in Ann Arbor self-administered a computerized health survey. Patients who were too sick to be screened in the emergency department were eligible to participate in the study during their inpatient stay. Of respondents, 23.5 percent reported clinically significant sleep problems. Nonmedical use of prescription medication, female sex, depression, dating victimization, tobacco use, and an emergency department visit for medical reasons each was associated with increased risk of sleep problems, after controlling for age, other types of drug use, receiving public assistance, and dropping out of school.
Read more:
http://journals.lww.com/journaladdictionmedicine/Abstract/publishahead/
Substance_Use_as_a_Risk_Factor_for_Sleep_Problems.99611.aspx | Professional Opinion C.J. Evans, and C.M. Cahill. 2016. “Neurobiology of Opioid Dependence in Creating Addiction Vulnerability.”F1000Research 5(F1000FacultyRev):1748, doi:10.12688/f1000research.8369.1.
Researchers discussed the cellular mechanisms and neural circuitry that contribute to the opioid drug-dependent state, inferring an emerging role for neuroinflammation. They argued that opioid addictive behaviors result from a learned relationship between opioids and relief from an existing or withdrawal-induced anxiogenic or dysphoric state. Furthermore, a future stressful life event can recall the memory that opioid drugs alleviate negative affect (despair, sadness, and anxiety) and thereby precipitate craving, resulting in relapse. A learned association of relief of aversive states would fuel drug craving in vulnerable people living in an increasingly stressful society. Researchers suggest that this route to addiction is contributive to the current opioid epidemic in the United States.
Read more:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4955026
S.E. Ramsey, D. Rounsaville, R. Hoskinson, T.W. Park, E.G. Ames, V.D. Neirinckx, and P. Friedmann. 2016. “The Need for Psychosocial Interventions to Facilitate the Transition to Extended-Release Naltrexone (XR-NTX) Treatment for Opioid Dependence: A Concise Review of the Literature.” Substance Abuse 10: 65–8, doi:10.4137/SART.S39067.
For those who wish to transition from opioid use or opioid replacement therapy to opioid agonist therapy, withdrawal symptoms that must be endured before initiation of antagonist therapy pose a significant challenge. Studies show that incorporating psychosocial interventions into detoxification protocols can result in improved treatment outcomes. Interventions based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy show promise in treating clinical disorders that present with symptoms similar to those of opioid withdrawal and have positively impacted outcomes among those tapering from methadone.
Read more:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4975246 | Professional Development M.R. Cohen and J.L. Smetzer. 2016. “Partially Filled Vials and Syringes in Sharps Containers Are a Key Source of Drugs for Diversion.” Hospital Pharmacy 51(7): 514–9, doi:10.1310/hpj5107-514.
Read more:
http://archive.hospital-pharmacy.com/doi/abs/10.1310/hpj5107-514
A.D. Fraser, B. Zhang, H. Ma, H. Khan, and E.V. Hersh. 2016. Case Study: “Prescription Opioid Abuse and Its Potential Role in Gross Dental Decay.” Current Drug Safety, doi:10.2174/1574886311666160803111401.
Read more:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27492482
J. Greene Naples, W.F. Gellad, and J.T. Hanlon. 2016. “The Role of Opioid Analgesics in Geriatric Pain Management.” Clinics in Geriatric Medicine, doi:10.1016/j.cger.2016.06.006.
Read more:
http://www.geriatric.theclinics.com/article/S0749-0690(16)30051-9/abstract
R.D. Maree, Z.A. Marcum, E. Saghafi, D.K. Weiner, and J.F. Karp. 2016. “A Systematic Review of Opioid and Benzodiazepine Misuse in Older Adults.” American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, doi:10.1016/j.jagp.2016.06.003.
Read more:
http://www.ajgponline.org/article/S1064-7481(16)30143-9/fulltext?rss=yes
P.A. O’Malley. 2016. “Making the Journey from Opioid and Heroin Addiction: One Map for the Clinical Nurse Specialist.” Clinical Nurse Specialist 30(5):257–60, doi:10.1097/NUR.0000000000000239.
