2025 March

by WRD News Team – March 12, 2025

The global fight against addiction has taken an important step forward with the launch of the Hyannis Consensus Blueprint, an initiative that offers a comprehensive, balanced drug policy supported by leading experts and organisations. Speaking at the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs, Dr. Kevin Sabet, President and CEO of SAM (Smart Approaches to Marijuana), highlighted the Hyannis Consensus Blueprint as a “blueprint for effective drug policy” introduced by international experts and organisations. He emphasised its focus on prevention, treatment, recovery, criminal justice, global cooperation, and supply reduction. Dr. Sabet also warned against the push to normalise drug use, describing the catastrophic human toll of addiction and urging nations to invest in the pillars outlined in the blueprint. His remarks underscored the need for a balanced, evidence-based approach to tackling drug-related challenges worldwide.

What is the Hyannis Consensus Blueprint?

The Hyannis Consensus Blueprint is a groundbreaking framework designed to guide international efforts in addressing the devastating impact of addiction. Key pillars shape this balanced drug policy, including prevention, intervention, treatment, recovery, supply reduction, and enhanced global collaboration. With addiction now at catastrophic levels in many regions, the blueprint represents a vital roadmap for sustainable change.

The principles outlined in the blueprint prioritise strategies that discourage drug use while addressing underlying systemic challenges. It promotes innovating criminal justice systems, encourages adopting evidence-based treatment options, and advocates uniting globally to combat addictive substances.

The Cost of Ignoring Addiction

Failing to address addiction comes with an enormous human and economic cost. The transcript from the Hyannis Consensus launch highlights a pressing need to move beyond toxic cycles of permissive drug policies and normalisation. Legalisation of drugs, as seen in North America, has reportedly led to devastating effects, particularly among young people, and prioritised corporate profits over public health.

The Hyannis Consensus Blueprint stands as a counterpoint to this trend. It promotes a world where communities can thrive without the shadow of addiction, empowering individuals to recover fully and lead drug-free lives.

Prevention and Recovery as Pillars of Change

At its core, the Hyannis Consensus Blueprint revolves around prevention and recovery. Prevention aims to stop drug use before it starts, while recovery offers individuals a path to rebuild their lives. This proactive approach aims to not only reduce harm but also transform lives for the better.

The blueprint urges balancing efforts across criminal justice and public health systems. Effective drug courts alongside harm-reduction interventions serve as vital tools in discouraging drug use and fostering recovery. Nations serious about tackling addiction must consider these solutions to safeguard future generations.

Governments Urged to Prioritise Resilient Societies

Governments worldwide are now being urged to realign their national drug policies with the principles of the Hyannis Consensus Blueprint. Countries are encouraged to reaffirm their commitment to international drug conventions, reject legalisation experiments that prioritise private interests, and expand programmes rooted in criminal justice reform and effective public health measures.

The launch of this blueprint serves as a rallying cry for nations determined to prioritise human dignity and community wellbeing. By adopting the Hyannis Consensus Blueprint, countries can pave the way for healthier, more resilient societies.

Why the Hyannis Consensus Matters

Addiction is more than an individual struggle; it’s a societal challenge that affects families, economies, and futures. The Hyannis Consensus Blueprint is a bold step towards reversing the tide of permissive drug policies and ineffective strategies. For countries looking to protect their citizens, this balanced drug policy provides the tools and vision necessary for meaningful change.

Organisations like the Dalgarno Institute and WFAD are at the forefront of this global effort, highlighting the importance of this significant, timely initiative. Communities deserve policies that prioritise recovery, not exploitation, and the Hyannis Consensus Blueprint is uniquely positioned to achieve this goal.

Learn more here.

Source: https://wrdnews.org/the-hyannis-consensus-blueprint-a-landmark-in-balanced-drug-policy/

Filed under: Addiction,Culture,Drug use-various effects,Prevention and Intervention,Treatment and Addiction,USA :

AddictionPolicyForum.png

Mar 5 – Updated: Mar 12
 
A randomized clinical trial published in JAMA Network Open found that incorporating online group mindfulness sessions into buprenorphine treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD) significantly reduced opioid cravings compared to treatment as usual.
The study, led by Dr. Zev Schuman-Olivier and colleagues from Cambridge Health Alliance and Harvard Medical School, examined the effectiveness of a 24-week virtual mindfulness-based program compared to a standard recovery support group using evidence-based practices. The trial included 196 participants across 16 U.S. states.

The mindfulness-based program showed similar levels of opioid use and anxiety reduction compared to standard best-practice groups but significantly outperformed in reducing self-reported opioid craving (67 percent vs. 44 percent, P<0.001). Study results indicate that mindfulness is a potent treatment option that can help reduce opioid craving during buprenorphine treatment.

“These findings are compelling evidence that trauma-informed mindfulness groups can be offered as an option for people during medication treatment for opioid use disorder,” said Dr. Zev Schuman-Olivier, MD, principal investigator of the study, founding director of the Center for Mindfulness and Compassion, and director of addiction research at Cambridge Health Alliance. “Mindfulness should be strongly considered for patients experiencing residual cravings after starting buprenorphine.”
As one participant reported, “This program helped me learn new techniques that I didn’t even know existed before I began. I still meditate all the time and don’t even need to have any sound on. I just lay down and push away all of my stress. It was well worth every minute I spent there.”

OUD remains a major public health crisis in the U.S., with over 100,000 opioid overdose deaths each year. Medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), such as buprenorphine, are evidence-based treatments for opioid use disorder (OUD). Opioid craving is a risk factor for relapse for patients receiving MOUD. Experts highlight that further research is needed to explore how mindfulness can be integrated into existing OUD treatment frameworks to improve long-term recovery outcomes.

Source: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2829421
Filed under: Addiction,Culture,Mental Health,Opioids,Prevention and Intervention,USA :

 

 

 by Drug Free America Foundation – www.dfaf.org

 

As marijuana continues to be legalized for recreational use across more U.S. states, the impacts on various aspects of society are becoming clearer. A recent study published in the JAMA Health Forum shines a spotlight on an unsettling trend: an increase in on-the-job injuries among young workers following the legalization of recreational marijuana.

 

The Study Findings: A 10% Increase in Injuries Among Young Workers

According to the study, the legalization of recreational marijuana was associated with a 10% increase in workplace injuries among workers aged 20 to 34.1 While this might seem like a small percentage, for small business owners, the implications can be significant. An increase in workplace injuries can lead to higher insurance premiums, loss of productivity, and in some cases, legal consequences if safety standards aren’t met.

 

How Does Marijuana Affect Younger Workers?

The study’s authors suggest that the rise in workplace injuries among younger workers could be tied to impaired cognitive function caused by marijuana use. Marijuana can impact attention, memory, and motor skills, which are all critical factors in performing certain job tasks safely and efficiently. For young workers, whose experience and judgment may still be developing, this could be particularly dangerous, leading to an increased likelihood of accidents.

 

For small business owners, this information raises important questions about workplace safety, employee well-being, and the need for updated safety protocols. Businesses that employ younger workers, particularly in industries such as construction, manufacturing, and retail, may need to re-evaluate their safety practices and training to mitigate these risks.

 

Broader Implications: The Relationship Between Marijuana Legalization and Workplace Injuries

It’s important to note that these findings are just the latest in a growing body of research on the effects of marijuana legalization. Other studies have shown that legalization may have mixed impacts on public health. For instance, a 2023 study in Social Science & Medicine analyzed data from several states, examining the impact of recreational marijuana on fatalities from motor vehicle accidents, which is an integral part of many workers’ responsibilities on the job.

 

What Small Business Owners Can Do

With the rise of marijuana legalization, small business owners face new challenges in ensuring workplace safety and maintaining a productive workforce. Here are some key takeaways for small business owners:

1.  Re-evaluate Safety Protocols: If your business employs younger workers, consider reviewing and updating your safety training and protocols. Ensuring that employees are educated on the risks of marijuana use at work and the importance of staying alert on the job could help reduce injury rates.

2.  Implement Clear Policies: Developing clear policies regarding marijuana use—both on and off the job—can help establish boundaries for employees. While recreational marijuana use may be legal, it’s important to create a work environment where safety and productivity are prioritized.

3.  Encourage Open Dialogue: Foster an open environment where employees can discuss their concerns about workplace safety and substance use. Offering support and resources for employees who may be struggling with substance use can also help maintain a healthy work environment.

4.  Invest in Employee Wellness: Offering wellness programs that educate employees on the effects of marijuana and other substances, as well as promoting overall health and well-being, can help minimize the risks associated with impaired work performance.

 

The Bottom Line

For small business owners, the rise in workplace injuries among young workers is an issue that cannot be ignored. By understanding the risks and taking proactive steps to ensure workplace safety, businesses can help protect their employees and their bottom line. As the landscape of marijuana legalization continues to evolve, staying informed and adaptable will be key to navigating these new challenges successfully.

 

Source: www.dfaf.org

 
Filed under: Cannabis/Marijuana,Legal Sector,Marijuana and Medicine,USA,Workplace :

The attached guide describes Planet Youth – a prevention model which has proved very successful in practice.

Planet Youth relies heavily on the Icelandic Prevention Model, as summarised below. (This graphic is borrowed from the ‘Planet Youth Guidance Program – Information Guide’) as attached.

To access the full Planet Youth document:

  1. Click on the ‘Source’ link below.
  2. An image  – the front page of the full document will appear.
  3. Click on the image to open the full document.

Source: Planet-Youth-Guidance-Program-Information-Guide-English.-Electronic-Edition.-2021.

 

Filed under: Prevention and Intervention,USA,Youth :

United Nations

by Ioulia Kondratovitch – 10 March 2025 – Law and Crime Prevention

UNODCA “new black market” for synthetics and drug trafficking through war zones are fuelling instability around the world, the chief of the UN drugs and crime office said.
Today, the illicit drug market is becoming more unpredictable, driven by the impact of synthetic drugs,” Ghada Waly, Director-General of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), said, addressing the opening of the latest session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs in Vienna.
“Trafficking routes run through war zones and rule of law vacuums, from Haiti to the Levant to the Golden Triangle, fuelling instability.”

Tracking the global illicit drug trade

With over 2,000 participants and 179 side events, the commission’s session takes place from 10 to 14 March, with experts from around the world taking stock of the narcotic drugs trade as countries grapple with deadly tides of opioids like fentanyl while also highlighting gains made through joint operations.
For its part, UNODC supports more than 180 border control units in 87 countries to intercept drug flows. In 2024, UN-facilitated seizures included 300 tonnes of cocaine, 240 tonnes of synthetic drugs and 100 tonnes of precursors.
“We are facilitating backtracking investigations, bringing together law enforcement agencies and prosecutors from source, transit and destination countries,” Ms. Whaly explained.

A new black market

She also warned of emerging threats. Technology is radically transforming and accelerating how drugs are sold and distributed, with the dark web having created a “new black market” for synthetic drugs and precursors, Ms. Whaly said.

“Cryptocurrencies allow traffickers to move illicit profits undetected, and social media platforms have become major channels for promoting and advertising drugs online, particularly targeting young people and vulnerable users,” she said.
She also cautioned that drug trafficking networks are capitalising on these changes to expand their reach.

Chasing the most urgent threat

One of the biggest threats is synthetic drugs, she said. Synthetic manufacturing labs are being uncovered in new countries and regions. Indeed, more than 1,300 distinct psychoactive substances have been reported to UNODC to date.
At the same time, amphetamine-type stimulants and pharmaceutical opioids are registering record seizures. Synthetic opioids of the nitazine class are on the rise, with 26 different substances reported to UNODC so far, she added.
“Synthetic drugs have become one of the most urgent and elusive drug challenges that we face,” Ms. Whaly said. “They are evolving every day, expanding in reach and growing in potency.”

Clandestine labs

Clandestine production laboratories are emerging in parts of the world typically not known to produce synthetic drugs, Ms. Whaly said.
The methods to manufacture drugs and the means to traffic them are constantly evolving. Now, the internet is growing as a marketplace for drugs as well as a platform to exchange knowledge on how to make them.
Unlike plant-based substances, synthetic drugs can be manufactured quickly, at a low cost, almost anywhere in the world. They can also be moved across borders in bulk, often concealed in legitimate exports or in such large quantities that individual seizures “barely make a dent”, Ms. Whaly said.
“Simply put, they are harder to identify, intercept and interrupt,” she added.

Fuelling instability

Every region has suffered from the spread of synthetic drugs, she said, citing several examples:
In the Middle East and Africa, the captagon trade – a highly addictive stimulant popular on the battlefield – has been fuelling instability, with production and smuggling now deeply intertwined with conflict, Ms. Whaly said.
In Iraq, seizures of the drug surged by more than 3,300 per cent between 2019 and 2023, with authorities seizing 4.1 tonnes in a single year.
Large stockpiles were discovered in Syria, she said, adding that the situation following the fall of Assad requires close monitoring and attention.
In Southeast Asia, authorities seized a record 190 tons of methamphetamine in 2023, with criminal networks exploiting the region’s porous borders to move their product. Meth products are often found in heroin, vapes and counterfeit tablets and can be even more potent than fentanyl.
The Commission on Narcotic Drugs was established by Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in 1946 to assist in supervising the application of the international drug control treaties.

 

Source: https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/03/1160971

Filed under: Crime/Violence/Prison,Economic,Others (International News),Prevalence,Prevention and Intervention,Synthetics :
Cathy Deacon
Writer states that primary prevention, heading off drinking problems before they start, should be a focus

Dear Ms Clarke,  (Ms. Yvonne Clarke MLA for Porter Creek Centre – where I reside) and other MLAs of the Yukon government.

In the fall of 2024, the Yukon’s chief medical officer stated that the Yukon government’s first substance use surveillance report indicated that alcohol’s burden “far exceeds” other substances. The report contains data related to EMS (emergency medical services), hospital and emergency admissions and reports from the chief coroner. Dr. Sudit Ranade says that the Yukon has a more substantial burden of substance abuse than the Canadian average. (Nov. 29/2024 Yukon News).

