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A 37% Drop in Overdose Deaths From Drugs Mixed with Opioids – Fentanyl Included

Original post: Newswise - Substance Abuse A 37% Drop in Overdose Deaths From Drugs Mixed with Opioids - Fentanyl Included

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Expanded treatment options, increased naloxone distribution and targeted education campaigns likely led to a 37% reduction in overdose deaths from opioids combined with stimulant drugs other than cocaine, according to the results of a large federally funded study. 

The finding came from a planned study of secondary outcomes of the HEALing (Helping to End Addiction Long-Term) Communities Study (HCS), which tested an intervention encompassing data-driven adoption of evidence-based practices for reducing overdose deaths in Kentucky, Massachusetts, New York and Ohio. 

Death rates from specific combinations of opioids with stimulants other than cocaine, most commonly fentanyl mixed with methamphetamine, were 8.9 per 100,000 adults in intervention communities compared to 14.1 per 100,000 adults in comparison communities that did not receive the intervention – a statistically significant difference. 

The findings were published today (Oct. 21, 2024) in JAMA Network Open. 

With the prescription medications that started the opioid crisis harder to obtain by the time the trial began, fentanyl was rapidly entering the illicit drug market in combination with methamphetamine, cocaine, counterfeit pills and other stimulants, said Bridget Freisthler, lead author of the new study and a professor at The Ohio State University. 

“Now we have a whole new group of people developing addiction to opioids,” said Freisthler, Ohio’s principal investigator for the HEALing Communities Study. “It was nice to see that we were able to achieve reductions in overdose deaths involving this combination of opioids, primarily fentanyl and psychostimulants, not including cocaine, because that’s the most recent wave in the epidemic that we’re seeing.” 

Analysis of other drug combinations showed that intervention communities had lower rates of overdose deaths from an opioid mixed with cocaine (6%) and an opioid mixed with benzodiazepine (1%), but that these differences did not reach statistical significance. 

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) launched the HEALing Communities Study in 2019. Participating community coalitions implemented 615 strategies to address opioid-related overdose deaths across health care, justice and behavioral health settings. Based on data indicating which interventions were best suited to areas they served, agencies selected from three “menus” of evidence-based practices focused on overdose education and naloxone distribution, increasing exposure to medication for opioid use disorder, and safer opioid prescribing.  

Researchers reported in June on the main outcome of HCS – that the intervention did not result in a statistically significant reduction in opioid overdose death rates during the evaluation period. In this study, the authors found that intervention communities had an 8% lower rate of all drug overdoses compared to control communities, which was estimated to represent 525 fewer drug overdose deaths. 

In the new paper, researchers reported that more than 40% of overdose deaths in the study involved the combination of at least one opioid and a stimulant. 

The evidence of higher prevalence of fentanyl in the illicit drug market led coalition agencies to adjust communication efforts accordingly, said Freisthler, also the Cooper-Herron Professor in Mental Health at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. 

“We were already shifting to where psychostimulants had fentanyl in them and messages weren’t reaching the right folks because people who use psychostimulants think of themselves as using meth or cocaine, not opioids,” she said. “So we had to make it clear that fentanyl could be in every drug and that nobody was really immune from the possibility of an overdose. Communities emphasized that this is a multiple-drug issue, not just a fentanyl issue or an opioid issue. 

“In many ways, the fact we’re looking at this particular outcome is because communities were so invested in it and so concerned, and wanted it to be a focus of the study.”

The potential for naloxone to prevent overdose deaths in people who use multiple drugs was also incorporated into communication campaigns implemented by all intervention communities, which may have helped prevent deaths, researchers said. 

Participating agencies were very good at advocating for themselves, Freisthler said, and the front-end work ideally will leave communities even better prepared to address overdoses going forward. 

“The HCS was beneficial to Brown County in numerous ways,” said Deanna Vietze, executive director of the Brown County Board of Mental Health and Addiction Services in southwest Ohio. “It affirmed the work already underway, allowed for expansion of best practices, helped engage new partners, strengthened existing partnerships, and allowed innovative purchases that forged outreach opportunities that will continue to positively impact Brown County citizens for years to come.” 

Ohio study leaders are intent on making sure lessons and success stories from the study are widely available through a website providing a range of materials, and are meeting with groups interested in implementing the evidence-based practices in their own communities.