Read more:
http://journals.lww.com/cns-journal/Citation/2016/09000/
Making_the_Journey_from_Opioid_and_Heroin.5.aspx
S. Wolfe, D.L. Bouffard, and V. Modesto-Lowe. 2016. “The Opioid Crisis and the Physician’s Role in Contributing to its Resolution: Step One—Prevention of Overdoses.” Connecticut Medicine 80(6):325–34.
Read more:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27509638 | National Obama Administration Funds Projects to Disrupt Opioid and Heroin Trafficking
White House
August 17, 2016
The Obama Administration has announced $17 million in funding from the Office of National Drug Control Policy for High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA). This funding includes $5.6 million to support thirteen innovative projects nationwide to disrupt the trafficking of prescription opioids, fentanyl, and heroin, and to help train medical providers in safe prescribing practices and increase the use of naloxone. Funding will also support an expansion to the Atlanta/Carolinas, Michigan, and Ohio HIDTAs of the HIDTA Heroin Response Strategy. Funding will support the creation of a Science to Action Coordinator who will work with the eight HIDTA Heroin Response Strategy programs and the Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention to implement effective strategies that respond to local opioid overdose hotspots. This funding also includes $6.5 million to strengthen HIDTA interdiction and investigative efforts and enhance investigative support centers. More than $1 million will support public health-public safety partnerships working to prevent drug use.
Read more:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2016/08/17/obama-administration-funds-new-projects-disrupt-prescription-opioid
Quest Diagnostics Can Use Electronic Drug Test Process for Federally Mandated Workforce
PR Newswire
August 18, 2016
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has authorized Quest Diagnostic to perform drug testing using electronic Custody and Control Forms (eCCF) for federally mandated, safety-sensitive workers. The company becomes the largest workplace drug testing provider certified to provide federal eCCF, which it says can enhance efficiencies and improve the quality of the drug testing process, including significantly reducing paper-based documentation. Quest is now certified to use eCCF for all urine workplace drug tests. It plans to make federal eCCF broadly available to its clients in the fourth quarter.
Read more:
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/quest-diagnostics-approved-to-use-electronic-drug-test-process-for-federally-mandated-workforce-by-us-health-and-human-services-300315450.html
Senator Presses for Mandatory Reporting of Opioid Prescriptions
Jeremy Olson, Star Tribune
August 16, 2016
U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) is advocating for a mandatory national prescription drug monitoring program.
Read More:
http://Www.Startribune.Com/Klobuchar-Presses-For-Mandatory-Reporting-Of-Opioid-Prescriptions/390326151
Attorneys General Collaborate on Fighting Drug Abuse
Crissy Clutter, WTOV
August 18, 2016
Attorneys Generals in Ohio and West Virginia met with law enforcement, and city and community leaders to discuss heroin and prescription drug misuse during the “Taking Back Our Communities: Combatting the Opiate Epidemic” town hall meeting. (Includes video: 2:04 minutes)
Read more:
http://wtov9.com/news/local/attorneys-general-collaborate-on-fighting-drug-abuse
What’s the Best Way to Stop Taking Powerful Prescription Drugs?
Patricia Neighmond, NPR
August 15, 2016
NPR’s Patti Neighmond reports that the best way to stop taking powerful prescription medications is to taper off the drugs rather than going cold turkey. Neighmond interviews Betts Tully, a 53-year-old woman, who became addicted to pain relievers after suffering chronic back pain from a car crash. (Includes audio: 4:30 minutes)
Read more:
http://www.npr.org/2016/08/15/490037609/whats-the-best-way-to-stop-taking-powerful-prescription-drugs | C. Casajuana, H. Lopez-Pelayo, M.M. Bacells, L. Miquel, J. Colom, and A. Gual. 2016. “Definitions of Risky and Problematic Cannabis Use: A Systematic Review.” Substance Use and Abuse, doi:10.1080/10826084.2016.1197266.
This systematic review of definitions of risky and problematic cannabis use indicators online bibliographic databases to identify 46 articles published before October 2015 and added definitions from websites of three national and international organizations. Definitions widely varied, with weekly cannabis most often defined as risky. Problematic cannabis use was mostly described with the Cannabis Abuse and Screening Test. Evidence-based definitions as well as information on quantities consumed, timeframes, and special considerations for risky groups were limited.