Dr. Sudit wisely pointed out that alcohol use in the Yukon starts early and while getting treatment is good, it takes the focus away from prevention. The Yukon government spends millions on secondary prevention; primary prevention aims to prevent the onset of disease or illness and secondary prevention attempts to manage the disease and reduce progression once present.

I have lived in the Yukon since 1970, graduated from FH Collins in 1975. I started drinking when I was 15 years old, it became a problem very quickly yet I didn’t quit drinking until I was 30 years old. Alcohol and mental illness ran in my family and seven years ago I lost my son to suicide in Whitehorse; he was drinking that fateful night.

I have been a social worker and criminologist in the Yukon for the last 40 years. I have worked in Whitehorse and rural communities in the Yukon. I have seen the suffering that that both alcohol and drugs brings upon families and communities. It’s not uncommon to hear of mothers drinking themselves to death, leaving their children motherless.

We spend millions on secondary prevention programs — EMS, mental health and substance abuse programs, shelters, police, medical system — the list goes on. I would like to see a thoughtful analysis of how successful mental health and substance abuse services programs are for people with substance abuse issues. I can guarantee that we would find dismal results, we keep doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results. Secondary prevention provides employment for a whole lot of us, but at what cost?

Primary prevention programs aimed at preventing the problem before it starts is often overlooked. The main point in me writing this letter is to encourage the Yukon government to prevent the harm and one of the ways to do that, is to educate people about the serious harm that alcohol causes.

In Nov. 2017, a federally-funded study in Yukon, which was the first of its kind in Canada, saw colourful labels affixed to all alcohol bottles and cans inside a Whitehorse liquor store. There were two types of labels: one that warned that alcohol can cause cancer, including breast and colon cancer (there are other cancers as well); another label informed purchasers of the recommended maximum number of drinks per day. But just four weeks later, the Yukon Liquor Corporation decided to “pause” the label study after hearing concerns from national alcohol organizations.

The concerns included whether Yukon had the authority to affix the warnings and possible defamation, said the minister responsible for the liquor corporation, John Streicker.

“We have to weigh the costs that we will have to put towards litigation, costs which could go towards trying to reduce the harm of alcohol and promote education,” he said.

Timothy Stockwell, a University of Victoria researcher involved in the study, said he felt “extreme disappointment’ when he learned the project was being put on hold. The liquor industry was afraid that the graphic warning labels on booze could curb alcoholism. The label phase was supposed to run for eight months followed by a survey to assess the impact. The colourful labels included graphics, as opposed to U.S. messages that are text only. There was concern about putting the word cancer on the labels yet the International Agency for Research on Cancer, a World Health Organization body, has classified alcohol as a group-one carcinogen, along with tobacco, asbestos and many other materials. (Canadian Press – Laura Kane Posted Jan. 3, 2018).

We are now being told that there is no safe level of alcohol. I am pleased to see that there appears to be increasing numbers of people who are recognizing this fact and choosing to forgo the use of alcohol. I have lived in the Yukon for over 50 years and always wondered why there was so much cancer in such a beautiful pristine land. Could alcohol use have something to do with that? Not to mention the costs alcohol misuse does to families, children, teenagers, including suicide, mental health issues, FASD, incarceration, child abuse, problems in school attendance and missing work, the list goes on. Drinking alcohol can raise your risk of developing these cancers: mouth, laryngeal, breast, liver, pharyngeal, esophageal, stomach, pancreatic and colorectal. Tobacco and alcohol together are worse for you than either on its own. (Canadian Cancer Society).

I propose that we give this study another try, for at least a year. It held promise, can’t we at least try something that would cost peanuts, putting a label on a bottle? Education is key and morally, how can we not try prevention for the sake of Yukon people’s health?

Ms. Clarke encourage your fellow MLAs to be brave and try this inexpensive primary prevention project again; it could save lives, lower health care costs and all other related costs that the Chief Medical Officer spoke about. Don’t let the liquor industry bully you, it might give Yukoners the impression that money from the sale of alcohol is more important than people’s health.

Sincerely, Cathy Deacon, Whitehorse, Canada.

Filed under: Alcohol,Canada,Culture,Prevention and Intervention :

by Anonymous | Thursday, Mar 13, 2025

Drugs are everywhere—in movies, music videos, social media, and school hallways. Over the years, more young adults have been experimenting with substances at younger ages. The drugs of choice have also changed: before, the “cool” substances were tobacco and alcohol; nowadays, they’ve been replaced by marijuana, nicotine, and hallucinogens (Abrams, 2024). Back in high school, there were a lot of days when I would walk into the bathrooms and be hit by the smell of cotton candy and blueberry. The vaping problem got so bad that the administration implemented bathroom monitors to limit how many students could enter at a time. What irritated me the most was that everyone knew what was happening, but unless the students were caught red-handed, they never got in trouble. All those measures and for what? The number of students vaping didn’t decrease, and after a while, it felt like the school stopped caring altogether. My high school was not the only one with a substance-use issue; this is an issue amongst all schools and a major cause for concern for parents and students alike.

Ever since I was young, I’ve been aware of drugs and their effects, since both my parents were psychologists. My dad traveled around the country educating parents and teachers about substance use, early sex, and violence prevention, and my mom was a school psychologist. I considered myself lucky not to have anyone close to me struggle with addiction, however, two years ago, I found out my younger cousin had started using laughing gas and other substances recreationally. I actually discovered this through a fake account I created after noticing alarming social media posts. I didn’t tell her mom because I had previously reported her concerning behaviors, and nothing came of it. In fact, my cousin only distanced herself from me, hence the need to create a fake account. No matter what, I tried to keep communication open, despite her responses being brief. I don’t blame her for the way she reacted. Although I acted out of concern, she felt betrayed by my actions, and rebuilding trust will take time.

Over the past two years, I’ve thought a lot about what led to my cousin’s situation. First, I thought about why people use substances in the first place: people often use substances as a way to escape their life situations or traumas. Drugs provide a temporary “high,” which allows users to feel good, but the effects are fleeting. In the words of a famous rapper, Eminem, they “snap back to reality” and are forced to face their troubles all at once. Their discontent or distress with reality drives them to seek another “fix,” thus leading to a vicious cycle. As tolerance builds, higher doses are required to achieve the same effect. Drugs are dangerous because they distort emotions, cognition, memory, motor skills, perception, and behavior. All of these effects leave people vulnerable to making fatal mistakes and becoming victims of crimes.

There are several factors that can enhance the risk of substance abuse in youth: family history of addiction, poor parental involvement, associating with peers who use drugs, mental health issues, poverty, and childhood sexual abuse. Teens and young adults who abuse substances are more likely to engage in risky sexual behaviors, experience violence in interpersonal relationships, and face a higher risk for mental health issues and suicide. As if this weren’t enough, early drug use also increases the likelihood of substance use disorders in adulthood and problems with the justice system (Welty et al., 2024, p. 5).

On the other hand, protective factors like strong family support, high self-esteem, and good use of free time can help prevent young adults from abusing substances. While we might not always be able to prevent our loved ones from using substances, we can still be supportive family members they can turn to. Studies show that children with strong family support often find stability in adulthood (Chiang et al., 2024, p. 922). How can society address the issue of youth substance abuse? On a larger scale, we need to stop treating drugs as a taboo topic; keeping children in the dark about drugs does them a disservice because their lack of knowledge often leads to uninformed decisions and sometimes fatal consequences. Drug prevention programs educate youth about harm reduction techniques, healthy coping alternatives, and promote an honest discussion about substance use. Additionally, they teach children refusal strategies so that they can feel confident saying no without fearing they’ll be seen as “lame” by their peers. These prevention programs should also add a parental education component so that both parents and teachers could attend workshops on how to prevent, recognize, and address substance abuse. I believe education starts at home, and therefore, parents need the right tools to steer their kids away from drugs and know how to react if their child uses substances or asks questions about them. I also think the program should help kids plan and visualize their life goals, as establishing goals can be important for maintaining motivation and dedication. If a proper plan is set out for a child, they can identify what they need to do to get closer to their goals and what will set them back (e.g., drugs).

On a personal level, you can educate yourself about substance abuse to approach the issue with empathy rather than judgment. Most importantly, keep communication open, because sometimes just letting someone know you’re there for them can make a huge difference. If someone you know is struggling, encourage them to seek professional help, since addiction often requires counseling and medical intervention. Finally, set boundaries to protect yourself, because you cannot help others if you do not help yourself, and remember that you can be supportive without enabling dangerous behavior.

Source: https://www.google.com/url?rct=j&sa=t&url=https://www.fau.edu/thrive/students/thrive-thursdays/substance_abuse_among_teens/&ct=ga&cd=CAEYASoUMTQwNTE0OTI3NTUyNDQ1MjA2MTUyGjJiNzI5NDQxMGY0ZDBmNTc6Y29tOmVuOlVT&usg=AOvVaw2s994ac9kbEI-oVZO4FBmo

Filed under: Drug use-various effects,Education,Prevention and Intervention,USA,Youth :
Vienna (Austria), 13 March 2025 – “Investing in your health, safety, and well-being is an investment in a stronger, more sustainable world.”

Ms. Ghada Waly, the Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), emphasized the vital role of youth in substance use prevention. Speaking at the Opening of the Youth Forum 2025 in the margins of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND), Ms. Waly highlighted that “it is your contribution – your ideas and your actions – that will drive real progress” in building resilience and fostering evidence-based prevention efforts.

The Youth Forum at the CND brings together young leaders from around the world to engage in discussions with UNODC experts on substance use prevention and meaningful youth involvement. Participants learn to recognize vulnerabilities to drug use, what effective prevention aims to target and prosocial and healthy behaviours within their communities.

Over three days, youth engaged in interactive sessions based on the UNODC/World Health Organization (WHO) International Standards on Drug Use Prevention, examining the science behind substance use disorders, understanding risk and protective factors that can make an individual become more vulnerable and reflecting on the extent to which their prevention experiences are aligned with evidence-based practices. They also discussed ways to strengthen their role as youth in prevention work, ensuring that young people are actively involved in shaping policies and initiatives that promote well-being and resilience.

Additionally, participants were introduced to Friends in Focus, UNODC’s newly developed youth-based prevention programme. They explored innovative ways to engage their peers, promote positive social norms, and contribute to substance use prevention efforts in their communities. Shaped through insights and feedback from previous Youth Forum participants, Friends in Focus aims to equip young people with the knowledge, training, and tools to drive meaningful change.

Youth leading in communities

Youth participants shared their experiences and inspirations that led them in their journey of substance use prevention work, exchanging best practices from their communities. Through group activities, they learned from each other, identifying what worked and what didn’t in prevention efforts.

Nathan Christoff-Omar Morris, one of the youth representatives that delivered the joint Youth Statement, shared how his work in Jamaica focused on educating students. “Everyone’s life is unique, and so are their experiences — youth-led initiatives allow peer-to-peer interactions, which is an effective way of communicating. This can create a ripple effect of positive influence in communities,” he emphasized. His efforts back home led to greater presence of prevention messaging in schools and increased student engagement with counselling services.

Nathan, reflecting on his time at the Youth Forum, emphasized how youth-led approaches make prevention efforts more relatable and effective. “Young people understand the challenges we face—whether it’s family struggles, academic pressure, or peer influence. That’s why youth must be at the forefront of prevention work and policymaking.”

Inspired by the diverse ideas and initiatives shared during the Youth Forum, Nathan left with a renewed vision. “This experience will forever be etched into my mind. I plan to bring back my learnings, advocate for more investment in youth-led prevention and introduce programmes like Friends in Focus in my country.”

Youth voices at the forefront

During the Plenary of the 68th CND, young leaders delivered their jointly drafted Youth Statement: “Prevention efforts must not only be about us but led by us,” they declared, urging policymakers to invest in evidence-based strategies and prioritize youth participation in prevention and decision-making processes. “Standing now in front of you, we ask you to help us have more access to capacity building, to voice our opinions and to actively listen to us.”

The Youth Statement passionately called on Member States to recognize that prevention is the most cost-effective approach to addressing substance use. “When prevention is a priority, resilience becomes a reality.”

The youth further stressed the need for youth-led actions, ensuring that prevention efforts reach all young people, regardless of their background, enabling them to reach their full potential and opportunities.

Source: https://www.unodc.org/unodc/frontpage/2025/March/youth-forum-2025_-youth-taking-the-lead-in-peer-led-drug-prevention.html

Filed under: Culture,Drug use-various effects,Education,Others (International News),Prevention and Intervention,Youth :
by Brian Mann, NPR March 15, 2025

This story originally appeared on NPR’s “All Things Considered.” 

Pennsylvania is seeing roughly 2,000 fewer drug deaths a year. Nationwide, the number of annual deaths from drug overdoses has dropped by more than 30,000 people a year.

On a blustery winter morning, Keli McLoyd set off on foot across Kensington. This area of Philadelphia is one of the most drug-scarred neighborhoods in the U.S. In the first block, she knelt next to a man curled on the sidewalk in the throes of fentanyl, xylazine or some other powerful street drug.

“Sir, are you alright? You OK?” asked McLoyd, who leads Philadelphia’s city-run overdose response unit. The man stirred and took a breath. “OK, I can see he’s moving, he’s good.”

In Kensington, good means still alive. By the standards of the deadly U.S. fentanyl crisis, that’s a victory.

It’s also part of a larger, hopeful trend. Pennsylvania alone is seeing roughly 2,000 fewer drug deaths a year.

Nationwide, the number of annual deaths from drug overdoses has dropped by more than 30,000 people a year.

That’s according to the latest provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, comparing drug deaths in a 12-month period at the peak in June 2023 to the latest available records from October 2024.

Officials with the CDC describe the improvement as “unprecedented,” but public health experts say the rapidly growing number of people in the U.S. surviving addiction to fentanyl and other drugs still face severe and complicated health problems.

“He’s not dead, but he’s not OK,” McLoyd said, as she bent over another man, huddled against a building unresponsive.

Many people in Kensington remain severely addicted to a growing array of toxic street drugs. Physicians, harm reduction workers and city officials say skin wounds, bacterial infections and cardiovascular disease linked to drug use are common.