“The drug overdose crisis is pervasive in our communities, and we’ve got multigenerational and intergenerational trauma affecting families. That’s not going to change overnight,” Freisthler said. “That means we need to continue to improve understanding of this crisis, and reduce overdose deaths so we don’t have another generation experiencing the same sort of trauma.” 

The HEALing Communities Study was supported and carried out in partnership between the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration through the NIH HEAL Initiative.  

A $65.9 million NIH award funding Ohio State’s leadership of the Ohio portion of the study was housed in the university’s College of Medicine. Co-authors of the paper included study site principal investigators Sharon Walsh of the University of Kentucky, Nabila El-Bassel of Columbia University, T. John Winhusen of the University of Cincinnati, Jeffrey Samet of Boston Medical Center and Emmanuel Oga of RTI International.

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Contact: Bridget Freisthler, [email protected]

Written by Emily Caldwell, [email protected]

Brain Imaging of Neuromelanin May be Key to Understanding Extensive Substance Use

Original post: Newswise - Substance Abuse Brain Imaging of Neuromelanin May be Key to Understanding Extensive Substance Use

STONY BROOK, NY, October 16, 2024 – A study that used a specialized type of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), named neuromelanin-sensitive MRI, showed that this type of MRI signal was increased in regions of the midbrain in young adults ages 20 to 24 who had an extensive alcohol and drug use history. The research was conducted by a team of investigators in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health in the Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University. The findings are published early online in the American Journal of Psychiatry.

The research involved 135 individuals, 105 women and 30 men. Neuromelanin accumulates naturally in areas of the midbrain where the neurotransmitter dopamine is produced. Dopamine plays important roles in many cognitive and bodily functions and is central to the reward/motivation system in the brain. Dopamine can be difficult to study in young people. This has hindered researchers’ understanding of early stages of certain neurological diseases and mental health conditions, such as adolescent-onset addictive behavior. However, neuromelanin accumulation in young people can be safely and easily studied using neuromelanin-sensitive MRI.

“Young adults who regularly engage in substance use appear to show greater than normal levels of neuromelanin accumulation on this type of MRI scan, especially young women,” says Greg Perlman, PhD, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health and Lead Author.

“This is important because much of the biomedical research on the effects of drug and alcohol use on the dopamine system has examined older adults after years or decades of chronic substance use. In contrast, there is very little information about the dopamine system in adolescent or young adult populations after just a few years of habitual alcohol and drug use. The potential of neuromelanin-sensitive MRI to provide new insights about the health of the dopamine system in young people was a key motivation for our study.”

Perlman indicated that the association between substance use and neuromelanin MRI signal was especially strong in certain midbrain regions of young women, such as the ventral tegmental area. In addition, increased neuromelanin was associated with substance use generally, but not with use of one type of drug.

The research team is currently conducting a new study using neuromelanin-sensitive MRI in teenagers ages 14 to 17 to better understand neuromelanin accumulation over those three years of life. The study will use yearly MRI scans to evaluate the effect of life experiences reported by teenagers, such as alcohol use, social media use, and stressful events, on neuromelanin accumulation measured by neuromelanin-sensitive MRI.

The work is supported in part with funding from the National Institute of Health’s National Institute on Drug Abuse.

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Men and Women Use Different Biological Systems to Reduce Pain

Newswise — In a new study evaluating meditation for chronic lower back pain, researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine have discovered that men and women utilize different biological systems to relieve pain. While men relieve pain by releasing endogenous opioids, the body’s natural painkillers, women rely instead on other, non-opioid based pathways.

Synthetic opioid drugs, such as morphine and fentanyl, are the most powerful class of painkilling drugs available. Women are known to respond poorly to opioid therapies, which use synthetic opioid molecules to bind to the same receptors as naturally-occurring endogenous opioids. This aspect of opioid drugs helps explain why they are so powerful as painkillers, but also why they carry a significant risk of dependence and addiction.

“Dependence develops because people start taking more opioids when their original dosage stops working,” said Fadel Zeidan, Ph.D., professor of anesthesiology and Endowed Professor in Empathy and Compassion Research at UC San Diego Sanford Institute for Empathy and Compassion. “Although speculative, our findings suggest that maybe one reason that females are more likely to become addicted to opioids is that they’re biologically less responsive to them and need to take more to experience any pain relief.”