Read more:
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10826084.2016.1197266
Medical Marijuana Growers, Processors Picked by Maryland Officials
Deb Belt, Annapolis Patch
August 16, 2016
Black Business Leaders Not Among Maryland’s Legal Marijuana Growers
Fenit Nirappil Washington Post
August 18, 2016
Thirty companies across Maryland received pre-approval to grow and process marijuana for medical uses. This article includes a complete list of the businesses selected, some of which have political ties. None of the growers selected includes black or Hispanic partners, and several black applicants were rejected, leading to an outcry about possible racism. One dispensary (expected to be less profitable than growing) is black-owned. Medical cannabis is not expected to be available from Maryland dispensaries until next year.
Read more:
http://patch.com/maryland/annapolis/medical-marijuana-growers-processors-picked-maryland-officials
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/md-politics/missing-from-marylands-legal-marijuana-growers-black-business-leaders/2016/08/17/cc4ab6a2-647f-11e6-be4e-23fc4d4d12b4_story.html
Cayman Islands Premier: Legalizing Medical Marijuana to Move Forward
James Whittaker, Cayman Compass
August 14, 2016
Cayman Islands Premier Alden McLaughlin has announced legal amendments to allow importation and dispensing of marijuana-derived products. The customs law, the misuse of drugs law, and pharmacy regulations will be heard at the legislative assembly in October. The government warned that cannabis oil may not be available to patients even after medical use is legalized. Concerns exist about how cannabis oil would be sourced for import into the Caribbean island nation since the drug is illegal in most countries.
Read more:
https://www.caymancompass.com/2016/08/14/premier-legalizing-medical-marijuana-to-move-forward
Decision Limits Justice Department Powers; Medical Marijuana Advocates Should Worry
John Hudak, Brookings Institution
August 19, 2016
This week, a federal appeals court ruled in United States v. McIntosh that the Department of Justice (DOJ) was inappropriately spending funds to enforce the Controlled Substances Act in states with medical marijuana reform laws. The ruling applies to any ongoing DOJ prosecutions in Alaska, California, Oregon, and Washington for growing medical marijuana products in compliance with the rules and licensing established by state law. The ruling, however, leaves numerous loopholes. The court said DOJ can still use its appropriated funds to investigate and prosecute growers that operate in a manner which violates state marijuana laws, so prosecution of some plaintiffs who appealed to the court may continue. The court also explicitly stated that the growers have committed federal offenses, that the statute of limitations is 5 years for those offenses, and that Congress can appropriate funds at any time that allows DOJ to prosecute the growers. Indeed, the amendment only applies to this year’s DOJ appropriation.
Read more:
https://www.brookings.edu/blog/fixgov/2016/08/19/mcintosh-decision-limits-doj-powers-but-medical-marijuana-advocates-should-worry/?utm_campaign=Brookings+Brief&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=33186795
[Video] Medical Marijuana Issue
Alliance of Coalitions for Change
August 15, 2016
The Alliance of Coalitions for Change explains the steps required to develop a medicine, steps “medical” pot has skipped entirely. (Duration: 2:09 minutes)
Watch:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2p22Uh02Dgc&feature=youtu.be | International Nova Scotia (Canada) Misses Deadline to Fix Prescription Monitoring Program
Marieke Walsh, Global News
August 15, 2016
The government of Nova Scotia, Canada, missed its latest deadline on June 2016 to make 17 recommended changes to its prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP). The health department says a new drug information system that will be in place by the end of September will guide decisions about how to implement PDMP recommendations from the auditor general. The recommendations included redesigning the system to use more technology and rely less on manual reviewing; tracking decisions and documenting why the decision was made to act or not to act on a file; and implementing a quality assurance process to verify the work that is done. The new deadline is March 2017. (Includes video: 2:11 minutes)
Read more:
http://globalnews.ca/news/2884021/nova-scotia-misses-another-deadline-to-fix-prescription-monitoring-program
Blanket Drug Testing in San Juan (The Philippines)
Jenny F. Manongdo, Manila Bulletin
August 13, 2016
The city of San Juan, Philippines, passed an ordinance mandating drug-testing of all its employees and officials from barangay level, pre-employment, and as rank promotion requirement. The proposed measure ‘San Juan Drug-free Workplace Ordinance of 2016′ will also be applicable to persons (a) in ‘high-risk’ decision-making positions, (b) with past history of drug use, (c) involved in accidents, (d) discovered to possess dangerous drugs paraphernalia, or (e) detained for drug-related court cases, as well as employees reporting to work after rehabilitation treatment. The ordinance also allows random drug-testing ‘for probable cause’ or ‘when there is a reasonable ground’ to believe that the official or employee is using illegal drugs.