“It’s absolutely heartbreaking to see people live in these conditions,” she said.

Indeed, some researchers and government officials believe the fentanyl overdose crisis has now entered a new phase, where deaths will continue declining while large numbers of people face what amounts to severe chronic illness, often compounded by homelessness, poverty, criminal records and stigma.

“Initially it’s been kind of this panic mode of preventing deaths,” said Nabarun Dasgupta, who studies addiction data and policy at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. His team was one of the first to detect the national drop in fatal overdoses.

His latest study found drug deaths have now declined in all 50 states and the trend appears to be long-term and sustainable. “Now that we have found some effective ways to keep people alive, it’s really important to reach out to them and try to help them improve their whole lives,” Dasgupta said.

Source: https://whyy.org/articles/fentanyl-deaths-help-for-survivors/

Filed under: Addiction,Drug use-various effects,Fentanyl,HIV/Injecting-Drug-Users,Synthetics,Treatment and Addiction,USA :

United Nations

Prevention, Treatment, and Rehabilitation Section

 

March 14th 2025

Just this week, the Youth Forum 2025 took place during 10 – 12 March on the sidelines of the 68th Session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND). This year, 32 youths from 25 countries were selected through a rigorous process, aiming to invite youths that had high interests and/or prior experience in drug prevention. The Youth Forum provided a platform for these dedicated young leaders to learn about effective prevention, share their experiences, and learn from each other.

Ms. Ghada Waly, Executive Director of UNODC, welcomed the youth, reaffirming the organization’s steadfast commitment to their participation in drug prevention efforts. Encouraging them to fully embrace the experience, she stated, “I encourage you to make the most of this opportunity. Speak up. Ask questions. Challenge perspectives.”

Over the course of three days, participants attended interactive sessions focused on evidence-based prevention, rooted in the UNODC/WHO International Standards on Drug Use Prevention. Through collaborative activities, they exchanged best practices from their communities, analyzed challenges, and explored ways to strengthen youth-led prevention efforts. Utilizing the UNODC Handbook on Youth Participation in Drug Prevention Work, they shared past experiences of work and brainstormed on ways to be better be engaged and consulted as youth in prevention initiatives.

A new addition this year was the recently developed Friends in Focus programme, introduced as a resource and tool developed to support global youth be actively involved in evidence-informed prevention work. Youth participants had a sneak peek into some of the interactive activities, directly experiencing parts of the programme themselves. They reflected on the role that group dynamics have in peer selection, and learned to recognize risk and protective factors to drug use. Participants showed interest in being involved in Friends in Focus, including in their potential involvement in future pre-pilots or implementation of the programme. Participants also had the opportunity to attend CND side events, such as the event on “Engaging Youth as Agents of Change in Crime and Drug Use Prevention: Experiences of the Regional Youth Network for Central Asia” and “Ringing Out Hope and Unity: The Peace Bell’s 30-Year Message in Addressing Drug Abuse”.

Another key highlight of the Youth Forum was their collaboration for the creation of the Youth Statement, which captured the collective voices and recommendations of youth participants. The statement emphasized the urgent need for effective prevention, as new and emerging substances continue to impact individuals, families, and communities. Youth participants urged policymakers to invest in evidence-based prevention strategies, create protective environments at home, school, and in communities, and advocated for multiple sectors to converge and harmoniously work together.

As they reminded global policymakers that “Prevention efforts must not only be about us, but led by us”, they called on Member States to actively include young people in decision-making processes and prevention work. And they further highlighted their readiness in being equal partners with adult stakeholders in addressing the world drug problem, as they said: “We have no political bias, we bring innovation and youth perspectives, and we care about our future. And this is not a one-time investment. Continuous engagement and co-creation can help us collectively reach our mission together.”

UNODC congratulates the Youth Forum 2025 participants for their dedication, insightful contributions, and commitment throughout the three days. Their engagement throughout the Youth Forum highlights the crucial role that young people play in shaping effective drug prevention strategies and being implicated in the policy-making arena. Through the Youth Initiative and the growing alumni network, UNODC remains committed to fostering meaningful youth participation, providing opportunities for learning and development, and supporting young leaders in their efforts to create safer and healthier communities.

Read the Youth Statement below, and click here for more information about the Youth Forum 2025.

Youth Statement 2025 at the Opening Ceremony of the 68th Session of the CND

Your Excellencies, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen,

As 32 youth from 25 countries, we gather here today as a unified voice to address the issue of substance use within our respective communities. This is not a new challenge, and has been tackled over the past decades. Despite efforts, everyday there are new substances that threaten not only individuals, but also society as a whole. It creates a ripple effect where individuals, families, communities are all directly and indirectly negatively affected. The consequences could lead to disruptive environments, higher rates of crime and violence, unemployment, economic challenges, and homelessness.

Therefore, prevention measures are essential to stop substance use before it takes hold. There are many risk factors that can lead to drug use, pushing a person to an extreme. Anyone could have these vulnerabilities, and thus none of them should be neglected. Effective prevention involves creating positive climates at school, home, and in the community to promote social, psychological and physical well-being. It cultivates opportunities, builds a brighter future, and represents a sustainable solution for a long-term problem. Moreover, it flourishes through collaboration among schools, families, communities, workplaces, the health sector, youth institutions, and social media – channels of communication which are closest to us. When prevention is a priority, resilience becomes a reality.

According to research, evidence-based prevention has proven to be, systematically, the most cost-effective. We urge Member States to prioritize funding to substance use prevention policies and solutions, and to invest in further research for drug prevention in aspects that do not have sufficient evidence, such as cultural, geographical, and demographical areas.

Our collective goal is to drive practical solutions, innovative strategies, and youth-led actions. Prevention efforts must not only be about us, but led by us. Why don’t we reflect: how many youth delegates do we have seated amongst us? How many youths have been directly involved in decision-making processes such as in this Commission? As youth, we are a key element of change: we urge you to actively involve young people in prevention efforts, and ensure that financial constraints do not exclude us. We have no political bias, we bring innovation and youth perspectives, and we care about our future. And this is not a one-time investment. Continuous engagement and co-creation can help us collectively reach our mission together.

Standing now in front of you, we ask you to help us have more access to capacity building, to voice our opinion, and to actively listen to us. Please be open to collaborating because we do want to create partnerships and evolve together. Every young person, regardless of their background, should have the opportunity to reach our full potential and positively impact our communities.

Behind every statistic there is a story. If you want to change the statistics, listen to the stories. Recognize the vulnerability, don’t neglect it. Strengthen it. And the time to act is now, for the future begins with the choices made today.

Source: https://www.unodc.org/unodc/drug-prevention-and-treatment/news-and-events/2025/March/youth-forum-2025_-when-prevention-is-a-priority–resilience-becomes-a-reality.html

 

Filed under: Culture,Education,Others (International News),Prevention and Intervention,Youth :

Photo: Nikoleta Haffar

Vienna (Austria), 10 March 2025 — The 68th session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) commenced today, gathering 2100 representatives from over 100 Member States to discuss international drug policy.

At the opening, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Executive Director Ghada Waly delivered a warning on the evolving drug landscape, highlighting the surge in synthetic drugs and the expansion of cocaine markets. “The drug market is undermining peace, security and development,” she cautioned, pointing to trafficking routes that fuel instability in conflict zones.

However, she stressed that UNODC remained committed to its critical work to keep people safe and healthy. In 2024 alone, she noted, UNODC supported the seizure of over 300 tonnes of cocaine, 240 tonnes of synthetic drugs, and 100 tonnes of precursors, while facilitating investigations and safe disposal, flagging emerging drug threats, providing scientific and forensic support to countries to implement CND scheduling decisions and more.

In that connection, Ms Waly raised urgent concerns about funding constraints. “We cannot deliver ‘more with less’ when the illicit drug market has more and more at its disposal every day,” she warned, calling on Member States to invest in global health and security. She expressed hope that the session would serve as a rallying point for a balanced, effective and united approach to drug policy, ensuring that multilateral efforts keep pace with a rapidly evolving threat.

The Chair of the Commission, H.E. Shambhu S. Kumaran of India, opened the session by emphasizing the severity of current drug challenges. “The range of drugs available to most people today are more diverse, potent and harmful than ever before. When drugs and precursors flow across borders, only organized crime wins,” he stated, calling on Member States to invest in community security and the global fight against drugs.

In a call to action, General Assembly President Philémon Yang and Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) President Bob Rae highlighted the urgent need for a comprehensive response to the world’s drug problem. PGA Yang warned that drug trafficking weakens institutions, fuels instability and harms the environment through deforestation, soil degradation and toxic waste. He stressed the importance of tackling root causes and engaging youth in prevention and policymaking. Ambassador Rae echoed the need for a balanced approach, from prevention and treatment to recovery and reintegration, while also underscoring the urgency of equitable access to medicines. Their messages made it clear: solving the drug problem demands urgent, coordinated and inclusive global action.

In a video message, World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged policies that protect people from drug-related harms while ensuring access to essential medicines under universal health coverage. He reaffirmed WHO’s commitment to working with the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), UNODC, Member States, and civil society towards evidence-based, human rights-centred solutions. INCB President Jallal Toufiq warned about the rise in synthetic drugs and persistent disparities in medical access despite sufficient global supply. He called for a coordinated global strategy to tackle illicit synthetic drug production, trafficking and use.

Throughout the session, the Commission will deliberate on draft resolutions covering various issues, including evidence-based drug prevention for children, research on stimulant use disorder treatment, alternative development, officer safety in dismantling opioid labs, strengthening the global drug control framework and addressing the environmental impacts of drugs.

A total of 179 side events and 32 exhibitions are scheduled during the session. Additionally, the General Debate will see several countries pledging concrete actions under the Pledge4Action initiative, with updates from Member States on the progress of commitments made during the 67th session.

The CND will also consider WHO’s recommendations on placing six substances under international control.

Source: https://www.unodc.org/unodc/frontpage/2025/March/shaping-global-drug-policies_-cnd-opens-its-68th-session-in-vienna.html

Filed under: Cocaine,Drug use-various effects,Health,Mental Health,Others (International News),Synthetics,Youth :

by Mia Holloman, Directorate of Prevention, Resilience and Readiness – March 11, 2025

A strong Army starts with healthy Soldiers and communities. When Soldiers are at their best, they’re ready for any mission. The Army Substance Abuse Program is committed to preventing substance misuse before it becomes a problem, giving leaders the tools to recognize risks and take action early.

Prevention starts with awareness and the right support. ASAP provides education and resources to help Soldiers, leaders and units work together to address alcohol and drug misuse. Commanders play a vital role in creating positive, substance-free environments and encouraging activities that strengthen resilience and teamwork. By taking a proactive approach, Soldiers stay focused, engaged and mission-ready.

“Take advantage of services that the Army offers before there is an incident,” said Georgina Gould, Army Substance Abuse Program Specialist, Ready and Resilient Integration and Training division.

“If there are indicators that problematic substance misuse is getting in the way at work or at home, schedule an appointment to meet with a provider at your assigned embedded behavioral health clinic, where you can be assessed for voluntary care without command involvement.”

The Substance Use Disorder Clinical Care Program, a vital resource for Soldiers and their Families impacted by substance misuse, complements ASAP’s prevention initiatives.

SUDCC is the Army’s model for delivering substance use treatment in a manner that is integrated, aligned with unit needs and conveniently co-located. Substance use disorder treatment is part of a comprehensive plan aimed at achieving rapid recovery and restoring individuals to full readiness.

“SUDCC’s mission of providing treatment and returning Soldiers to the fight is congruent with the ASAP mission of strengthening the overall fitness and effectiveness of the Army workforce, (conserving) manpower and enhancing Soldier combat readiness,” Gould said.

SUDCC provides care tailored to the unique needs of the Total Army, ranging from initial assessment and counseling to outpatient and inpatient treatment options. Gould said the SUDCC program has a low recidivism rate, meaning individuals are less likely to return to the program.

“There is a low number of Soldiers returning for further treatment after services are completed, which means they are successful in returning to the mission and their Families with enhanced coping skills and wellness,” Gould said.

Together, ASAP and SUDCC demonstrate the important role of the Army community in prevention, awareness and recovery. Substance misuse is not just a personal issue; it can impact entire teams, communities and missions. ASAP and SUDCC bring together partners from different sectors and engage stakeholders to build a strong, united effort against substance misuse.

Source: https://www.army.mil/article/283651/strengthening_the_army_community_through_substance_misuse_prevention_treatment_options

Filed under: Addiction,Culture,Drug use-various effects,Education,Prevention and Intervention,USA :

Photo: UNODC
Member states voting at the 68th session of the CND.

Vienna (Austria), 14 March 2025 — The sixty-eighth session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) concluded today after five days of intensive discussions on global drug policy, international cooperation and the implementation of international drug policy commitments. The strong engagement and high level of participation from governments and stakeholders in Vienna, 2,000 of whom gathered to exchange views and shape collective responses to evolving drug-related challenges, demonstrates the Commission’s relevance as the global platform for addressing the complexities of the world drug problem in an evidence-based, forward-looking manner.

In her closing remarks, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Executive Director Ghada Waly emphasized the importance of strengthening the CND. “In times of division and uncertainty, we need effective multilateral institutions more than ever,” she said. “And the level of engagement at this session has once again confirmed the enduring relevance of this Commission as the global forum for drug policy.”

She urged Member States to redouble their efforts, commitment and cooperation, recognizing that the evolution of the world drug problem demands a renewed and determined response. “UNODC will remain committed to working for a healthier and safer world, guided by the decisions of Member States,” she concluded.

Six New Substances under Control

In fulfilling its normative functions under the international drug control conventions, the Commission acted on recommendations from the World Health Organization (WHO), deciding to place six substances under international control. These include four synthetic opioids –  N-pyrrolidino protonitazene, N-pyrrolidino metonitazene, etonitazepipne, and N-desethyl isotonitazene – which have been linked to fatal overdoses. The Commission also placed hexahydrocannabinol (HHC), a semi-synthetic cannabinoid with effects similar to THC that has been found in a variety of consumer products, under Schedule II of the 1971 Convention. Additionally, carisoprodol, a centrally acting skeletal muscle relaxant, widely misused in combination with opioids and benzodiazepines, was placed under Schedule IV of the 1971 Convention due to its potential for dependence and health risks. These scheduling decisions reflect the Commission’s ongoing efforts to respond to emerging drug threats and protect public health.