The study combined data from two clinical trials involving a total of 98 participants, including both healthy individuals and those diagnosed with chronic lower back pain. Participants underwent a meditation training program, then practiced meditation while receiving either placebo or a high-dose of naloxone, a drug that stops both synthetic and endogenous opioids from working. At the same time, they experienced a very painful but harmless heat stimulus to the back of the leg. The researchers measured and compared how much pain relief was experienced from meditation when the opioid system was blocked versus when it was intact.

The study found:

  • Blocking the opioid system with naloxone inhibited meditation-based pain relief in men, suggesting that men rely on endogenous opioids to reduce pain.
  • Naloxone increased meditation-based pain relief in women, suggesting that women rely on non-opioid mechanisms to reduce pain.
  • In both men and women, people with chronic pain experienced more pain relief from meditation than healthy participants.

“These results underscore the need for more sex-specific pain therapies, because many of the treatments we use don’t work nearly as well for women as they do for men,” said Zeidan.

The researchers conclude that by tailoring pain treatment to an individual’s sex, it may be possible to improve patient outcomes and reduce the reliance on and misuse of opioids.

“There are clear disparities in how pain is managed between men and women, but we haven’t seen a clear biological difference in the use of their endogenous systems before now,” said Zeidan. “This study provides the first clear evidence that sex-based differences in pain processing are real and need to be taken more seriously when developing and prescribing treatment for pain.”

Link to study: https://doi.org/10.1093/pnasnexus/pgae453

Co-authors on the study include Jon Dean, Mikaila Reyes, Lora Khatib, Gabriel Riegner, Nailea Gonzalez, Julia Birenbaum and Krishan Chakravarthy at UC San Diego, Valeria Oliva at Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Grace Posey at Tulane University School of Medicine, Jason Collier and Rebecca Wells at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Burel Goodin at Washington University in St Louis and Roger Fillingim at University of Florida.

This study was funded, in part, by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (grants R21-AT010352, R01-AT009693, R01AT011502) and the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (UL1TR001442).

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Disclosures: The authors declare no competing interests.

Researchers Putting CBD to the Test From Behind the Wheel

As cannabidiol products — commonly known as CBD — become more readily available, West Virginia University researchers are working to gain a broader understanding of how the substance influences driving performance and whether the effects differ between men and women.

The project, which will include 300 participants, expands on WVU public health investigators’ 2021 pilot trial.

“In that study, we had some preliminary data that there was a little bit of difference in males’ and females’ driving performance after consuming CBD, but we didn’t have a big enough sample size to really look at it closely,” said Toni Rudisill, assistant professor in the WVU School of Public Health Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics.

“We want to dive into that more to see if that relationship truly exists. This is going to be one of the largest CBD studies in terms of the number of people.”

The five-year study is supported by a $2.2 million grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

CBD is a compound of the hemp plant, which was removed from the list of federally controlled substances as part of the 2018 Agriculture Improvement Act. Products are sold over the counter in a variety of forms including gummies, beverages and oils. Although legal in most states, none are regulated by the FDA. Consumers reportedly use them to relax or to reduce pain and anxiety.

“You can buy CBD pretty much anywhere and we don’t know a lot about it and how it impacts individuals,” said Rudisill, who is also a West Virginia Clinical and Translational Science Institute scholar. “It has purported side effects of causing sedation and drowsiness, so that’s why we’re interested in looking at how it impacts driving performance.”

For the study, researchers will examine cognitive and psychomotor functions, like reaction times and stimuli lapses, to compare the results between participants consuming CBD to those given a placebo.

In a lab setting, participants will complete baseline assessments including cognitive and psychomotor tests. Participants will then take practice runs with a driving simulator Rudisill describes as “a very fancy video game.” They will then be given either a 300 milligram or 150 milligram dosage of CBD, or a placebo.

“Then they will hang out with us for two hours, eat breakfast and go for a longer drive on the simulator,” Rudisill said. “After that, they will retake all the cognitive and psychomotor tests and finish an end-of-study questionnaire.”

For the multidisciplinary project, Rudisill will collaborate with Dr. Gordon Smith, Stuart M. and Joyce N. Robbins Distinguished Professor in the School of Public Health Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics; Sijin Wen, professor in the School of Public Health Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics; James Mahoney, associate professor in the WVU School of Medicine departments of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry, Neuroscience and Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute, and Dr. Treah Haggerty, associate professor in the School of Medicine Department of Family Medicine. 