Read more:
http://www.mb.com.ph/blanket-drug-testing-in-san-juan | Northeast/Mid-Atlantic News Prior Reports Underestimated Pharmacy Looting During Baltimore Unrest in 2015
Meredith Cohn, Baltimore Sun
August 17, 2016
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration reported that the amount of drugs looted from Baltimore pharmacies during the Freddie Gray riots last year was almost double the amount initially reported. On the day of Gray’s funeral, 27 pharmacies and two methadone clinics were looted. Nearly 315,000 doses of drugs were stolen; more than 40 percent were Schedule II opioids. Retailers placed the value of the drugs at $500,000. [Editor’s Note: Street value probably exceeded $1 million.]
Read more:
http://www.baltimoresun.com/health/blog/bal-drugs-stolen-during-unrest-story.html
Philadelphia Doctor, Office Manager Indicted for Illegally Selling Prescriptions
Department of Justice, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Pennsylvania
August 17, 2016
Philadelphia physician Clarence Verdell, M.D., and office manager Rochelle Williams-Morrow have been indicted for allegedly selling Suboxone and Klonopin in exchange for cash payments. The indictment included charges of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, distribution of controlled substances, health care fraud, and money laundering. Dr. Verdell is accused of not conducting examinations as required by law in order to legally prescribe these controlled substances. He also allegedly assisted his customers in obtaining health insurance benefits for these illegally prescribed controlled substances by providing false information to health insurance companies. Many customers were drug dealers or addicts who sold the prescribed medications. Verdell also supposedly provided prescription pads to his office manager to use when he was not in the office.
Read more:
https://www.justice.gov/usao-edpa/pr/fourth-suboxone-doctor-and-office-manager-indicted-illegally-selling-prescriptions
Connecticut Police Save 100 People with Opioid Overdose Drug
Nicholas Rondinone, Hartford Courant
August 15, 2016
Connecticut state troopers revived 100 people with naloxone. Troopers have been carrying the drug since October 2014. In the first 10 months, they revived 34 people. State troopers were among the first law enforcement officers in the state to start carrying the antidote.
Read more:
http://www.courant.com/health/heroin/hc-state-police-narcan-0816-20160815-story.html
Prescription Drug Deaths on the Rise Across New York City
Richard Gentilviso, Queens Gazette
August 17, 2016
New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene reported that for the fifth consecutive year, the rate of unintentional drug overdose deaths increased throughout the five boroughs. Unintentional drug overdose deaths took the lives of 937 New Yorkers in 2015 compared with 800 in 2014, and have been rising every year since 2010. The death rate rose from 8.2 per 100,000 residents in 2010 to 13.6 in 2015. Nearly all overdose deaths (97 percent) involved more than one substance, and 80 percent involved an opioid. Heroin was involved in 556 (59 percent) of overdose deaths in 2015, while opioid pain relievers were involved in 214 (23 percent) and Fentanyl in 146 (16 percent). The rate of 4.4 per 100,000 Queens residents was the lowest of the five boroughs. The Bronx had the highest rate, 13 per 100,000 residents, and Staten Island the second highest rate 10.7 per 100,000 residents).