Six resolutions adopted

The Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) also adopted six resolutions, reinforcing global efforts to address drug-related challenges through evidence-based policies and strengthened international cooperation.

To protect children and adolescents, the Commission encouraged the implementation of scientific, evidence-based drug prevention programs, emphasizing the need for early interventions and cross-sectoral collaboration to build resilience against non-medical drug use.

Recognizing the growing impact of stimulant use disorders, another resolution promoted research into effective, evidence-based treatment options, calling on Member States to invest in innovative pharmacological and psychosocial interventions to improve care for those affected.

The importance of alternative development was reaffirmed with a resolution aimed at modernizing strategies that help communities transition away from illicit crop cultivation, ensuring long-term economic opportunities while addressing broader issues like poverty and environmental sustainability.

In response to the rising threat of synthetic drugs, the Commission adopted a resolution to protect law enforcement and first responders dismantling illicit synthetic drug labs and advocating for stronger safety protocols, enhanced training and international cooperation to reduce risks.

To strengthen the implementation of international drug control conventions and policy commitments, the Commission decided to establish an expert panel tasked with developing a set of recommendations to strengthen the global drug control system.

Additionally, recognizing the environmental damage caused by illicit drug-related activities, the Commission adopted another resolution calling on Member States to integrate environmental protection into drug policies and address the negative impacts on the environment resulting from the illicit drug-related activities.

These resolutions reflect the Commission’s commitment to providing concrete, coordinated responses and ensuring that drug control policies remain effective, adaptive and aligned with contemporary challenges.

Source: https://www.unodc.org/unodc/frontpage/2025/March/cnd-68-concludes_-six-new-substances-controlled-six-resolutions-adopted.html

Filed under: Addiction,Alcohol,Cannabis/Marijuana,Culture,Drug use-various effects,Economic,Education,Marijuana and Medicine,Mental Health,Opioids,Others (International News),Prescription Drugs,Prevention and Intervention,Synthetics,Treatment and Addiction,Youth :

    Delegation of the European Union to the International Organisations in Vienna

Statement by Press and information team of the Delegation to UN and OSCE in Vienna:
Distinguished Chair, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is an honour to be here and to speak on behalf of the European Union and its Member States. Albania, Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Iceland, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Republic of Moldova, San Marino and Ukraine align themselves with this statement.

Mr Chair,

We remain committed to strengthening the global cooperation to address drug-related challenges in accordance with an evidence-based, integrated, balanced and comprehensive approach. We acknowledge the important role of UNODC in monitoring the world drug situation, developing strategies on international drug control and recommending measures to address drug-related challenges.

As we meet today, conflicts and violence are unfolding in numerous parts of the world. The EU and its Member States call for the full respect for the UN Charter andinternational law, including international humanitarian law, whether in relation to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, or the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, Sudan, Ethiopia, DRC and elsewhere.

Drug trafficking controlled by organised crime groupsthreatens public health, our security, our economies and prosperous development worldwide, and even our democratic institutions and the rule of law. This is an important security challenge that Europe is currently facing. As demonstrated by the European Drug Report 2024, as a consequence of the high availability of drugs, large-volume trafficking and competition between criminal groups in Europe, some countries are experiencing an increase in violence and other forms of criminality linked to the operation of the drug market.

To address this concern, last November the EU hosted the European Conference on Drug-related Violenceas part of the implementation of the EU Roadmap to combat drug trafficking and organised crime. At the conference, the EU Drugs Agency called for action on drug-related violence, to encourage and support efforts to enhance safety and security across all sectors of society with measures to anticipate, alert, respond and learn from the growing complexities of drug-related violence. This initiative reflects our collective determination to address the increasing violence linked to drug trafficking.

In line with the pledge of the Global Coalition to address Synthetic Drug Threats that the EUcommitted to in September 2024, we are currently closely monitoring the risks of a potential increase in the supply and demand for synthetic opioids in Europe. This possible shift could represent unique challenges for public health systems and law enforcement.

Among such challenges is the growing number of illegal laboratories that produce synthetic drugs. Considering the threat they pose, Poland – on behalf of the EU – has tabled a resolution that draws attention to the protection of all those that are at the forefront of dismantling drug laboratories. Our aim is to set the ground for global standards in ensuring the safety of law enforcement officers, and we count on your support for this important resolution.

The EU and its Member States also call for greater consideration of development-oriented drug policies and alternative development measures, as well as the environmental damage linked to the direct and indirect impact of illicit drug crop cultivation, drug production and manufacture and drug policy responses. Conscious of the realities that shape our world, a resolution addressing the environmental impact of drugs has been tabled by France on behalf of the EU. This is atopic that needs more engagement from all of us, and we hope that you will back this resolution as well.

The EU and its Member States continue to emphasise that States are obliged to protect, promote and fulfilhuman rights, including when they develop and implement drug policies. All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights, and the EU and its Member States recall that the death penalty should be abolished globally. We condemn the use of capital punishment at all times and under all circumstances, including for drug-related offences. Additional measures should be taken for people in vulnerable and marginalised situations and to reduce stigma and discrimination. We underline that substance use disorders are a health issue requiring compassionateand evidence-based interventions. Stigmatisation and criminalisation of individuals with substance use disorders should be replaced with a health-centredapproach to reduce risks and harm.

Addressing drug-related harm also remains an important pillar of EU drug policy and the EU Drugs Strategy. The EU and its Member States are implementing a human rights-based approach with a range of measures in compliance with the three international drug conventions. The aim is to reduce drug supply and to take prevention, treatment, care and recovery measures, to reduce risk and harm to society and to the individual. We also ensure a meaningful involvement of scientific experts, civil society and affected communities. We urge the international community to further embrace pragmatic measures aimed at reducing the health and social harms, both for the individual and for society, associated with drug use. From needle and syringe exchange programmes to opioid agonist therapies, such evidence-based initiatives are essential for safeguarding public health and dignity. Prevention, treatment, care and recovery measures, risk and harm reduction must be expanded, adequately resourced, and firmly rooted in respect for human rights, as also set out in last year’s CND resolution 67/4 [on preventing and responding to drug overdose through prevention, treatment, care and recovery measures, as well as other public health interventions, to address the harms associated with illicit drug use as part of a balanced, comprehensive, scientific evidence-based approach].

In the context of current global drug-related challenges, it is important to stress that effective solutions can only be achieved through a balanced and whole-of-society approach as well as by engaging all relevant stakeholders, including health-care personnel, who provide critical support to those affected by substance use disorders; law enforcement officers, who risk their lives in targeting organised crime groups involved in drug production and trafficking; academia, which contributes with evidence-based research and innovative solutions; civil society organisations, which play an important role in prevention, and in risk and harm reduction initiatives. International cooperation is also indispensable to tackle the global drugs phenomenon and we count on the close involvement ofall relevant United Nations entities, including human rights bodies, to foster coordinated international action and inter-agency cooperation.

As set out in the high-level declaration by the CND on the 2024 mid-term review, we stress the urgent need for further ambitious, effective, improved and decisive actions as well as for more proactive, scientific evidence-based, comprehensive, balanced approaches to address drug-related challenges.

For that, we emphasise the critical importance of thorough data collection, monitoring, and scientific research. The European Union Drugs Agency is therefore key in developing Europe’s capacity to react to both current and future drug-related challenges, and we have made a concrete pledge in this regard at last year’s High-level segment of the CND.

Mr. Chair, to conclude,

Continuous drug-related challenges require our united front and cooperation to address them in the most effective and sustainable manner, and we count on global efforts to do so together. The EU and its Member States reaffirm their own commitment to fostering a comprehensive, inclusive, and balanced approach to addressing the world drug situation. We call on all Member States and stakeholders to join us in prioritising health, dignity, and human rights in all aspects of drug policy.

Thank you.

SOURCE: https://www.eeas.europa.eu/delegations/vienna-international-organisations/eu-statement-general-debate-68th-session-commission-narcotic-drugs-10-march-2025_en

Filed under: Addiction,Brain and Behaviour,Culture,Education,Health,Mental Health,Others (International News),Prevention and Intervention,Treatment and Addiction,Youth :
This special section of the International Journal of Drug Policy brings together empirical and conceptual contributions to youth cannabis research through diverse methodological and critical social science approaches. Specifically, we present a collection of four empirical papers and three commentaries, all engaging with the central question, how can theoretical and methodological innovations advance youth and young adult-centered cannabis research, policy, and practice?
The current evidence base on cannabis use among youth and young adults under 30 years of age is limited by two key challenges. First, there is a strong emphasis on biomedical forms of knowledge production centred on individualistic understandings and abstinence-focused goals, with a tendency to overlook the broader social contexts that influence cannabis use patterns. Second, the incorporation of youth and young adult perspectives is lacking. In a shifting drug policy landscape where many nations and regions, including ours (Canada), have either legalized cannabis or are considering doing so, we need research approaches that can comprehensively examine the documented risks of cannabis use as well as those that can account for the social and structural contexts that shape youth and young adult substance use decision-making (Rubin-Kahana et al., 2022). To date; however, much of the research addressing youth and young adult cannabis use remains under-theorized, overly descriptive, and lacking in critical analysis of the links between substance use harms and social inequities (Kourgiantakis et al., 2024).
Over the last several decades, mounting research has documented the potential health harms of cannabis use, particularly for those who initiate early or consume regularly. This includes substantial evidence that identifies risks related to the onset of psychotic disorders, motor vehicle accidents, and cannabis use disorder as well as effects on educational and occupational outcomes (National Academies of Sciences, Engineering & Medicine, 2017). However, a focus on risks in the absence of considerations of lived experience or social-contextual influences restricts our understandings and may limit the development of impactful and supportive interventions for those who may benefit most.
At this juncture, we argue that in addition to rigorous examination of health impacts, there is a pressing need for inquiry using methodological approaches that meaningfully engage youth and young adults with lived experience of cannabis use in research, peer-based education, and advocacy and activism for policy and practice change. This is particularly important given that different populations experience varying levels of risk and protection based on their social and structural circumstances (Gunadi & Shi, 2022), while cannabis policy, education, and care continue to rely on a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach, disregarding the diverse perspectives, experiences, patterns, and motivations of young people with regard to their cannabis use.
In preparing for this special section, we sought to collate research from diverse disciplines and geographic regions. We were particularly interested in highlighting research that moves beyond description towards theoretically engaged analyses, as well as research using participatory, arts-based, or youth engagement methodologies to understand youth and young adult cannabis use practices. Taken together, we envisioned that these papers would highlight new ways of theorizing, researching, and advocating in the global context of cannabis policy liberalization. We also hoped that this process would create new research connections among scholars with shared interests in this area. However, while various efforts were made to attract contributions from around the world, all but one of the final submissions were from Canada, with one additional contribution from Nigeria.
While the geographical representation is limited, the papers in this special section demonstrate innovative approaches to studying youth and young adult cannabis use while maintaining awareness of documented health risks. Bear and colleagues introduce “mindful consumption and benefit maximization” as a framework that acknowledges both potential risks and the importance of informed decision-making. They argue that harm reduction campaigns focused on cannabis risk, being received as stigmatizing or out of touch, given that cannabis is perceived by young consumers as a “relatively harmless drug” compared to other regulated substances, such as alcohol and tobacco. Instead of centering potential harms, mindful consumption and benefit maximization is presented as a strengths-oriented approach that aims to reduce stigma while promoting informed decision making to maximize positive experiences. Bear and colleagues offer that efforts to shift and better inform how young people make choices related to cannabis use can contribute new pathways for better preventing potential long-term consequences.
Another area of focus within the contributed articles included research problematizing the socio-structural contexts of cannabis use, foregrounding the perspectives of marginalized youth whose voices and life circumstances are often absent from the research literature, despite inequitably bearing the brunt of cannabis-related harms (Huang et al., 2020; Jones, 2024; Zuckermann et al., 2020). Haines-Saah and colleagues tackled the concept of “risk” among youth and young adults living with profound health and social inequities across several Canadian provinces. Using a youth-centred qualitative approach, this research makes visible the experiences of young people whose everyday lives are characterized by intersecting hardship and inequity. Within these circumstances, the risks of cannabis use are reconceptualised by the youth participants as they thoughtfully consider the ways that cannabis has served as a tool for survival while navigating historical and ongoing experiences of trauma and violence. Many of these youth also spoke to the ways that they engage in regular reflection about their cannabis use practices, informing efforts to reduce or abstain when recognizing that their use is too frequent or when experiencing adverse mental health effects.
Aligned with this focus on growing understandings of the cannabis use experiences and contexts of marginalized youth, Nelson and Nnam contributed a qualitative paper on cannabis use and harm reduction practices among youth and young adult women aged 21–35 living in Uyo, Nigeria. For young women in this setting, cannabis use was noted to progress quickly from more casual or social use, to frequent and heavy consumption. Aligned with the findings presented in Haines-Saah and colleagues’ Canadian research, the results of this study illustrate the ways that cannabis use and related risk is shaped by health and social contexts characterized by trauma and mental health challenges tied to marginalized social locations. Indeed, it is noted that in this setting, cannabis was used to “treat the psychological symptoms of structural inequalities”. Nelson and Nman powerfully argue that to make progress in supporting young people, interventions must target the social and structural roots of drug-related harms.
Examinations of the intersections between cannabis use and queer and trans youth identities was also a theme across several of the special section papers. Barborini and authors drew on community-based participatory research approaches, including photovoice, to examine how cannabis use features within the experiences of transgender, non-binary and gender non-conforming (TGNC) youth in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Barborini et al. identified how TGNC youth use cannabis in purposeful and strategic ways, including as they enact ‘non-normative’ gender expressions. They also found that TGNC youth use cannabis in to facilitate introspection, including as they advance personal discoveries about their gender identities and development. In their analysis, they describe how TGNC youth are using cannabis in emancipatory ways, with some of their sample describing how cannabis use is important for them in accessing moments of gender euphoria and affirmation, particularly given many of the broader social structural oppressions they face in their everyday lives.
London-Nadeau and colleagues’ research paper, led by their team of queer youth, presents a community-based qualitative study conducted in Quebec, Canada. In this paper, the authors demonstrate how certain populations face unique risks and challenges that require more tailored approaches. They action Perrin and colleagues’ (2020) Minority Strengths Model to advance understandings about how cannabis use features in queer and trans youth’s endeavours to “survive and thrive”. Here, cannabis was identified as supporting the production of an “authentic [queer and trans] self”, facilitating processes centering on self-exploration, introspection, and expression. Additionally, London-Nadeau and colleagues contributed a commentary presenting insights gained through conducting their empirical research. In this paper, they reflect on barriers and opportunities for cannabis research conducted by queer and trans youth, including the importance of “leading from the heart” in their efforts to connect with the shared cultures of their study participants while attuning to the ways that their experiences may differ, in part due to their academic affiliations that serve as a source of privilege within the context of knowledge production.
Finally, D’Alessio and colleagues offer details on their experiences with Get Sensible, a project of the Canadian Students for Sensible Drug Policy. In this reflection piece, the Get Sensible team describes how their work developing and implementing an educational toolkit challenged historical approaches to cannabis education by prioritizing young people’s voices, harm reduction, other evidence-based strategies, and peer-to-peer models. They also describe how, by drawing on a youth-led project design, the Get Sensible educational toolkit provides young people with the information they need to make empowered and informed decisions to minimize cannabis-related harms.
Across diverse geographical and drug policy contexts, cannabis remains one of the most widely used substances among youth and young adults. As such, there is a pressing need for knowledge generation that pushes boundaries to expand understandings beyond the confines of biomedical and risk-dominated paradigms. Moreover, drug policy scholarship, including that published in this journal, has advocated for research and practice that embodies the harm reduction principle of “nothing about us without us,” centering the expertise of people who use substances (e.g. Harris & Luongo, 2021; Olding et al., 2023; Piakowski et al., 2024; Zakimi et al., 2024). When it comes to cannabis, or any substance use for that matter, it is our view that the impetus to protect youth from drug harms should not preclude their meaningful participation and leadership in drug prevention research and policy. The youth-centered scholarship and advocacy we highlight in this special issue is our contribution to prioritizing youth empowerment, not just their “protection.”
While our special section may not capture the full breadth of critical research being conducted with and for youth who use cannabis, the narrow geographical scope of the contributions underscores a degree of urgency for advancing innovative methodological approaches to youth and young adult cannabis research within and across global settings. We are nevertheless deeply inspired by the progress that has been made, as evidenced by the contributions in this special section, including those that critically challenge traditional approaches to cannabis use policy, education, and care via youth-centered research approaches. Ultimately, we hope that this issue will inspire a renewed research agenda that privileges the expertise of young people and engages with theories and methodologies that advance new understandings and possibilities for supporting cannabis use decision making and accompanying efforts to minimize potential harms.
Source: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0955395925000519
Filed under: Canada,Cannabis/Marijuana,Drug use-various effects,Marijuana and Medicine,New Zealand,Prevention and Intervention,Treatment and Addiction,USA,Youth :