Rudisill said she hopes the study will benefit both researchers and consumers.

“I think it’ll definitely add to the scientific literature and also help people make a more informed decision if it’s safe to drive when consuming these products.”

Expert Available: DEA’s Move to Reclassify Marijuana Sparks Debate on Health, Access, and Research

In response to President Biden’s call to reclassify marijuana, the DEA began the process of rescheduling marijuana from a Schedule I to Schedule III drug. This move could legitimize marijuana’s medical use, allowing broader research, but critics argue it overlooks potential health risks.

Proponents highlight benefits like chronic pain relief and opioid reduction, while opponents express concerns about addiction and mental health risks. The change, still under review, is set to impact both state laws and medical marijuana access.

If you’re interested in connecting further on this topic, please consider Chris Meyers. Meyers is a professional philosopher currently affiliated with the George Washington University, where he teaches Philosophy of Law and Public Policy. Meyers’ primary areas of research are moral theory, political theory, moral psychology, and public policy. His most recent book entitled Drug Legalization–A Philosophical Analysis, looks into various arguments for and against the prohibition of recreational drugs.

If you would like to schedule time to connect with Professor Meyers, please contact GW Media Relations Specialist Tayah Frye at [email protected].

-GW-

UA Little Rock Receives $5 Million to Combat Drug Use Among Arkansas Youth

BYLINE: Angelita Faller

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock has received $5 million in federal funding to address the growing drug and opioid crisis among youth in Arkansas.

The award comes from appropriations language authored by U.S. Sen. John Boozman passed into law in 2024. The funding is administered by the Office of National Drug Control Policy.

“I was proud to secure critical funding for the Opioid Prevention Project because we all agree it can make a tremendous difference in this fight,” Boozman said. “UA Little Rock MidSOUTH is ideally positioned to leverage this investment. With its expansive network and partnerships, it will enhance abuse and prevention education efforts and target a population at risk of falling victim to opioid abuse and its devastating consequences, which will benefit the entire state.”

The Arkansas Youth Drug-Use Reduction Program will be led by MidSOUTH, a training and education community service unit of the College of Business, Health, and Human Services at UA Little Rock, in partnership with national experts, state and local agencies, and community stakeholders.

The initiative aims to conduct a statewide assessment and develop an evidence-based, Arkansas-specific curriculum designed to educate young people about the dangers of drug use. MidSOUTH was awarded this significant funding due to its proven leadership in drug abuse prevention and training across Arkansas, making it a trusted partner in statewide efforts to combat substance abuse.

“As we face the challenges of opioid misuse, it’s vital to engage our youth in meaningful conversations about prevention and awareness,” said Greg Smith, co-director of MidSOUTH. “The funding will help educate youth about what opioids are and the risks associated with their use. Knowledge is our first line of defense. Our goal is to work together with law enforcement, educators, community prevention agencies, and other stakeholders to foster a safe environment where our youth can thrive and make choices that promote their well-being.”

The program aims to reach 100,000 youth within its first year, with plans to expand as the curriculum is implemented. MidSOUTH’s collaboration with experts and state agencies will ensure that the campaign effectively addresses the unique needs of Arkansas communities and fosters long-term prevention efforts.

“UA Little Rock is honored to participate in the fight against the opioid crisis and to support the health and well-being of Arkansas’s youth,” UA Little Rock Chancellor Christina S. Drale said. “This investment will enable us to work alongside national experts and state leaders to implement a comprehensive prevention program that will provide young people with the knowledge and resources to make positive choices, strengthening the future of our communities. We are grateful to Sen. Boozman for his continued support, and to the dedicated MidSOUTH staff for their leadership in this critical initiative.”

This funding will also provide drug neutralizing agents to citizens to assist in the safe disposal of household medications to keep them out of the hands of youth. An educational campaign will complement the curriculum, broadening its reach to communities across Arkansas. Television and social media advertisements will raise awareness among young people about the dangers of drug use, while also providing parents with guidance on how to discuss drug prevention with their children.

“An important part to drug abuse prevention is peer prevention,” Smith said. “Youth need to be able to recognize peer pressure and feel confident saying no to drug use and surround themselves with friends who respect their choices and values. We are working to build evidence-informed curriculums for youth to share what they learn with their peers. By speaking out, they can help create a culture of awareness and support in their schools. Together, we can empower them with knowledge and tools to make informed choices.”