Read more:
http://www.qgazette.com/news/2016-08-17/Features/Rx_Drug_Deaths_On_The_Rise_Across_The_City.html
Prince William County (Md.) Police Arrest 27 Connected to Xanax Distribution
Stephen Pimpo Jr., WJLA
August 15, 2016
Prince William County, Md. Police reported that 27 people were arrested and charged with the distribution of thousands of Xanax pills. Suspects were buying large amounts of Xanax, much of it counterfeit, from the black market website “Dark Web” and then redistributing it. Craig Krause, a Gainesville doctor, was prescribing Xanax to suspects even after the police told him that one of his patients was selling the drug. Krause is charged with six counts of Distribution of a Schedule I or II Narcotic, Possession of a Schedule I or II Narcotic, Distribution of a Schedule IV Narcotic, and Possession of a Firearm with Narcotics.
Read more:
http://wjla.com/news/local/prince-william-county-police-arrest-27-in-connection-with-drug-distribution
Doctors Not Signing Up with Massachusetts Rx Drug Tracker
Matt Stout, Boston Herald
August 13, 2016
Massachusetts Department of Public Health reported that 64 percent of the state’s 47,000 physicians, pharmacists and other prescribers still have not signed up to use the prescription drug monitoring program. It has emailed all prescribers directly and it has reached out to various boards and groups to push their members to enroll. Its main focus is registering the 25,000-plus physicians that have issued an opioid prescription in the past six months. Registration takes about three minutes. The system received a $6.2 million overhaul and will launch on August 22.
Read more:
http://www.bostonherald.com/news/local_coverage/2016/08/
docs_not_signing_up_with_state_s_rx_drug_tracker
University of Buffalo (N.Y.) Pharmacy School Partners to Provide Drug Disposal Pouches
Marcene Robinson, University of Buffalo
August 17, 2016
The University at Buffalo School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals will partner to distribute 20,000 Deterra Drug Deactivation Systems to the western New York community. Adding warm water to the system allows it to deactivate pills, patches or liquid medications. The school will work with state leaders, regional pharmacists, community organizations, and law enforcement to distribute the drug disposal pouches to the community through its student-led safe drug disposal programs.
Read more:
http://www.buffalo.edu/news/releases/2016/08/021.html | South News Huntington (W.Va.) Reports 26 Heroin Overdoses Over 4-Hour Span
Associated Press
August 17, 2016
Authorities responded to 26 overdoses in a 4-hour span in Huntington, W.Va. Officials warned about a dangerous batch of heroin laced with an unidentified substance. Many of the overdoses were in an area surrounding one apartment complex. For a half-hour span, no ambulances were available in the county. Eight of the 26 victims were revived with naloxone and others by a manual resuscitator called a bag valve mask. One victim was given three doses of naloxone. Huntington had more than 440 overdoses in from all types of drugs this year through mid-July. (Includes video: 1:25 minutes)
Read more:
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/26-heroin-overdoses-hours-west-virginia-city-41448481
Southwest Florida Teens Playing Deadly Game of Pill Roulette
Rachel Polansky, NBC2
August 15, 2016
Southwest Florida teens are playing “pill roulette,” sometimes called “Pharm,” “Skittles,” or “Cocktail Party.” Teens dump a variety of prescription and over-the-counter drugs into a bowl, then help themselves. Investigators interviewed high school and college students about this dangerous trend. (Includes video: 3:13 minutes)
Read more:
http://www.nbc-2.com/story/32763749/nbc2-investigators-sw-fla-teens-playing-deadly-game-of-pill-roulette#.V7NkeWmV9dg | Midwest News South Dakota Lawmakers Aim to Pinpoint Docs That Overprescribe Opioids
Dana Ferguson, Argus Leader
August 17, 2016
The South Dakota Substance Abuse Prevention Interim Committee drafted legislation that would use the prescription drug monitoring program database to hold physicians and pharmacists accountable for prescribing too many pain relievers. South Dakota doctors prescribed 710,000 opioid prescriptions in 2015, up from 583,428 in 2014. That was more than twice the increase from 2013 to 2014. South Dakota doctors gave out 283,268 opioid prescriptions between January 1 and May 31, 2016. Legislators on the panel also discussed funding drug prevention education with a special emphasis on opioids and methamphetamine.