by Professor Onohuean Hope; Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Kampala International University, Uganda, and Professor Frasia Oosthuizen who holds a BPharm, MSc (Pharmacology) and PhD (Pharmacology) qualifications, all obtained from PU for CHE (now North-West University). Published: March 7, 2025 in the journal PLOS One (stylized PLOS ONE, and formerly PLoS ONE) is a peer-reviewed open access mega journal published by the Public Library of Science (PLOS) since 2006.

Published: March 7, 2025

ABSTRACT

Introduction
There is an ongoing global upsurge of opioid misuse, fatal overdose and other related
disorders, significantly affecting the African continent, due to resource-limited settings and
poor epidemiological surveillance systems. This scoping review maps scientific evidence
on epidemiological data on unlawful opioid use to identify knowledge gaps and policy
shortcomings.

Method
The databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Sciences) and references were searched
guided by Population, Concept, and Context (PCC) and PRISMA-ScR. The extracted
characteristics examined were author/year, African country, epidemiological distribution,
age group (year), gender, study design and setting, common opioid/s abused, sources of
drugs, reasons for misuse, summary outcomes and future engagement.

Results
A population of 55132 participated in the included studies of 68 articles, with the
largest sample size of 17260 (31.31%) in a study done in South Africa, 11281(20.46%)
in a study from Egypt and 4068 (7.38%) in a study from Ethiopia. The gender of the
participants was indicated in 65(95.59%) papers. The mean and median age reported
in 57(83.82%) papers were 15.9-38, and 22-31years. The majority of study-designs
were cross-sectional, 44(64.71%), and the most used opioids were heroin, 14articles
(20.59%), tramadol, 8articles (11.76%), and tramadol & heroin, 6 articles (8.82%)
articles. Study-settings included urban community 15(22.06%), hospital 15(22.06%),
university students 11(16.18%), and secondary school learners 6(8.82%). The highest
epidemiological distributions were recorded in the South African study, 19615(35.60%),
Egyptian study, 14627(26.54%), and Nigerian study 5895(10.70%). Nine (13.24%)
papers reported major opioid sources as black market, friends, and drug dealers. To
relieve stress, physical pain and premature ejaculation, improve mood and sleep-related
PLOS ONE | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0317036 March 7, 2025 2 / 24
PLOS ONE The burden of unlawful use of opioid and associated epidemiological characteristics in Africa
problems and help to continue work, were the major reasons for taking these drugs as
reported in twenty articles (29.41%).

Conclusion
The findings of this scoping review show significant knowledge gaps on opioid usage in
the African continent. The epidemiological distribution of unlawful use of opioids among
young adults, drivers, and manual labourers in both genders is evident in the findings.
The reason for use necessity scrutinises the role of social interaction, friends and family
influence on illicit opiate use. Therefore, there is a need for regular epidemiological
surveillance and investigations into multilevel, value-based, comprehensive, and strategic
long-term intervention plans to curb the opioid problem in the region.

To access the full document, please click on the link below:

                   https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0317036

Filed under: Addiction,Drug use-various effects,Opioids,Others (International News) :
By Emma Thies AD – Last update: 25-02-25, 16:58
The Netherlands is one of the largest suppliers of kush: the life-threatening synthetic drug that is a particularly serious problem in West African Sierra Leone. So many people die from the addictive drug strain that group cremations are even held in the country. What exactly is kush, and how dangerous is it?
According to the report by the Clingendael Institute and Global Initiative, published today, the Netherlands is one of the largest suppliers of kush. The largest shipment ever intercepted (300 kilos) came from the Netherlands. The UK is also a major supplier. The synthetic drug is drawing a trail of destruction among the youth of the African country of Sierra Leone.
The stuff is spotty, highly narcotic and extremely addictive: it makes users walk the streets like zombies. Kush is said to have first surfaced in 2016, in the capital Freetown. There, ‘hundreds of young men’ reportedly died because of organ failure caused by the drug, the BBC reported last year. No official death tolls are known, but it is clear that addiction – with all its consequences – is becoming widespread. In April last year, a state of emergency was even declared in Sierra-Leone.
But what is kush?
The term ‘kush’ is often associated with cannabis, but in this case it is a synthetic cannabinoid. The cheap stuff is often light green, dark green, brown or reddish in colour and is usually smoked with tobacco. According to users, the drug is said to relieve stress or even ‘make all feelings disappear’.
For a long time, much was unclear about what exactly kush is. According to research now published by Clingendael, the stuff mostly contains synthetic cannabinoids or nitazenes: a heavy painkiller stronger than morphine, heroin and fentanyl. It makes kush extremely potent. Also, according to Clingendael, a lot of rumours about kush circulate: for instance, the drug strain is said to contain methamphetamine and human bones, among other things. No evidence of this has been found.
But it is clear that kush is highly dangerous and extremely addictive. Users reported needing increasing amounts, and according to the research institute, the number of reported overdoses allegedly caused by kush has increased significantly since 2022. Users can suffer from skin abnormalities and ulcers and severe limb swelling. The kush users who die often struggle with serious health problems or stop eating, for example.
The role of the Netherlands
According to Clingendael, the number of kush deaths leads to pressure on morgues and group cremations were even held. Drug users in the survey say they know on average between two and four people who have died from the drug. Some even have between 20 and 50 cush deaths in their vicinity.
The kush market was expanding at a very catastrophic pace in Sierra Leone. According to Clingendael, there are indications that the Netherlands and the UK are exporting kush. Interviews conducted by researchers show that key figures in the kush market have connections with the two countries. In 2024, 300 kilos of ‘organic material’ was intercepted in a cargo from Rotterdam, presumably to make kush. That cargo also contained plastic syrup bottles from a Dutch factory.
There are no indications that the Netherlands’ most wanted criminal, Jos Leijdekkers, is involved in kush. This ‘Bolle Jos’ keeps to himself in Sierra Leone and is said to be mainly involved in the export of cocaine. In the Netherlands, he was sentenced to 24 years for large-scale drug trafficking.
According to Clingendael, there are a lot of indications that the kush market is being ‘protected’ at a high political level, but this cannot be sufficiently proven. However, there are said to be two major players who cooperate and have political links through family.
Filed under: Drug use-various effects,Europe,Others (International News),Synthetics :

After achieving six months of sobriety, Horning has become a vocal advocate for comprehensive substance use prevention and education programs aimed at helping students in Warren County lead substance-free lives.

His initiative, developed in collaboration with Dr. Patricia Hawley-Mead and district officials, seeks to implement substance use prevention and education services across the school district. The goal of the initiative is to provide students, teachers, and parents with the education, community resources, and intervention strategies needed to prevent substance use and promote healthier lifestyle choices.

“If you were to tell me eight months ago I would be standing in front of you talking about substance abuse prevention and putting Narcan in AED boxes, I would have said you were crazy,” Horning shared with the audience during a recent school board meeting.

Horning’s passion for substance use prevention stems from his own difficult experience with addiction. He has openly shared his struggles with substance use, depression, and unhealthy coping mechanisms that led him down a painful path.

“My addiction was full of loss, hardships, and failures,” Horning explained. “Nothing seemed to work, nothing was helping me, and most importantly, I wasn’t helping myself. I’ve been in and out of psychiatrists’ offices, tried different medications, and felt completely lost. The only way I found recovery was by chance, but it shouldn’t be that way. We need a system in place to give students a way out before it’s too late.”

Looking back on his darkest moments, Horning admitted he never imagined he would be advocating for change in front of a crowd.

“I was not a great person at that moment in time,” he said, becoming emotional. “I made a lot of mistakes. My family, who is sitting behind me today, can tell you that. People inside and outside of school districts saw me at my worst. The disease of addiction is a lifelong battle that I will face until the day I die. But that does not mean it has to end in tragedy. That is why I am standing here today – to fight for others like me.”

Horning recognizes that many students turn to substances for a variety of reasons–whether out of boredom, depression, anxiety, or as a way to cope with personal struggles. His initiative is designed not only to educate students on the dangers of substance use but also to provide them with the tools and support systems they need to make better, healthier choices.

“This initiative will not only help students stay alive in case of an overdose, but it will help them find a way out of addiction and into a new life,” he emphasized. “Even if this helps just one person, it will all be worth it.”

INITIATIVE’S INSPIRATION

The inspiration behind Horning’s initiative came after a district-wide program held on September 18, 2024. During the event, public speaker Stephen Hill presented the First Choice & A Second Chance program to high school students. The program aimed to break the stigma surrounding substance use disorder, raise awareness about the ongoing drug epidemic, and encourage students to make healthier decisions.

Following the event, Horning was motivated to take action. He reached out to district administrators, safety officers, the school nurse department head, and a Family Services of Warren County drug and alcohol counselor to begin crafting a proposal for a comprehensive Substance Use Prevention and Education Service in the district.

The proposal calls for the establishment of educational programs that would teach students about the risks associated with substance use, provide early intervention services, and offer mental health support. Additionally, Horning’s plan includes provisions for Narcan to be available in school AED boxes, ensuring that life-saving measures are ready in case of an overdose emergency.

Hawley-Mead, who has worked closely with Horning on the initiative, stressed the importance of early intervention and prevention.

“The increasing prevalence of substance use among young people is a growing concern,” Mead said. “It poses a significant risk to their academic success, emotional well-being, and future prospects. Early prevention and education efforts have been shown to reduce substance use, improve student decision-making, and help create a more supportive and empathetic learning environment.”

Mead believes that by fostering a collaborative effort among educators, parents, and community partners, the district can proactively address the issue of substance use and equip students with the knowledge and support they need to thrive.

“This initiative will provide students, teachers, and parents with education, resources, and intervention strategies to support healthy choices and foster a positive, drug-free environment,” Mead said.

Horning concluded his speech with an emotional reflection on his own personal journey and the importance of offering help to others who may be struggling.

“What drove me to do this was really a lot of depression and unhealthy coping skills,” he shared. “I was not in the right mindset when I first used. I was not okay. If somebody had sat me down and told me, ‘We can help you,’ it could have saved me years of pain. That’s why we need this now. We need to offer students the opportunity to get help before it’s too late.”

Horning is determined to ensure that no student has to face the same struggles he did. His initiative is not only aimed at providing support for those already struggling with substance use but also preventing others from ever going down that difficult path.

“The only way I found recovery was by chance,” he admitted. “That’s the best way I can put it. Recovery is important, but when you are in an active addiction, it feels impossible to get through to someone. That’s why, eight months ago, I would have called you crazy if you told me I’d be standing here today. But now, I’m here. I have made myself a better person, and I want to give back for what I have found.”

Horning and district officials are now seeking approval from the school board and the community to bring this initiative to life in Warren County schools. Their goal is to integrate substance use prevention education into the curriculum, provide resources for students and families, and ensure that Narcan is available in AED boxes to help prevent potential overdose deaths.

“We don’t have to live in tragedy like other schools have,” Horning said. “We need to teach students how to use Narcan, how to stay alive, and most importantly, how to find a way out of addiction. Recovery is possible, and I want to show others that they don’t have to suffer alone.”