Effective drug prevention and education programs can help save lives by delaying the onset of drug and opioid use and reducing overdose deaths. Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, is now the No. 1 cause of overdose deaths in Arkansas. Of the 47,695 Arkansas students in grades 6, 8, 10, and 12 who participated in the 2023 Arkansas Prevention Needs Assessment, 21.2% have used alcohol, 16.5% have tried drugs, 15.3% have vaped, 9.2% have used marijuana, and 4.2% have used prescription drugs.

“Programs like this are critical for reaching our young people at a time when the opioid crisis continues to devastate families and communities,” Smith said. “This partnership will give Arkansas youth the tools and knowledge they need to make healthy decisions and stay on the right path.”

The curriculum and training materials created from this funding will be provided at no cost to school districts, law enforcement agencies, nonprofits, and other stakeholders. If you are interested in the curriculum, please contact April Null, Arkansas Youth Drug-Use Reduction Program coordinator, at [email protected] or 501-891-2964.

Funding for this initiative was made possible by Congressionally Directed Spending appropriated to the Office of National Drug Control Policy (Grant No. CDS9924G0018-00). The views expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect the views of the United States Congress or the Office of National Drug Control Policy.

Top Experts Unite at University of Bristol to Tackle Gambling Harms Globally

Leading experts from across the world will join forces in the UK this week in a bid to confront the wide-reaching challenges and curb the devastating effects of gambling.

International researchers, regulators, treatment and support practitioners, policy experts, and people with lived experience are set to gather in Bristol on Thursday, 10 October, for the second annual International Interdisciplinary Colloquium of the Bristol Hub for Gambling Harms Research at the University of Bristol.

Amongst other topics, this year the interrelationship of gambling and sport – including football, cricket and eSports – comes under the spotlight, in the wake of new research by the University which exposed the huge surge of gambling marketing at the start of the Premier League football season.

Keynote speaker Professor Simon Chadwick, founder of The Future Sport Forum, works with sports clubs, including Manchester United, governing bodies such as the Union of European Football Associations (EUFA), and sponsors to positively influence commercial strategy and policy.

Prof Chadwick said: “The Bristol Hub for Gambling Harms Research International Colloquium has very rapidly established itself as an important place for people to meet and discuss one of society’s biggest current problems. Gambling harms constitute a major public health issue, as well a challenge for leaders, managers, and decision makers across multiple sectors. 

“One of these is sport, where sponsorships involving betting brands continue to grow in number. Though we are now seeing some moves to regulate this type of deal, there remains a whole host of issues that sport governors and national governments must get to grips with. I look forward to sharing possible ways to address some of these issues and hearing from other leading experts on this and a wider range of other key areas.”

Delegates will consider factors drawing people into harmful gambling, how this deepens socio-economic inequalities and what innovative interventions can help combat these trends. Illegal gambling, fraud, and cryptocurrency are among other hot topics to be examined by more than 150 attendees from countries, including the US, Namibia, Norway, and Gibraltar.

Although gambling operators are huge global enterprises, regulations are devolved to different countries and sometimes regions, making it hard to keep betting activity in check. This problem has been exacerbated by the surge in online platforms offering gambling services around the clock and across borders.

Keynote speaker Brianne Doura-Schawohl is spearheading international gambling policy change and has a proven track record of legislative progress in this field in the US and across the world. Brianne will present a high-level overview of recent US legislative undertakings, including the legalisation of sports betting nearly six years ago, and how one Supreme Court ruling has fundamentally changed the landscape nationwide.

Brianne said: “Gambling always has been, and will always be, pervasive and deeply rooted within our culture. However, the massive expansion has had unprecedented impacts, including profound and worrisome ramifications on public health. With a woefully inadequate system to address harmful gambling, I will highlight the desperately needed policies, both legislative and regulatory, that would better protect players and the public.

“I am honoured to be a part of this colloquium, which aims to increase awareness and evidence about this global health issue. It will be a great opportunity to learn from others through many robust conversations and presentations highlighting what more we can collectively do.”

People with first-hand experience of gambling harms will also be sharing their stories.