Read more:
http://www.argusleader.com/story/news/2016/08/18/lawmakers-aim-pinpoint-docs-overprescribe-painkillers/88891666
Kentucky Offering Schools Drugs to Treat Heroin Overdoes
Keith Lawrence, Messenger-Inquirer
August 16, 2016
Kentucky school districts are offering naloxone to schools after staff members receive the appropriate training. The Kentucky Harm Reduction Coalition will provide training at the Kentucky Public School Health Coordinators Summit on September 14. More than 75 school districts have signed up for the training session, which will include a review of the law, types of narcotics, differences between a drug high and an overdose, how to administer naloxone, the good Samaritan law, and referring a student for treatment. Once the training is complete, two doses of naloxone will be provided free to each participating school. When they are used or the drug expires, the district or school is responsible for a replacement. Naloxone will be distributed to schools as a nasal spray to be used only for overdose of opioid drugs. The Kentucky Department of Education has asked schools to voluntarily report any health service incidents. Naloxone is available to high schools nationwide as an initiative of the Clinton Foundation and Adapt Pharma.
Read more:
http://www.kentuckynewera.com/news/ap/article_0f76a73e-6367-11e6-89e2-a3e5a5548065.html
Kroger Pharmacies in Kentucky Begin Selling Naloxone Without Prescription
Joey Brown, WAVE
August 15, 2016
Supermarket chain Kroger is selling naloxone without a prescription at all of its 96 pharmacies in Kentucky.
Read more:
http://www.wave3.com/story/32761032/kroger-pharmacies-in-ky-begin-selling-naloxone-without-prescription
Knox, Anderson Counties (Tenn.) Drug Overdoses Double in 5 Years
WATE
August 15, 2016
Drug-related deaths doubled from 2011 to 2015 in Knox and Anderson counties, Tenn. Deaths rose from 178 in 2014 to 200 in 2015. In 2016, there already have been 130 drug-related deaths. Prescription drugs accounted for approximately 75 percent of all drug-related deaths between 2010 and 2015. The most common drug for drug-related death is Oxycodone. Several deaths resulted from combining Oxycodone and Xanax. The most common age for drug-related deaths was 45-54. (Includes videos: 3:05 minutes | 32:43 minutes)
Read more:
http://wate.com/2016/08/15/knox-county-forensic-center-to-release-drug-related-death-report | West News Santa Cruz (Calif.) Requiring Drug Makers to Dispose Unwanted Meds
CBS SF
August 15, 2016
Santa Cruz, Calif., passed an extended producers responsibility ordinance requiring producers and retailers to develop programs to dispose of unwanted medication and other products. More than 30 pharmacies will have to present a plan to city officials explaining how they are going to comply with the law which goes into effect next month. Santa Cruz became the first U.S. city to pass such an ordinance. Alameda County passed a similar law in 2012 and the U.S. Supreme Court last year denied a challenge to the law from the pharmaceutical industry.
Read more:
http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2016/08/15/santa-cruz-prescription-drugs-dispose-unwanted-meds
Alaska Issues New Rules for Pharmacists in Opioid Fight
Zack Hale, State of Reform
August 12, 2016
The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) issued new rules for pharmacists that will make it easier to track a patient’s history of opioid use. By using the Medicaid system for handling claims, DHSS hopes to create the first statewide database that tracks how often naloxone is used. DHSS is instructing pharmacists to notify Medicaid beneficiaries’ prescribers upon a third refill attempt within a year.
Read more:
http://stateofreform.com/featured/2016/08/alaska-issues-new-rule-in-fight-against-opioid-overdoses
Southwest Alaska Village Reports Three Overdoses, One Fatal, in a Few Hours
Lisa Demer, Alaska Dispatch News
August 17, 2016
The southwestern Alaska village of Quinhagak reported three suspected heroin overdoses in a few hours. Alaska State Troopers are investigating. Emergency department visits from overdoses are on the rise in this rural area and property crimes are up too. The region has seen a growing problem with heroin and misuse of prescription drugs. Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation has been working to address any overprescribing by putting patients who take opioids on a chronic pain management contract that must be renewed every six months. A team reviews each active contract monthly. It also is developing a drug treatment program specific to heroin. It issued a public service announcement warning of the dangers of illegal drugs.