HORNING’S PROPOSAL

Horning’s written proposal outlines five key goals for the pilot initiative: Enhance school safety by increasing access to Narcan for emergency overdose response. Educate the school community about substance use prevention, intervention, and response strategies. Establish a student club focused on substance use awareness, prevention, and peer education to increase awareness and reduce stigma surrounding substance use disorder. Actively engage stakeholders, including students, staff, families, and community partners, to establish an anonymous and supportive program where students can learn about and advocate for substance use prevention. Create a district-sponsored club dedicated to promoting substance use prevention and education.

Hawley-Mead emphasized that while Narcan is already available in nurse’s offices during school hours, having it in AED boxes would ensure it’s accessible during after-school activities and weekend events.

“This proposal aims to make Narcan more widely available and accessible to first responders during emergencies, regardless of the time of day,” she said. “We want to ensure that this life-saving measure is available whenever and wherever it’s needed.”

Horning also reached out to Family Services of Warren County, which has expressed strong support for the initiative.

“They are very, very responsive towards this program,” Horning said. “I’ve spoken with counselors, including Nicole Neukum, executive director, and they’re all willing to give us whatever we need to make this a success.”

School board member Mary Passinger asked Horning if he felt comfortable sharing the personal story behind his addiction.

“It was really a lot of depression and unhealthy coping skills,” Horning responded. “I was not in the right mindset when I first used. If someone had told me, ‘We can help you,’ it could have saved me from years of pain.”

Board member John Wortman commended Horning for his bravery in speaking out and bringing this important issue to the district’s attention.

“There is nothing more important than standing up for what you believe in,” Wortman said. “The proposals outlined here will help make a significant, positive impact on students in Warren County. And that’s something we can all support.”

Superintendent Gary Weber also voiced his strong support for the initiative.

“We are 100% behind this initiative,” he said. “It’s clear that Jessie and Dr. Mead have worked hard to bring together stakeholders and develop a plan that will have a lasting and positive impact. We want to make sure this program is sustainable, and we’re committed to supporting it every step of the way.”

The district is currently reviewing Horning’s proposal, and community members are encouraged to get involved in supporting this critical initiative. For updates and information on how to help, individuals can reach out to district officials or Family Services of Warren County.

With this initiative, Horning hopes to not only save lives but also inspire others to break free from addiction and reclaim their futures.

“Recovery is possible,” he said. “And I want to show others that they don’t have to suffer alone.”

Source: https://www.timesobserver.com/news/local-news/2025/03/student-leads-charge-for-substance-use-prevention/

Filed under: Addiction,Alcohol,Cannabis/Marijuana,Culture,Education,Mental Health,Opioids,Prescription Drugs,Prevention and Intervention,Treatment and Addiction,USA,Youth :
by Ioulia Kondratovitch – UNODC

Globally, the number of people who used drugs rose to 292 million in 2022 – a 20 per cent increase over 10 years.  The UN Office on Drugs and Crime’s (UNODC) 2024 World Drug Report shows that the emergence of new synthetic opioids and a record supply and demand of other drugs have compounded the impacts of the world drug problem, including overdoses, violence, instability, environmental harms and more.

The Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND), the United Nations’ central drug policy-making body, is meeting this week to take stock of progress made in the implementation of international drug policy commitments.

Below, learn more about the CND and why it matters.

The basics

The CND is where UN member states set policy on all issues related to drugs. 53 Member States from all regions of the world are elected to serve four-year terms.

UNODC acts as Secretariat to the CND.

Why does the CND matter?

Drug production, trafficking and consumption can cause violence, instability and even death.

UNODC’s 2024 World Drug Report found that 64 million people worldwide suffered from drug use disorders in 2022, with only one in 11 in treatment.

Drug trafficking is empowering organized crime groups, who are also engaged in other crimes including human trafficking, online scams, fraud and illegal resource extraction.

A new record high of cocaine production has coincided with a rise in violence in states along the supply chain, as well as an increase in health harms in countries of destination. Meanwhile, nitazenes – a group of synthetic opioids which can be even more potent than fentanyl – have recently emerged in several high-income countries, resulting in an increase in overdose deaths.

How does it work?

CND reviews and analyses the global drug situation and takes action through resolutions and decisions. At this year’s CND, Member States will be discussing resolutions on preventing drug use among children; research on evidence-based interventions for the treatment and care of stimulant use disorders; alternative development; safety of officers in dismantling synthetic opioid laboratories; the impact of drugs on the environment; and strengthening the global drug control framework.

The CND also decides, based on recommendations by the World Health Organization and the International Narcotics Control Board, on which substances will be placed under international control – or “scheduled” – under the three international drug control treaties.

These conventions help prevent the abuse of psychoactive substances, protecting individuals, communities and entire countries from drug use epidemics while reducing crime and violence. They also ensure that these substances are available for necessary medical and scientific purposes.

International scheduling of substances, including precursor chemicals, helps law enforcement efforts to curb production and trafficking of dangerous drugs.

Why are we talking about it now?

In recognition of these new and persistent challenges, the CND adopted the 2019 Ministerial Declaration to accelerate the implementation of the international drug policy commitments made since 2009.

At last year’s CND, Member States made new commitments under the “Pledge4Action” on how they could expedite actions to tackle the world drug problem. This year, Member States will report on efforts to fulfill these pledges, as well as have an opportunity to make new ones.

What else is the UN doing to address the world drug problem?

UNODC collects, analyses and reports data on drug trends and developments. Find more in our 2024 World Drug Report, Afghanistan Drug Insights Series, Colombia and Bolivia coca surveys, and Myanmar opium survey.

Additionally, by strengthening the ability of Member States to detect and intercept illicit drug flows at borders and equipping front-line officers with testing equipment, UNODC bolsters countries’ national security by disrupting the operations and profits of organized drug trafficking groups. Making borders and key shipping routes less vulnerable to exploitation also fosters a safer environment for legitimate business and trade, contributing to a more stable and resilient global economy.

UNODC also works with Member States to support the prevention of drug use; treatment and rehabilitation for people who use drugs; and access to controlled drugs for medical purposes.

Source: https://www.unodc.org/unodc/news/2025/March/explainer_-what-is-the-commission-on-narcotic-drugs.html

Filed under: Australia,Canada,Europe,New Zealand,Others (International News),UK,USA :

New Drug Prevention Guide issued to all schools to raise awareness about drug abuse

Abdulla Rasheed (Abu Dhabi Editor)  Last updated: 
The Ministry of Interior has warned adolescents and young individuals of both genders against the dangers of consuming certain medications, including sedatives, that can lead to addiction and even death due to excessive, non-prescribed use.Supplied

Abu Dhabi: The Ministry of Interior (MoI), in collaboration with the Drug Control Council and the National Drug Prevention Programme, has issued a Drug Prevention Guide, which has been distributed to all schools across the country.

Through the guide, the ministry has warned adolescents and young individuals of both genders against the dangers of consuming certain medications, including sedatives, that can lead to addiction and even death due to excessive, non-prescribed use.

What are sedatives?

Sedatives are medications designed to calm the patient and induce sleep by altering nerve signals in the central nervous system. They are commonly used to treat anxiety, stress, seizures, panic attacks, and sleep disorders.

Sedatives must be used with extreme caution. Misuse or mixing them with substances like alcohol can result in severe health complications, potentially life-threatening. Overuse can inhibit critical nerve signals to the heart, lungs, and other organs, leading to dangerous side effects.

Parents should be aware of the following indicators of sedative addiction:

• Unusual or aggressive behaviour.

• Lack of focus and attention.

• Health issues such as memory loss, movement difficulties, and low blood pressure.

Myths debunked

The guide also cautions against widespread misconceptions among students, such as the belief that these medications can treat depression, relieve physical fatigue, boost energy levels, or enhance memory. The ministry has clarified that such beliefs are entirely false and misleading. It said individuals who consume these drugs without a medical prescription risk falling into the trap of addiction, which can ultimately lead to fatal consequences.

The Ministry of Education has ensured its distribution to schools to assist parents in early detection of substance abuse, protect their children, and educate them on their role in safeguarding their kids from these harmful substances. It also raises legal awareness and provides details on how to access treatment and rehabilitation services within the country.

Additionally, the guide highlights seven key protective factors that can help prevent children from substance abuse. It warns against synthetic drugs disguised as dried leaves, which have devastating effects, as well as the misuse of prescription medications, which can lead to addiction and severe health complications, including death.

Risks of drug abuse

The first chapter of the “Parents’ Guide to Drug Prevention” provides information on the various substances that children might be exposed to and details their health consequences. These include:

• Physical effects: Heart and blood pressure disorders, digestive system complications, severe weight loss, liver infections, immune system deficiencies, epilepsy, and sudden death.

• Psychological effects: Sleep disorders, delusions, hallucinations, schizophrenia, anxiety, depression, social withdrawal, emotional instability, and suicidal tendencies.

• Economic effects: Reduced individual productivity and financial burdens associated with drug use and treatment.

The guide also covers different types of drugs, including inhalants, such as lighter gases, paint fumes, and glue, which are easily accessible but cause severe health risks, including brain and liver damage, limb numbness, headaches, nausea, hallucinations, kidney failure, respiratory failure, and allergic reactions around the nose and mouth.

Recognising signs of drug use

The guide outlines key indicators that can help identify drug abuse, such as:

• Excessive talking and hyperactivity without a clear reason.

• Unusual jaw movements (circular or counter-directional).

• High blood pressure, paranoia, and aggressive behavior.

The guide also warns against addiction to certain prescription medications like:

Painkillers, which can cause respiratory depression, brain damage, and even death.

Depressants, which may result in blurred vision, nausea, difficulty concentrating, and fatal consequences if combined with alcohol.

Stimulants, which can lead to high body temperature, paranoia, and other harmful effects when misused.

Parents can detect prevent drug addiction among children in the following ways:

     2. Open dialogue: Engaging in calm discussions with children about concerns without making accusations.

     3. Empathy and understanding: Being prepared for emotional reactions, such as anger or threats of leaving home, and responding with reassurance and support.

     4. Being firm but loving: Setting clear household rules while expressing care and concern.

     5. Persistence: If discussions become overwhelming, parents should take a break and resume later.

     6. Seeking professional guidance: If a child refuses to talk or get help, parents should consult treatment centers for advice.

     7.Consulting specialists: Parents should seek expert assistance to organise their thoughts and receive proper guidance.

 

Source: https://gulfnews.com/uae/government/uae-ministry-warns-students-against-consuming-sedatives-1.500050438

Filed under: Addiction,Drug use-various effects,Education,Others (International News),Prevention and Intervention,Youth :
Authors:
Christopher Williams
Kenneth W. Griffin
Sandra M. Sousa
Gilbert J Botvin – Weill Cornell Medicine
www.researchgate.net
  • February 2025
  • Psychology of Addictive Behaviors

Abstract and Figures

Objective: School-based health promotion programs can have a positive effect on behavioral and social outcomes among adolescents. Yet, limited classroom time and suboptimal program implementation can reduce the potential impact of these interventions. In the present randomized trial, we tested the effectiveness of a classroom-based substance use prevention program that was adapted for hybrid implementation. Method: The hybrid adaptation included eight asynchronous e-learning modules that presented didactic content and eight classroom sessions designed to facilitate discussion and practice of refusal, personal self-management, and general social skills. Nineteen high schools were randomly assigned to intervention or control conditions. Students (N = 1,235) completed confidential online pretest and posttest surveys to assess the effects of the intervention on tobacco and alcohol use and life skills. The sample was 50.7% female and 35.5% non-White with a mean age of 15.2 years. Results: Analyses revealed significant program effects on current cigarette smoking, alcohol use, drunkenness, and intentions for future use. There were also program effects for communication, media resistance, anxiety management, and refusal skills. Conclusions: Taken together, these findings suggest that hybrid approaches can produce robust prevention effects and may help reduce barriers to the widespread adoption and implementation of evidence-based prevention programs.

 

To access the full document:  Click on the ‘Source’ link below.

Source:  https://www.researchgate.net/publication/389399186_Preventing_tobacco_and_alcohol_use_among_high_school_students_through_a_hybrid_online_and_in-class_intervention_A_randomized_controlled_trial/fulltext/67c174cb207c0c20fa9ac7ba/Preventing-Tobacco-and-Alcohol-Use-Among-High-School-Students-Through-a-Hybrid-Online-and-In-Class-Intervention-A-Randomized-Controlled-Trial.pdf?

Filed under: Alcohol,Education,Nicotine,Prevention and Intervention,USA,Youth :

Consumption of alcoholic beverages could make people more likely to experiment with other drugs

Melissa Rudy
by Melissa Rudy Fox News  – Published 
Longevity doctor reacts to alcohol cancer advisory: ‘It’s about time’

Following the U.S. surgeon general’s new advisory warning of alcohol’s link to multiple cancers, Dr. Brett Osborn, a Florida neurosurgeon and longevity doctor, speaks with Fox News Digital about alcohol’s toxic effects on the brain and body.

A vast majority of American adults say they have consumed alcohol at some point — yet experts warn that alcoholic beverages could be a “gateway drug” to more harmful substances.

More than 84% of adults in the U.S. report having drunk alcohol in their lifetime, according to the 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH).

That same survey found that among underage Americans (12 to 17 years of age), more than 21% had consumed alcohol.

What is a ‘gateway drug’?

Dr. Kenneth Spielvogel, senior medical officer at Carrara Treatment in California, defined a “gateway drug” as a substance that exposes someone to other drugs.

Man drinking alcohol

More than 84% of adults in the U.S. report having drunk alcohol in their lifetime, according to the 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. (iStock)

Marijuana is often pegged as a “classic gateway drug,” he told Fox News Digital, as it can lead to cocaine, heroin and other “harder drugs” that present a greater threat to loss of life via impaired driving and other volatile behaviors.

“Alcohol maintains a firm grip on a large portion of the adult population.”

“Any substance that impairs judgment is potentially a gateway drug, in my opinion — however, alcohol is the king of this,” Spielvogel said. “It maintains a firm grip on a large portion of the adult population.”