Royal Navy veteran, Matt Losing, who experienced years of gambling-related harms, now works as the Armed Forces project lead at Ara Recovery for All, which provides support and recovery services for those affected. After seven years in recovery personally, he now channels his energies into breaking the stigma and helping others, including offering gambling harms awareness training tailored for the Armed Forces community.

Mother-of-two Julie Martin coordinates peer aid aftercare at Betknowmore UK, which delivers education and support services. Three years ago her husband took his own life after decades of battling a gambling addiction which saw him lose everything.

She said: “More and more lives are tragically being lost to gambling. The industry has got to change now so others can be spared. We need urgent reform so advertising is more robustly regulated and there are effective restrictive measures on people’s gambling in place. Events like this conference are great to better understand the many related problems and consider possible ways to limit the risk and damage.”

In 2022 the University launched the Bristol Hub for Gambling Harms Research to lead pioneering multidisciplinary research into the wide-reaching effects of gambling harms.

The independent hub, funded by a grant of £4million from national charity GambleAware, facilitates world-leading research to improve understanding of gambling harm as a growing public health issue which needs greater scrutiny and regulation.

Prof Michele Acuto, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Global Engagement at the University of Bristol, said: “We are very proud of the pioneering work of the Bristol Hub for Gambling Harms Research, which unites leading experts in the field to advance our understanding of the complexity of gambling harms.

“Today’s event is an example of our collective endeavour to keep pushing for positive change, as part of the University’s mission to protect public health, overcome inequalities, and champion social justice.”

Nationwide Study Uncovers Disparities in Screening for Substance Use Among Injured Adolescents

Original post: Newswise - Substance Abuse Nationwide Study Uncovers Disparities in Screening for Substance Use Among Injured Adolescents

Injuries and substance abuse are leading causes of adolescent deaths. Screening adolescents for substance use can reduce the risk of future drug and alcohol use and reinjury. But how are clinicians deciding who to screen?

A team of researchers from Children’s Hospital Los Angeles collaborating with Keck School of Medicine of USC, Stanford University, and the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA examined a national sample of 85,362 injured adolescents at 121 pediatric trauma centers. They wanted to identify any socio-economic disparities in biochemical screening for substance use. This screening is a key way to flag adolescents in trouble who targeted interventions could help.

Examining the 2017-2021 American College of Surgeons Trauma Quality Programs (TQP) dataset—the largest aggregation of U.S. trauma registry data ever assembled—the researchers found that rates of biochemical alcohol and drug screening were disproportionately higher in Black, American Indian and Hispanic adolescents than for White adolescents. Female adolescents and those with Medicaid or no insurance were also more likely to be screened than males. Their findings were published in JAMA Network Open.

Inconsistent screening

 

“These inequities were still there even after we adjusted for differences in clinical characteristics and screening practices between institutions,” says Lorraine Kelley-Quon, MD, MSHS, FACS, FAAP, Division of Pediatric Surgery at CHLA and senior author on the paper. “We know that screening for substance and alcohol use can uncover key red flags that prompt interventions. We don’t want to see kids fall through the cracks who we could help.”

The researchers recommended standardization of screening protocols and definition of criteria for biochemical as well as interview-based screening. They also suggested expanding the TQP dataset to include interview-based screening and to indicate whether subsequent treatment is conducted, which the dataset currently does not. “Connecting evidence-based screening protocols to treatment for substance use will help us get injured teens that we see in the emergency room the necessary follow-up,” says Dr. Kelley-Quon.     

 

Rothman Orthopaedic Institute Foundation to Host Symposium on Xylazine Crisis in Pennsylvania

Original post: Newswise - Substance Abuse Rothman Orthopaedic Institute Foundation to Host Symposium on Xylazine Crisis in Pennsylvania

BYLINE: Steven Infanti

Newswise — The Rothman Orthopaedic Institute Foundation for Opioid Research & Education announces a symposium titled “The Next Chapter of the Opioid Epidemic in Pennsylvania: The Xylazine Crisis” to be held on November 23, 2024, from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm at the Bluemle Life Science Building at Jefferson Med in Philadelphia.

This free event is open to all medical professionals and students. Representatives from the Governor’s office, Pennsylvania policymakers, physicians, and surgeons will attend to discuss the current state of the xylazine crisis and evidence-based medical and surgical treatment strategies.