Read more:
http://www.adn.com/alaska-news/rural-alaska/2016/08/16/three-suspected-drug-overdoses-including-a-death-on-monday-in-southwestern-alaska-village-prompt-concern-investigation | Other Resources Teacher’s Guide: Prescription Drug Misuse: Choose Your Path Interactive Videos
National Institute on Drug Abuse
August 18, 2016
The Choose Your Path classroom activity includes two interactive videos that ask students to assume the role of the main character, who is confronted with a decision about whether to misuse prescription drugs. After each scene, the student selects what the main character will do next to see the consequences of that decision. The purpose of this exercise is to reinforce student’s drug use refusal skills and strengthen their knowledge of prescription drug misuse facts.
Read more:
https://teens.drugabuse.gov/teachers/lesson-plan-and-activity-finder/teacher-s-guide-prescription-drug-misuse-choose-your-path | Webinars [Online Module & Follow-up Webinar] Prescribing Naloxone to Patients for Overdose Reversal
American Osteopathic Academy of Addiction Medicine
Monday, Aug. 29, 2016, 8–9 p.m. (ET)
This module discusses the opioid epidemic in the United States and the subsequent opioid overdose epidemic. Several static and dynamic risk factors for overdose of relevance to overdose prevention will be discussed. The use of naloxone for overdose reversal by bystanders will be discussed, and how to prescribe naloxone to those at risk of experiencing or witnessing an accidental overdose. [Note: Completion of an online module is a pre-requisite to participate in this follow-up webinar. After viewing the online module and completing the post-test, individuals will receive an email with the link to register for the upcoming follow-up webinar.]
Read more:
http://pcssmat.org/prescribing-naloxone-to-patients-for-overdose-reversal
Pain Management in Dentistry: A Changing and Challenging Landscape
American Dental Association
Sept. 2, 2016, 3–4 p.m. (ET)
http://pcss-o.org/event/pain-management-in-dentistry-a-changing-and-challenging-landscape | Grant Announcements Safety and Outcome Measures of Pain Medications Used in Children and Pregnant Women (R03) | (R01) | (R21)
National Institutes of Health
Due: Oct. 16, 2016 | Jan. 7, 2020 | Jan. 7, 2020
Read more (R03):
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-16-313.html
Read more (R01):
http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=284425
Read more (R21):
http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=284428
Safety and Outcome Measures of Pain Medications Used in Children and Pregnant Women (R03) | (R01) | (R21)
National Institutes of Health
Due: Oct. 16, 2016 | Jan. 7, 2020 | Jan. 7, 2020
Read more (R03):
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-16-313.html
Read more (R01):
http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=284425
Read more (R21):
http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=284428
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/ | National Take-Back Initiative U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration
Saturday, Oct. 22, 2016, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/takeback | Take-Back Events & Drop Boxes Demopolis (Ala.) Touts Prescription Drug Collection Effort
Andrea Williams, WTOK
August 12, 2016
http://www.wtok.com/content/news/Demopolis-touts-prescription-drug-collection-effort.html
Free Prescription Drug Drop-Off in Alameda (Calif.)