“I personally have seen the ravages of this — hungover victims turn to meth, cocaine and other drugs for the ‘pick me up’ they feel they need.”

Why alcohol can be a ‘gateway’

For many young people, alcohol is the first substance they try, according to Chris Tuell, a clinical psychotherapist and a chemical and behavioral addiction specialist at the Lindner Center in Mason, Ohio. This makes them more likely to experiment with other drugs later.

“Most people can use alcohol and it does not become problematic — but for some, it is destroying their lives,” he said in an interview with Fox News Digital.

Smoking marijuana

Marijuana is often pegged as a “classic gateway drug,” but one expert said that “alcohol is the king” when it comes to impairing judgment. (iStock)

Consumption of alcohol impairs judgment and decision-making, which can lead to riskier behaviors, including trying other substances, Tuell noted.

“Studies indicate that alcohol alters brain chemistry in ways that increase susceptibility to drug addiction,” the expert cautioned.

Jeremy Klemanski, addiction specialist and CEO of Gateway Foundation in Chicago, echoes his belief that alcohol is a gateway drug.

“We often hear reports from patients that they only use or started using while drinking, or that they were first exposed to alcohol and then tried other drugs for greater physical symptoms and feelings,” he told Fox News Digital.

friends with drinks

Research from the National Institute of Drug Abuse suggests that early exposure to alcohol can “prime the brain” for heightened responses to other drugs. (iStock)

“It is also important to note that once a person has used one mind-altering substance, their general thinking skills are impaired on some level,” he went on. “Other things they might not normally do become easier to justify or accept as an idea to act on.”

There is also a neurological element that comes into play, according to Dr. David Campbell, clinical director and program director at Recover Together Bend in Oregon.

“Alcohol affects neurotransmitter systems that are involved in the reward pathways that are similarly targeted by other drugs,” he told Fox News Digital.

Research from the National Institute of Drug Abuse suggests that early exposure to alcohol can “prime the brain” for heightened responses to other drugs, perhaps increasing the risks of the “gateway effect,” Campbell added.

Other factors at play

Experts emphasized that correlation does not equal causation.

“Just because people who use harder drugs often drink alcohol first does not necessarily mean alcohol caused their drug use,” Tuell noted.

Refusing beer

“There are few drugs where the sudden stoppage of their use can be deadly — alcohol is one of these,” an addiction specialist warned. (iStock)

Campbell agreed, noting that many “contextual factors and psychosocial stressors” should be considered within the broader context of someone’s life.

“Social environment, stressors, ease and proximity to access, social influences, mental health conditions, childhood trauma, genetics and other biological factors may all play a role,” he told Fox News Digital.

When and how to stop

Spielvogel shared some warning signs that someone may be dependent on alcohol and more susceptible to trying other harmful substances.

“One sign is if they have ever tried to cut down on their drinking and failed,” he said. “Also, they may be annoyed when asked about their alcohol consumption.”

People with alcohol dependency may also feel guilty when they drink, or they might consume alcoholic beverages in the morning, he added.

“It is very important that if someone has a use disorder, they seek professional help for their detox and recovery.”

Stopping “cold turkey” may not be the healthiest route, Spielvogel cautioned.

“There are few drugs where the sudden stoppage of their use can be deadly — alcohol is one of these,” he said.

“I cannot stress this enough; it is very important that if someone has a use disorder, they seek professional help for their detox and recovery, whether it’s a private treatment facility or going to a medical professional.”

“Do not do this on your own.”

Melissa Rudy is senior health editor and a member of the lifestyle team at Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to melissa.rudy@fox.com.

 

Source: https://www.foxnews.com/health/drinking-alcohol-can-lead-other-substance-use-addiction-experts-warn

Filed under: Addiction,Alcohol,Prevention and Intervention,USA :

University of Southern California – Mar 3 2025

A new USC-led study provides the first nationwide picture of who knows about, carries, and uses naloxone to reverse deadly opioid overdoses.

Mireille Jacobson, professor of gerontology at the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology and a senior fellow at the USC Schaeffer Center for Health Policy & Economics, said the study was conducted to address the lack of comprehensive data on access to the lifesaving medication and eventually to support work on how it affects the number of deaths attributed to opioid overdoses in the U.S.

There have been many analyses of how new policies, including naloxone becoming available through pharmacy dispensation, correlate with reductions in opioid deaths, but we don’t know exactly how much of the improvement is directly due to naloxone use versus any of the various other things being done to address this crisis at the same time. We don’t really have any data on who knows what naloxone is for, carries it, and administers in the case of an overdose. We’re trying to fill in a missing link.”

Mireille Jacobson, professor of gerontology, USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology

Addressing an epidemic

In the study, Jacobson and coauthor David Powell, a senior economist at RAND, note the critical need to tackle the ongoing opioid crisis, which has had profound effects in the U.S, and understand the impacts of measures intended to address the devastating rate of overdose deaths.

Of the more than 100,000 drug overdose deaths that occurred nationwide in 2023, more than 75% of them involved opioids, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Previous USC Leonard Davis School research has also shown how opioid overdose deaths have contributed to the widening gap in life expectancy between the United States and other high-income countries.

Since 2023, naloxone has been available over the counter, in hopes that wider availability would encourage more people to have the drug at the ready to save the life of someone overdosing. However, the lack of reliable, nationwide data on who was buying, carrying, and using naloxone has hindered research on how to best prevent overdose deaths, Jacobson said.

“With the problem being so widespread, one question is how to most effectively manage this crisis,” she said. “To know where to put our resources, we need to know about the actual ways this medication gets to the people who will use it. Our goal was to fill in the data and allow people to understand the mechanisms.”

Online surveys shed light

In June 2024, Jacobson and Powell conducted an online survey of two groups of participants. The first group was a nationally representative sample of 1515 people over the age of 18 not living in an institutional setting, while the second group contained 512 individuals who reported currently or ever having opioid dependence. Additionally, 50 respondents, or 3.3%, from the national sample also reported opioid dependence, bringing the total number of people reporting their own dependence on opioids to 562.

 

  • 700 (46.2%) reported having heard of naloxone and correctly identified it as a drug to reduce opioid overdoses.
  • 160 people, or 10.6%, said they carried naloxone with them.
  • 128 people (8.4%) said they had administered naloxone to someone else, while 93 respondents (6.1%) said they had been administered naloxone themselves.

Among the 562 individuals reporting current or prior opioid dependence:

  • 500 people (89%) had heard of naloxone and knew its purpose.
  • 340 respondents (60.5%) reported carrying naloxone.
  • 267 (47.5%) reported administering the drug to someone else, and 221 (39.3%) said naloxone had been administered to them.

The survey also showed that a person’s perception of the risk of overdose, either for themselves or for someone they know, correlated with the choice to carry naloxone. Of the survey respondents in the national sample who reported themselves as “very likely to overdose,” 31% carried naloxone, and in the sample of people reporting opioid dependence, nearly 74% of those who said they had a high likelihood of overdosing carried the drug. The likelihood of carrying naloxone followed a similar pattern among those who stated that they knew someone else who was very likely to overdose.

Another notable finding concerned how people obtained the naloxone they carried. Among those who have ever carried naloxone, only 42% of those in the national sample, and just 22.6% of those who reported opioid dependence, said they purchased the medicine themselves. These results highlight the problem with estimating naloxone availability based on pharmacy sales, as it excludes the hospitals, clinics, and other community organizations who give the drug away for free, Jacobson explained.

Next steps

While the data provides some of the first nationwide insights on who has and uses naloxone, this is just a starting point for future research, Jacobson said.

She explained that she’s eager for the results to be examined and validated in other larger, more robust surveys, including in the USC Understanding America Survey. Ideally, future study will uncover the best ways to teach people about naloxone and the most efficient avenues to get the drug to the people who will use it to save lives.

“The hope is that we can look at this more longitudinally and in more detail,” Jacobson said.

Source: https://www.news-medical.net/news/20250303/USC-study-sheds-light-on-nationwide-naloxone-awareness-and-use.aspx
Filed under: Addiction,Opioids,Prevalence,USA :
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United Nations
The United Nations Office at Geneva

 

Synthetic drugs are rapidly transforming the global drug trade, fuelling an escalating public health crisis, according to the UN administered International Narcotics Control Board (INCB).

In its 2024 Annual Report, released on Tuesday, the INCB explains that unlike plant-based drugs, these substances can be made anywhere, without the need for large-scale cultivation, making them easier and cheaper for traffickers to produce and distribute.

The rise of powerful opioids like fentanyl and nitazenes – potent enough to cause overdoses in tiny doses – has worsened the crisis, driving record-high deaths.

“We need to work together to take stronger action against this deadly problem which is causing hundreds of deaths and untold harm to communities,” he continued.

Traffickers stay ahead of regulations

Criminal groups are constantly adapting to evade law enforcement.

By exploiting legal loopholes, they develop new synthetic compounds and use artificial intelligence to find alternative chemicals for drug production.

New smuggling methods – including drones and postal deliveries – make these drugs harder to detect.

As a result, seizures of synthetic substances are now outpacing those of traditional plant-based drugs like heroin and cocaine.

Patchwork response

Despite efforts to curb synthetic drugs, responses remain fragmented, allowing traffickers to stay ahead.

The INCB is calling for stronger global cooperation, including partnerships between governments, private companies and international organizations, to disrupt supply chains and prevent harm.

Medication out of reach

While synthetic drugs flood illegal markets, millions of people in low- and middle-income countries still lack access to essential pain relief medication.

The report highlights that opioid painkillers such as morphine, remain unavailable in regions like Africa, South Asia and Central America – not due to supply shortages, but because of barriers in distribution and regulation.

The INCB is urging opioid-producing nations to increase production and affordability to improve palliative care and pain management.

Regional hotspots concerns

The report identifies several regions where synthetic drug trafficking is expanding.

In Europe, the looming heroin deficit following Afghanistan’s 2022 opium ban could push more users toward synthetic alternatives while in North America, despite efforts to curb the crisis, synthetic opioid-related deaths remain at record highs.

The manufacture, trafficking and use of amphetamine-type stimulants are increasing across the Middle East and Africa, where treatment and rehabilitation services are often inadequate.

Meanwhile, in the Asia-Pacific region, methamphetamine and ketamine trafficking continues to grow, particularly in the Golden Triangle.

Call for urgent action

The INCB is urging governments to strengthen international collaboration, improve data-sharing and expand drug prevention and treatment services.

Without decisive action, the synthetic drug trade will continue to evolve, putting more lives at risk.

 

Source: ‘Rapid expansion’ of synthetic drugs reshaping illicit markets, UN anti-narcotics body warns
Filed under: Australia,Canada,Europe,Fentanyl,New Zealand,Others (International News),Prevalence,Prevention and Intervention,Synthetics,UK,USA :

Arizona State University

Children seen from behind sit next to each other with their arms around each other while looking out at a large body of water.

Over the past 20 years, science-based interventions and treatments using a statistical method called mediation analysis have contributed to reduced rates of smoking and drinking among teenagers and young adults in the U.S. Research from Arizona State University has developed these statistical techniques, which save time and money and are now used widely in psychology, sociology, biology, education and medicine. Many of available medical treatment options are the result of clinical trials that used mediation to figure out what worked.

Image by Duy Pham/Unsplash

by Kimberlee D’Ardenne –

Smoking rates among teenagers today are much lower than they were a generation ago, decreasing from 36% in the late 1990s to 9% today. The rates of alcohol consumption among underage drinkers have also decreased. At the turn of the century, people aged 12–20 years drank 11% of all the alcohol consumed in the U.S. Today, they only drink 3%.

These decreases are in part the result of science-based interventions that were designed to prevent substance use. But these interventions would not have been possible without statistical methods, including a statistical method called mediation analysis that lets researchers understand why an intervention or treatment succeeds or fails. Mediation analysis also identifies how aspects of a substance use reduction program or medical treatment cause its success.

About this story

There’s a reason research matters. It creates technologies, medicines and other solutions to the biggest challenges we face. It touches your life in numerous ways every day, from the roads you drive on to the phone in your pocket.

The ASU research in this article was possible only because of the longstanding agreement between the U.S. government and America’s research universities. That compact provides that universities would not only undertake the research but would also build the necessary infrastructure in exchange for grants from the government.

That agreement and all the economic and societal benefits that come from such research have recently been put at risk.

Prevention makes our lives better — and it saves money. Though smoking and drinking rates among adolescents are on the decline, there is still room for mediation analyses to save the U.S. more money. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, misusing alcohol costs the U.S. $249 billion. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that cigarette smoking costs the U.S. around $600 billion, including $240 billion in health care spending and over $300 billion in lost productivity from smoking-related deaths and illnesses.

David MacKinnon, Regents Professor of psychology at Arizona State University, has been studying and using mediation analyses for the past 35 years because of the many practical applications — and because they work really well.

“I like using science and math to address serious health problems like smoking, drug abuse and heart disease,” MacKinnon said. “Mediation analyses let us extract a lot of information from data and have the promise of identifying mechanisms by which effects occur that could be applicable to other situations.”

Unlike a third wheel, third variables are crucial — and causal

There are many paths to a teenager ending up struggling with substance abuse. They might struggle with impulsivity in general — or they might have parents who fight often, or maybe their friends get drunk most weekends.

Because there is more than one way to connect risk factors to substance use, scientists often have to take an indirect path that considers variables like parenting style or peer influences.

“Most research looks at the relationship between two variables — like risk-taking and substance use — but there can be a lot happening in between, and those ‘third variables’ can cause the outcome,” MacKinnon explains.

Long-lasting impacts

Adolescents who experiment with drugs and alcohol at a young age are more likely to develop lifelong substance abuse problems. A psychology department research team led by Nancy Gonzales, executive vice president and university provost, used mediation to create a program that decreases alcohol use in teenagers who started drinking at a young age.

The program brought families to their child’s school for a series of interactive sessions. Each session taught a skill, such as good listening practices or strategies for talking about difficult topics, and parents and students practiced as a family. Just spending 18 hours in the program produced protective effects against teenage alcohol misuse that lasted at least five years. By their senior year, kids who had participated in the program as seventh graders were drinking less.

