The recent expansion of conservatorship laws in San Diego via Senate Bill 43 will greatly affect those with addiction. Meant to force people to get treatment for their substance use issues or mental health disorders, the law expands conservatorship criteria. This includes those with severe substance use disorders. The premise of the law is that
A new court decision has changed the way the settlements for the opioid epidemic may play out in courtrooms. A high-level court in Ohio recently ruled that public nuisance laws cannot be applied against pharmacies doing legitimate business, even if they have an outsize amount of traffic due to opioid prescriptions unless they follow a
Pink cocaine has been in the news lately after boy band legend Liam Payne suffered a tragic fall from a hotel room last month. Payne, who had once achieved long-term sobriety, apparently was using drugs again. Reports say that he had a substance called "pink cocaine" in his system, causing him to suffer a psychotic
For the first time in 20 years, the federal government is changing the rules for Methadone, a form of medication-assisted treatment available for people addicted to prescription or street opioids. The new rules aim to make the life-saving treatment more accessible to people struggling with opioid use disorder. They take place next month, updating some
Mark Chavez, a San Diego physician, will plead guilty to the federal charge of conspiring to distribute ketamine in relation to Matthew Perry's death, according to Los Angeles Daily News. This plea deal is part of an ongoing investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of Perry, an actor best known for his role as
The University of California Student Association is pushing for collegiate recovery programs at all UC campuses to support students dealing with addiction. Currently, these programs are available at about half of the UC campuses. Addiction on Campuses Across the US The University of California is not alone when it comes to addiction and substance use.
Last year, California was the first state to receive approval from the Biden administration to include sobriety payments in Medicaid, helping pave the way for contingency management (CM) programs for people with stimulant use disorder. The program was piloted as part of an extensive healthcare initiative led by Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom. This initiative aims
Former Palm Desert Assemblyman Brian Nestande passed away suddenly on March 6, 2024. His cause of death was disclosed by the coroner this week, shedding light on the current fentanyl epidemic and hitting close to home for many legislators. Nestande, age 60, succumbed to an accidental drug overdose, as per reports released last Tuesday. The
In a significant move to curb the rising presence of xylazine in Pennsylvania's street drug supply, state legislators have passed a bill criminalizing its illicit possession. The new legislation, known as House Bill 1661, classifies xylazine as a Schedule III drug under the Controlled Substances Act. The Pennsylvania House and Senate overwhelmingly approved the bill,
AvertD, a genetic test designed to detect which people are at heightened risk of opioid use disorder (OUD), has sparked controversy within medical circles. Despite its recent approval by the FDA, a coalition of 31 healthcare professionals and researchers is urging a reconsideration of its validity and potential implications. They say the test causes false