Xylazine, commonly known as “tranq,” is a veterinary tranquilizer that has been found in illicit drug supplies, often mixed with fentanyl without users’ knowledge. The drug can cause dangerous decreases in breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure and is not affected by traditional overdose reversal medications.  Repeated xylazine use is associated with skin wounds, including open sores and abscesses.

The symposium will cover topics such as understanding the xylazine crisis, public policy related to xylazine, and medical and surgical management of xylazine-related issues. The event’s chairpersons are Dr. Asif Ilyas, President of the Rothman Opioid Foundation and Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at Drexel University College of Medicine, and Dr. Katherine Woozely, Head of Orthopaedic Hand and Nerve Surgery and Associate Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at Cooper Medical School of Rowan University.

The program will feature presentations from experts in various fields, including toxicology, addiction medicine, orthopaedic surgery, plastic surgery, and family medicine.  Speakers include Rachel Haroz, MD, Head of Toxicology and Addiction Medicine and Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at Cooper Medical School of Rowan University; Andrew Miller, Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at Thomas Jefferson University; Lisa Rae, MD, Associate Professor of Surgery at Temple University School of Medicine; Rick Tosti, MD, Assistant Program Director of Hand Surgery and Associate Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at Thomas Jefferson University; Lara Weinstein, MD; Program Director of Addiction Medicine and Professor of Family Medicine at Thomas Jefferson University; and Jason Wink, MD, Assistant Professor of Plastic Surgery at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.

Interested participants can register for the symposium at https://www.rothmanopioid.org/. While the symposium will not grant CME credit, it offers a valuable opportunity for medical professionals and students to gain insights into the emerging xylazine crisis and its impact on public health in Pennsylvania.

About the Rothman Institute Foundation for Opioid Research and Education.

The Rothman Orthopaedic Foundation, for short, is a non-profit 501c3 organization dedicated to raising awareness of the ongoing opioid crisis, educating physicians and patients on safe opioid prescribing and use – respectively, and advising policymakers on sound opioid and pain management policy. Most importantly, the Rothman Opioid Foundation performs and supports the highest quality research on opioids and alternative pain modalities to yield findings that can better inform patients, physicians, and the greater healthcare community in the most evidenced-based pain management strategies while working to mitigate opioid abuse and addiction. https://www.rothmanopioid.org/

Older Gay & Lesbian Adults at Greater Risk of Polysubstance Use: Study

Original post: Newswise - Substance Abuse Older Gay & Lesbian Adults at Greater Risk of Polysubstance Use: Study

Gay and lesbian adults over age 65 are nearly 28 times more likely than heterosexual peers to engage in polysubstance use, a Yale team finds in a new study published in Drug and Alcohol Dependence Reports.

Researchers say polysubstance use – i.e., use of more than one substance – is a major public health concern that disproportionately affects those in marginalized groups. “Polysubstance use is related to adverse health outcomes, including mental health illnesses (e.g., depression and anxiety disorders) and increased risk of death,” said Luis Miguel Mestre, PhD, postdoctoral fellow in the Yale Department of Psychiatry and principal investigator of the study.

Researchers from Yale School of Medicine and Yale School of Public Health examined data from over 86 thousand participants in the National Survey of Drug Use and Health, 2021-2022, to compare polysubstance use among lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) older adults with their heterosexual same-age peers and younger counterparts.

They found gay and lesbian adults over age 65 were 27.94 times more likely to report polysubstance use in the last 30 days than their heterosexual peers. Researchers say polysubstance use among gay and lesbian older adults didn’t differ significantly from their younger counterparts: “Older heterosexual adults significantly decrease their polysubstance use prevalence compared to their younger heterosexual counterparts,” Mestre said. “We don’t see the same reduction in polysubstance use for older bisexual and gay/lesbian adults compared to their younger bisexual and gay/lesbian counterparts.”

The team says polysubstance use was not as common in bisexual older adults: “Older bisexual adults do not have a significant difference in polysubstance use prevalence compared with their heterosexual or younger counterparts,” Mestre said. 

Researchers say the discrimination, victimization and lower community engagement faced by older gay and lesbian adults likely plays a role. “We recommend implementing anti-discrimination policies, including in housing and other services, that can address these concerns,” Mestre said, “as well as promoting trust among healthcare services through training and education campaigns and by promoting identity affirmation for older LGB adults.”

The study’s senior author was Krysten Bold. Other study authors included Marney A. White and Rebecca R. Levy.