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Cannabis use during opioid addiction treatment may reduce fentanyl exposure

New research suggests that cannabis use by people in care for opioid addiction might improve their treatment outcomes and reduce their risk of being exposed to fentanyl in the contaminated unregulated drug supply.

21 Dec 2020

Study pinpoints predictors of timely enrollment in therapy for opioid use disorder

For people living with opioid use disorder, the path to treatment is not always clear-cut. Sometimes, there's no path at all.

16 Dec 2020

Researchers develop international policy index for HIV prevention among drug users

Peter Meylakhs, from HSE University - St. Petersburg, together with colleagues from Georgia State University (USA) and Tarbiat Modares University (Tehran), have developed the HIV-PWID Policy Index (HPPI)--an international policy index for HIV prevention among people who inject drugs.

9 Oct 2020

Health on wheels: Tricked-out RVs deliver addiction treatment to rural communities

Tonja Jimenez is far from the only person driving an RV down Colorado's rural highways. But unlike the other rigs, her 34-foot-long motor home is equipped as an addiction treatment clinic on wheels, bringing lifesaving treatment to the northeastern corner of the state, where patients with substance use disorders are often left to fend for themselves.

28 Sep 2020

Research shows nonprescribed fentanyl and stimulants were the major cause for overdose mortality

Nonprescribed fentanyl and stimulants were the primary contributors to overdose mortality, while few people had prescribed opioids in their systems, according to new toxicology research in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).

24 Aug 2020

Study reveals important trends in early COVID-19 patients in Massachusetts

Data from the first COVID-19 patients treated at three large Massachusetts hospitals reveal important trends, including disproportionate representation of vulnerable populations, high rates of disease-related complications, and the need for post-discharge, post-acute care and monitoring.

19 Aug 2020

Opioid use in women trying to conceive linked with lower chance of pregnancy

Opioid use among women trying to conceive may be associated with a lower chance of pregnancy, suggests a National Institutes of Health study. Moreover, opioid use in early pregnancy may be associated with a greater chance of pregnancy loss.

18 Aug 2020

Patients face challenges in getting treatment for opioid addictions

Women are having a difficult time getting into treatment for opioid addictions, according to a Vanderbilt University Medical Center study published today in JAMA Network Open.

14 Aug 2020

Increased access to MOUD in prisons and jails is associated with lower overdose rate

The epidemic of opioid-related overdose death persists across the United States, and people released from jails and prisons are at particular risk.

23 Jul 2020

Many private post-acute care facilities explicitly discriminate patients with substance use disorder

A new study shows that 29 percent of private post-acute care facilities in Massachusetts explicitly discriminated against hospitalized individuals with opioid use disorder, rejecting their referral for admission.

16 Jul 2020

Coronavirus crisis disrupts treatment for another epidemic: Addiction

Shawn Hayes was thankful to be holed up at a city-run hotel for people with COVID-19.

6 Jul 2020

Fentanyl tops the list of drugs detected in overdose patients at Baltimore hospitals

A new University of Maryland study found fentanyl tops the list of drugs detected in overdose patients at two Baltimore hospital emergency departments.

12 Jun 2020

Study finds large racial/ethnic differences in use of medication for OUD during pregnancy

Black non-Hispanic and Hispanic women with opioid use disorder are significantly less likely to receive or to consistently use any medication to treat their opioid use disorder during pregnancy than their white non-Hispanic counterparts, according to a new study from Massachusetts General Hospital.

27 May 2020

Study: Scant proportion of hospitalized patients with opioid use disorder receive treatment

Despite a national opioid-related overdose epidemic that continues to claim tens of thousands of lives annually, a new nationwide study shows that a scant proportion of hospitalized patients with opioid use disorder receive proven life-saving medications both during and after they're discharged.

8 May 2020

Study: Laws that punish substance use during pregnancy do more harm than good

A new study co-authored by a University of Central Florida researcher shows that laws that punish substance use during pregnancy actually do more harm than good.

6 May 2020

Almost one-third of primary care physicians view medications as ineffective for treating opioid use disorder

A new survey of U.S. primary care physicians from researchers at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found that nearly one-third, 32.9 percent, do not think treating opioid use disorder with medication is any more effective than treatment without medication.

30 Apr 2020

Study: Multidimensional approach works best for tackling nonmedical drug use

Health practitioners are constantly developing new ways to help those with drug and alcohol addictions wean themselves from their substance of choice.

25 Apr 2020

Vaping, opioid addiction accelerate coronavirus risks, says NIDA director

In 2018, opioid overdoses claimed about 47,000 American lives. Last year, federal authorities reported that 5.4 million middle and high school students vaped. And just two months ago, about 2,800 cases of vaping-associated lung injuries resulted in hospitalizations; 68 people died.

24 Apr 2020

Coronavirus crisis opens access to online opioid addiction treatment

Opioid addiction isn't taking a break during the coronavirus pandemic.

23 Apr 2020

Study: Workplace strategies can promote employment for drug addicts

After a yearlong study of people with opioid dependence, Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers report evidence that adding $8 an hour to their paychecks may help those in recovery stay drug free longer, as well as encourage them to get and hold regular jobs.

20 Apr 2020