Bea Karnes, Alameda Patch
August 17, 2016
http://patch.com/california/alameda/free-prescription-drug-drop-alameda
New Drop Boxes on Dekalb College (Ga.) Campuses
Brent Barron, Neighbor Newspapers
August 18, 2016
http://www.mdjonline.com/neighbor_newspapers/new-drop-boxes-on-college-campuses-in-dekalb-address-prescription/article_5cd49b3c-654f-11e6-82a8-c3395347a42b.html
Walgreens Collecting Unwanted Drugs at 12 Suburban Illinois Pharmacies
Marie Wilson, Daily Herald
August 15, 2016
http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20160815/business/160819403
Cameron (Mo.) Police Department Opens Rx Drug Drop-Off Box
Emily Wearing, KQTV
August 16, 2016
http://www.stjoechannel.com/news/local-news/cameron-pd-opens-rx-drug-drop-off-box
Prescription Drug Dropbox Installed at Moorestown (N.J.) Police Headquarters
Anthony Bellano, Moorestown Patch
August 16, 2016
http://patch.com/new-jersey/moorestown/prescription-drug-dropbox-installed-moorestown-police-headquarters
Drop Unwanted Meds Off at New Brunswick (N.J.) Drop Box
Carly Baldwin, New Brunswick Patch
August 15, 2016
http://patch.com/new-jersey/newbrunswick/drop-unwanted-meds-new-brunswick-drop-box-no-questions-asked
Oregon Senator Introduces Prescription Drug Drop-Off Kiosks at Area Pharmacy
KATU
August 18, 2016
http://katu.com/news/local/prescription-drugs-08-18-2016
Utah Campaign Collects Tons of Prescription Drugs
Ashley Stilson, Deseret News
August 17, 2016
http://beta.deseretnews.com/article/865660410/Utah-campaign-collects-tons-of-prescription-drugs.html?pg=all | Upcoming Events, Conferences, and Workshops Nevada’s Rx Abuse Prevention Summit
Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval and First Lady Kathleen Sandoval
Aug. 31– Sept. 1, 2016
MGM Grand
3799 S. Las Vegas Blvd.
Las Vegas, Nev.
This conference will focus on duties and responsibilities of health care licensing boards; give an overview of current coordination and opportunities for expanded collaboration with local, state, and federal law enforcement; review existing rehabilitation practices and substance abuse treatments; and discuss cooperation and oversight for private sector issues, including sale and availability of pharmaceuticals.
Read more:
http://gov.nv.gov/News-and-Media/RX/RX-Drug-Abuse-Summit
National Symposium on Law Enforcement and Public Health Partnerships: “Saving Lives: Innovative Solutions to the Opioid Crisis”
U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota, the U.S. Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Hazelden Betty Ford Institute for Recovery Advocacy
Sept. 7–8, 2016
Minneapolis, Minn.
http://www.hazelden.org/web/public/event.view?eventId=5504149
Prescription Drug Abuse Forums
One Care
Sept. 10, 2016 | Lynchburg, Va.
Sept. 11, 2016 | Midlothian, Va.
Sept. 24, 2016 | Abingdon, Va.
Sept. 25, 2016 | Blacksburg, Va.
http://www.msv.org/MainMenuCategories/MemberCenter/PressRoom/News/2016-Archives/Upcoming-prescription-drug-abuse-forums--.aspx
2016 Annual Conference
International Health Facility Diversion Association
Sept, 13–14, 2016
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
Sept. 13–15, 2016
Buffalo, N.Y.
http://www.npnconference.org
Register:
http://www.npnconference.org/registration
2016 Conference: Saving Lives: Access to Improved Health & Recovery
American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence
Oct. 29 – Nov. 2, 2016
Baltimore, Md.
http://www.aatod.org/national-conference/2016-aatod-conference-baltimore
Register:
http://www.aatod.org/national-conference/2016-aatod-conference-baltimore/register-now
2016 Fall Research Conference: The Role of Research in Making Government More Effective
Association for Public Policy Analysis & Management
Nov. 3–5, 2016
Washington, D.C.
http://www.appam.org/events/fall-research-conference/2016fall-research-conference-information
Bridging the Gaps: Reducing Prescription Drug and Opioid Abuse and Misuse Summit
National Association of Attorneys General and the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials
Nov. 14–16, 2016
Arlington, Va.
http://www.naag.org/nagtri/nagtri-courses/national/bridging-the-gaps-reducing-prescription-drug-and-opioid-abuse-and-misuse-summit.php
National Rx Drug Abuse & Heroin Summit
Operation Unite
April 17–20, 2017
Atlanta, Ga.
https://vendome.swoogo.com/2017-rx-summit/8082
Call for Presentations
Submission Deadline Date: Friday, Aug. 5, 2016
https://vendome.swoogo.com/2017-rx-summit/2017-CFP | | | 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. | |