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ASAM eLearning: Health Disparities in Substance Use Disorder

Alcohol use disorder is a complex medical condition that is shaped by biology, mental health, trauma and environment. The new initiatives signal the administration acting on an issue that hits close to home for many Americans – including Kennedy, who has been open about his past heroin addiction and lifelong commitment to recovery. They represent some quick momentum for Trump’s executive order signed last Thursday launching what Trump calls the “Great American Recovery Initiative” to better align federal resources on the addiction crisis. Medical cannabis could be a substitute for opioids in patients with chronic pain, but more data are needed, according to an expert. The rate of alcohol-related hospitalizations in the U.S. stabilized between 2016 and 2022, but mortality rates, length of stay and total health care costs all increased, according to data published in JAMA Network Open.

  • Vital components of the program include board certified addiction medicine physicians, and trained recovery specialists who evaluate and engage with patients in the hospital and encourage them to initiate treatment.
  • Mutual aid and support groups, whether based on the 12-step model (like Alcoholics Anonymous) or secular approaches (like SMART Recovery), offer a vital peer connection, drastically reducing the pervasive feelings of isolation and shame.
  • WHO also issues normative guidance to promote the appropriate use of opioids for pain and palliative care.
  • “By dampening the brain’s reward response, alcohol may feel less reinforcing, leading to fewer cravings or a reduced desire to drink. Results vary, and GLP-1s weren’t developed to treat alcohol use disorder, but the science and lived experience are continuing to evolve.”
  • Dr. Leggio is Chief of the joint NIDA/NIAAA Clinical Psychoneuroendocrinology and Neuropsychopharmacology Section.
  • “GLP-1 medications don’t just work on the stomach,” she told Healthline, “they touch every organ, from the heart to the brain.

Opioid overdose

substance use disorder news

This communication contains certain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the U.S. federal securities laws. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, changed circumstances or otherwise, unless required by law. This directive aims to incorporate clinically meaningful benefits like reduced cravings and disorder severity in evaluating medications, aligning with updated recovery definitions from the NIAAA. Adial’s investigational therapy, AD04, is designed to treat Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) and fits within this framework.

  • Most recently, the AHA released a toolkit to help clinicians improve continuity of care for patients with opioid and stimulant use disorders.
  • This includes maintaining efforts to reduce the perceived stigma around SUD treatment and recovery, a particular challenge for care providers who may feel they are letting their patients down if they seek help.
  • This is especially true in cultures where deeply ingrained societal and cultural pressures demand emotional fortitude from men, which effectively discourages them from admitting to vulnerability or seeking conventional mental health support.
  • Fox News’ Mark Meredith joins ‘America’s Newsroom’ to break down the growing ‘California Sober’ trend among Gen Z, how increased cannabis use may be driving down alcohol consumption and the possible risks, including dependency.
  • It is designed for healthcare providers treating people with unhealthy substance use and substance use disorders.
  • Now, the prevention and solution to substance use disorder is a long-term, compassionate societal endeavour that must address the man behind the substance.

ASAM Clinical Tips

Beginning Feb. 16, HIPAA-covered practices must include information in their Notice of Privacy Practices describing how substance use disorder records protected under title substance use disorder 42 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 2 may be used and disclosed. The new federal requirements are the result of a final rule modifying the Part 2 rules published Feb. 16, 2024. The agency and the organizations it serves are still reeling from the administration’s whiplash-inducing reversal last month that briefly eliminated then abruptly restored $2 billion in grant funding for substance abuse and mental health programs. Advocates and providers have said they don’t feel they can plan for the future because the administration has created an environment of uncertainty.

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substance use disorder news

“Early and frequent marijuana use is linked to long-term changes in cognition, emotional regulation, and increased risk of severe substance use disorders later in life,” he told Fox News Digital. This is critically interwoven with psychological factors, as men frequently resort to substances to self-medicate for deep-seated mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, or unaddressed trauma. This is especially true in cultures where deeply ingrained societal and cultural pressures demand emotional fortitude from men, which effectively discourages them from admitting to vulnerability or seeking conventional mental health support. The expectation to be “strong”, “successful”, or a “risk-taker” can push men towards heavier, more dangerous substance use patterns as a misplaced badge of courage or an attempt to numb the pain of performance failure. A different study found that people with opioid or alcohol use disorder who took GLP-1s had a 40% lower rate of opioid overdose and a 50% lower rate of alcohol intoxication than people who weren’t on the weight-loss medications, according to the article. To comply with the new requirement by the Feb. 16 deadline, dental practices should update the Notice of Privacy Practices by including the new language related to substance use disorder information disclosure language.

  • New guidelines for blood-based biomarkers, the impact of hormone replacement therapy, and risks for cognitive decline with red meat consumption were among the top Alzheimer’s disease and other cognitive impairment stories for 2025.
  • AD04 is also believed to have the potential to treat other addictive disorders such as Opioid Use Disorder, gambling, and obesity.
  • “This class of drugs have been around for 20+ years so we do know the most common side effects are GI in nature (nausea, vomiting, constipation and diarrhea),” Kaplan said.
  • The expectation to be “strong”, “successful”, or a “risk-taker” can push men towards heavier, more dangerous substance use patterns as a misplaced badge of courage or an attempt to numb the pain of performance failure.
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