Confronting the Stigma of Opioid Use Disorder—and Its Treatment Journal of the American Medical Association Given the severity of the national epidemic, it is time to confront the stigma associated with opioid use disorder and its treatment with medications. By limiting the availability of care and by discouraging people who use opioids from seeking effective services, this stigma is impeding progress in reducing the toll of overdose.
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Long-Term Use of Methamphetamine Disrupts the Menstrual Cycles and Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Ovarian Axis Journal of Addiction Medicine (free ASAM member resource) The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of abnormal menstrual cycling in female MA users. Findings showed that 33.6% suffered from abnormal uterine bleeding. The most common patterns were simple anovular menstruation, which was caused mainly by a hypothalamic deregulation and pituitary suppression with or without ovarian suppression.
Free Slide Program – Assessing Safety, Efficacy and Misuse of Opioid Therapy for Chronic Pain PCSS-O Training This online module focuses on prescription opioid safety, efficacy and misuse monitoring practices that clinicians can employ in their practices. Two main sources of recommendations are reviewed: the American Pain Society-American Academy of Pain Medicine and the Federation of State Medical Boards. Additionally, a recent review article on instruments to assess patient-reported safety, efficacy and misuse is discussed.
New Senate HELP Committee Prescription Drug Abuse Working Group U.S. Senate Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health evaluated the impact of state-wide prescription drug monitoring programs and found that after tripling until 2007, annual rates of prescriptions for opioid analgesics have stabilized although the effects of PDMPs on opioid dispensing vary markedly by state.
Tell Your Patients About the National Take-Back Initiative DEA Office of Diversion Control The National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day aims to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs, while also educating the general public about the potential for abuse of medications. The next Take-Back Day will occur April 26.
Updated Report on Heroin NIDA This free publication offers an overview of heroin use and its consequences. The online report also describes treatment options for those struggling with addiction.
Cannabis Use Associated with Nucleus Accumbens and Amygdala Abnormalities in Young Adult Recreational Users Journal of Neuroscience The authors of this study collected high-resolution MRI scans on young adult recreational marijuana users and nonusing controls and conducted three independent analyses of morphometry. Their findings suggest that marijuana exposure, even in young recreational users, is associated with exposure-dependent alterations of the neural matrix of core reward structures...
Cannabis Cue Reactivity and Craving Among Never, Infrequent and Heavy Cannabis Users Neuropsychopharmacology Substance cue reactivity is theorized as having a significant role in addiction processes, promoting compulsive patterns of drug-seeking and drug-taking behavior. However, research extending this phenomenon to cannabis has been limited.
Wide Variability in State Access to SUD Meds ASAM Med-Sci Conference There is a wide variation in the availability of drugs to treat substance use disorder (SUD) among US states, with some having significantly better access to SUD medications than others, new research shows. Moreover, the variability does not reflect need.
Program Helps Link Drug Services, Child Welfare, Family Courts and Tribes National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare The National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare (NCSACW) provides In-Depth Technical Assistance (IDTA) to a few selected sites. NCSACW works with these selected sites to develop a Scope of Work for the in-depth technical assistance that includes working with the substance abuse, child welfare and court systems, as well as local tribes, to increase their collaboration and strategic plans for working together.
Treatment for Illegal Drug Use Disorders: Role of Comorbid Mood and Anxiety Disorders BMC Psychiatry This study examines whether comorbid mood and anxiety disorders influence patterns of treatment or the perceived unmet need for treatment among those not receiving treatment for illegal drug use disorders.
Questions Remain Whether Doctors Can Curb Children’s Drug Use NPR Little evidence either supports or counters the notion that physicians can help children decide not to try drugs. While the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends what doctors should say and do, organization representatives admitted there are few reliable studies indicating what kind of advice is best.
2014 Med-Sci Conference a Success! ASAM The American Society of Addiction Medicine extends our thanks to all the attendees of our 45th annual Medical-Scientific Conference in Orlando. We had record attendance this year, and the conference featured innovative courses and networking opportunities. See you in Austin!
Richard G. Soper, MD, JD, MS, FASAM, Editor-in-Chief, ASAM Weekly
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The views and positions of any content published in ASAM Weekly are not necessarily endorsed by ASAM nor a reflection of ASAM's beliefs and policies. The features are presented as a summary of the contemporary issues being represented and expressed in scientific, governmental, commercial, and media sources across the specialty field of addiction medicine. Contact ASAM Weekly with any comments or feedback.