This reduced alcohol consumption is important because even small reductions in adolescent drinking can have a cascade effect on other public health problems like alcoholism and drug abuse disorders, risky sexual behavior and other health problems.

Helping children of divorce

Close to half of all marriages in the U.S. end in divorce, affecting over 1 million children each year. These children are at an increased risk of struggling in school, experiencing mental health or substance use problems and engaging in risky sexual behavior. Mediation analyses have shown that a lot of these risks stem from conflict between divorced or separated parents, which creates fear of abandonment in children and contributes to future mental health symptoms.

Prevention scientists working in ASU’s Research and Education Advancing Children’s Health Institute leveraged decades of work using mediation to create an online parenting skills program for separated or divorced couples. The program reduces interparental conflict and decreases children’s anxiety and depression symptoms.

The answers to ‘why’ and ‘how’ questions save time and money

How much do school-based prevention programs decrease teen vaping rates? Why do monetary incentives and mobile clinics increase local vaccination rates?

Answering “how” and “why” questions like these require scientists to figure out what exactly caused a decrease in teen vaping or the reasons that caused more people to roll up their sleeves and get vaccinated. Causation can happen in many ways and can even be indirect, and mediation can accurately find the cause.

Mediation analysis strategies MacKinnon has developed are now used widely, in medicine, psychology, sociology, biology and education. And, many of the treatment options our doctors can offer us are possible because of clinical trials that used mediation to figure out what worked.

Mediation analysis lets researchers pull more information from scientific studies, which is why the National Institutes of Health recommends research proposals include a section evaluating why and how treatments or interventions work.

Source: https://news.asu.edu/20250304-science-and-technology-asu-research-helps-prevent-substance-abuse-mental-health-problems

Filed under: Brain and Behaviour,Culture,Education,Mental Health,Prevention and Intervention,USA,Youth :

 

(KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs of KFF — the independent source for health policy research, polling and journalism.)

by Aneri Pattani / KFF Health News (TNS)  –  March 3, 2025 at 8:45 p.m.

Jennifer Carroll, a public health and addiction researcher at North Carolina State University, wrote a national guide on how counties can invest opioid settlement funds in youth-focused prevention. (Nathaniel Gaertner/TNS)
Jennifer Carroll, a public health and addiction researcher at North Carolina State University, wrote a national guide on how counties can invest opioid settlement funds in youth-focused prevention. (Nathaniel Gaertner/TNS)

A Kentucky county nestled in the heart of Appalachia, where the opioid crisis has wreaked devastation for decades, spent $15,000 of its opioid settlement money on an ice rink.

That amount wasn’t enough to solve the county’s troubles, but it could have bought 333 kits of Narcan, a medication that can reverse opioid overdoses. Instead, people are left wondering how a skating rink addresses addiction or fulfills the settlement money’s purpose of remediating the harms of opioids.

Like other local jurisdictions nationwide, Carter County is set to receive a windfall of more than $1 million over the next decade-plus from companies that sold prescription painkillers and were accused of fueling the overdose crisis.

County officials and proponents of the rink say offering youths drug-free fun like skating is an appropriate use of the money. They provided free entry for students who completed the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) curriculum, recovery program participants, and foster families.

But for Brittany Herrington, who grew up in the region and became addicted to painkillers that were flooding the community in the early 2000s, the spending decision is “heartbreaking.”

“How is ice-skating going to teach [kids] how to navigate recovery, how to address these issues within their home, how to understand the disease of addiction?” said Herrington, who is now in long-term recovery and works for a community mental health center, as well as a regional coalition to address substance use.

She and other local advocates agreed that kids deserve enriching activities, but they said the community has more pressing needs that the settlement money was intended to cover.

Carter County’s drug overdose death rate consistently surpasses state and national averages. From 2018 to 2021, when overdose deaths were spiking across the country, the rate was 2.5 times as high in Carter County, according to the research organization NORC.

Other communities have used similar amounts of settlement funding to train community health workers to help people with addiction, and to buy a car to drive people in recovery to job interviews and doctors’ appointments.

Local advocates say $15,000 could have expanded innovative projects already operating in northeastern Kentucky, like First Day Forward, which helps people leaving jail, many of whom have a substance use disorder, and the second-chance employment program at the University of Kentucky’s St. Claire health system, which hires people in recovery to work in the system and pays for them to attend college or a certification program.

“We’ve got these amazing programs that we know are effective,” Herrington said. “And we’re putting an ice-skating rink in. That’s insane to me.”

A yearlong investigation by KFF Health News, along with researchers at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health and the national nonprofit Shatterproof, found many jurisdictions spent settlement funds on items and services with tenuous, if any, connections to addiction. Oregon City, Oregon, spent about $30,000 on screening first responders for heart disease. Flint, Michigan, bought a nearly $10,000 sign for a community service center building , and Robeson County, North Carolina, paid about $10,000 for a toy robot ambulance.

Although most of the settlement agreements come with national guidelines explaining the money should be spent on treatment, recovery, and prevention efforts, there is little oversight and the guidelines are open to interpretation.

A Kentucky law lists more than two dozen suggested uses of the funds, including providing addiction treatment in jail and educating the public about opioid disposal. But it is plagued by a similar lack of oversight and broad interpretability.

Chris Huddle and Harley Rayburn, both of whom are elected Carter County magistrates who help administer the county government, told KFF Health News they were confident the ice rink was an allowable, appropriate use of settlement funds because of reassurances from Reneé Parsons, executive director of the Business Cultivation Foundation. The foundation aims to alleviate poverty and related issues, such as addiction, through economic development in northeastern Kentucky.

The Carter County Times reported that Parsons has helped at least nine local organizations apply for settlement dollars. County meeting minutes show she brought the skating rink proposal to county leaders on behalf of the city of Grayson’s tourism commission, asking the county to cover about a quarter of the project’s cost.

In an email, Parsons told KFF Health News that the rink — which was built in downtown Grayson last year and hosted fundraisers for youth clubs and sports teams during the holiday season — serves to “promote family connection and healing” while “laying the groundwork for a year-round hockey program.”

“Without investments in prevention, recovery, and economic development, we risk perpetuating the cycle of addiction in future generations,” she added.

Icelandic Model of Prevention

Reneé Parsons went on to say that the rink, as well as an $80,000 investment of opioid settlement funds to expand music and theater programs at a community center, fit with the principles of the Icelandic prevention model, “which has been unofficially accepted in our region.”

That model is a collaborative community-based approach to preventing substance use that has been highly effective at reducing teenage alcohol use in Iceland over the past 20 years. Instead of expecting children to “just say no,” it focuses on creating an environment where young people can thrive without drugs.

Part of this effort can involve creating fun activities like music classes, theatrical shows, and even ice-skating. But the intervention also requires building a coalition of parents, school staffers, faith leaders, public health workers, researchers, and others, and conducting rigorous data collection, including annual student surveys.

About 120 miles west of Carter County, another Kentucky county has for the past several years been implementing the Icelandic model. Franklin County’s Just Say Yes program includes more than a dozen collaborating organizations and an in-depth annual youth survey. The project began with support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and has also received opioid settlement dollars from the state.

Parsons did not respond to specific questions about whether Carter County has taken the full complement of steps at the core of the Icelandic model.

If it hasn’t, it can’t expect to get the same results, said Jennifer Carroll, a researcher who studies substance use and wrote a national guide on investing settlement funds in youth-focused prevention.

“Pulling apart different elements, at best, is usually going to waste your money and, at worst, can be counterproductive or even harmful,” she said.

At least one Carter County magistrate has come to regret spending settlement funds on the skating rink.

Millard Cordle told KFF Health News that, after seeing the rink operate over the holidays, he felt it was “a mistake.” Although younger children seemed to enjoy it, older kids didn’t engage as much, nor did it benefit rural parts of the county, he said. In the future, he’d rather see settlement money help get drugs off the street and offer people treatment or job training.

“We all learn as we go along,” he said. “I know there’s not an easy solution. But I think this money can help make a dent.”

As of 2024, Carter County had received more than $630,000 in opioid settlement funds and was set to receive more than $1.5 million over the coming decade, according to online records from the court-appointed settlement administrator.

It’s not clear how much of that money has been spent, beyond the $15,000 for the ice rink and $80,000 for the community arts center.

It’s also uncertain who, if anyone, has the power to determine whether the rink was an allowable use of the money or whether the county would face repercussions.

Kentucky’s Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission, which controls half the state’s opioid settlement funds and serves as a leading voice on this money, declined to comment.

Cities and counties are required to submit quarterly certifications to the commission, promising that their spending is in line with state guidelines. However, the reports provide no detail about how the money is used, leaving the commission with little actionable insight.

At a January meeting, commission members voted to create a reporting system for local governments that would provide more detailed information, potentially opening the door to greater oversight.

That would be a welcome change, said John Bowman, a person in recovery in northeastern Kentucky, who called the money Carter County spent on the ice ink “a waste.”

Bowman works on criminal justice reform with the national nonprofit Dream.org and encounters people with substance use disorders daily, as they struggle to find treatment, a safe place to live, and transportation. Some have to drive over an hour to the doctor, he said — if they have a car.

He hopes local leaders will use settlement funds to address problems like those in the future.

“Let’s use this money for what it’s for,” he said.

 

Source: https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2025/mar/03/an-ice-rink-to-fight-opioid-crisis-drug-free-fun/

Filed under: Opioids,Prevalence,Prevention and Intervention,USA :

by Monte Stiles, drug-watch-international@googlegroups.com

In a decisive victory, the Idaho House of Representatives has passed HJR 4 with an overwhelming 58-10 vote.

HJR 4 proposes a constitutional amendment that would give Idahoans the power to proactively determine the state’s future regarding drug legalization and normalization. If approved by the Senate and ratified by voters in November 2026, this amendment will ensure that ONLY the Idaho Legislature has the authority to legalize the manufacture, sale, possession, and use of marijuana, narcotics, and other psychoactive substances—preventing outside influences from dictating Idaho’s future.

Idaho’s firm stance against foolish laws and policies has earned it the reputation of being “the most hostile state in America for drug legalization.” The passage of HJR 4 reinforces this position, further establishing Idaho as “an island of sanity in a sea of insanity.”

With 29 co-sponsors in the House and 19 in the Senate, the bill now moves to the Senate for consideration.

Note to readers in USA: Please take a moment to thank your Representatives for taking this important proactive stand in protecting Idaho’s future. And then let your Senators know of your support.

Source: Drug Watch International

Filed under: Cannabis/Marijuana,Drug Specifics,Political Sector,Prevalence,Prevention and Intervention,USA :

National Crime Agency exposes increasing ketamine use in England amid surge in ‘drug cocktails’

Ketamine usage more than doubled in England last year amid the rising popularity of designer “drug cocktails”, The Telegraph can reveal.

The largest and most accurate study of its kind, conducted on behalf of the National Crime Agency (NCA), has exposed a dramatic rise in the popularity of the drug.

Almost 25 tonnes of ketamine were consumed in England last year, up from 10.6 tonnes in 2023.

The drug is now more popular than heroin, with the worst hotspots in Norwich, Liverpool, and Wakefield.

The findings are revealed in Home Office data, seen by The Telegraph, which will form part of the NCA’s annual threat assessment next week.

The agency, dubbed Britain’s FBI, will warn of a rise in the use of several recreational drugs in Britain, including a 10 per cent increase in cocaine.

The sharp increase in the prevalence of ketamine on Britain’s streets is thought to be driven by drug cocktails, including “pink cocaine” – a combination of ketamine and other substances taken by Liam Payne, the One Direction star, before his death last year.

Payne, who fell to his death from a hotel balcony in Argentina in October last year, had taken a mixture of methamphetamine, ketamine and MDMA along with crack cocaine and benzodiazepine before he died, a toxicology report found.

Liam Payne reportedly had 'pink cocaine' along with other drugs inside his system when he fell to his death in Buenos Aires
Liam Payne reportedly had ‘pink cocaine’ along with other drugs in his system when he fell to his death in Buenos Aires Credit: Marc Piasecki/GC Images

Mixing ketamine and other drugs can produce hallucinogenic effects, but presents a greater risk to partygoers because the substances can be laced with even stronger narcotics including fentanyl.

The Home Office sampled wastewater from 18 treatment plants across England and Scotland over three years to build the most accurate picture of drug consumption in Britain ever compiled.

The samples, which covered wastewater from more than a quarter of the population, were analysed and scaled up by scientists from Imperial College London.

Previous estimates were based on the quantity of drugs seized by police and self-reported drug surveys, which are less accurate.

The final report found that almost 100 tonnes of cocaine were consumed in England alone last year, up from 88 tonnes in 2023.

Liverpool and Newcastle were the heaviest consumers of cocaine. Usage peaked in London during Christmas, the Euro 2024 football tournament and the Eurovision song contest.

Adjusted for purity, quantities of cocaine consumed in England last year had an estimated street value of £7.7 billion.

That figure is almost double the NCA’s previous estimate and the equivalent of £100 spent on cocaine each year by every person in the country.

Over the same period, heroin consumption is estimated to have decreased by 11 per cent, from 25,300 kilograms in 2023 to 22,400 kilograms in 2024. The highest rates were measured in wastewater from Liverpool and Birmingham.

Experts have previously warned of the dangers of trendy designer drug cocktails, including pink cocaine and “Calvin Klein” or “CK”, which refers to a mixture of cocaine and ketamine.

The combination of drugs can make it more difficult for users to know what substances they have taken.

CK, which is growing in popularity in the UK, has been blamed for overdoses among young people in nightclubs.

It comes as in this week’s Crime and Policing Bill, the Government will propose banning “cuckooing” – when criminals seize a vulnerable person’s home and use it as a drug den or for other illegal activity.

The Home Secretary will also propose new measures to jail those convicted of using children for crime
The Home Secretary will also propose new measures to jail those convicted of using children for crime Credit: Jacob King

Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, will also propose a new offence of child criminal exploitation, which is thought to affect around 14,500 children each year.

Under the new measures, people convicted of using children for crime, including county lines drug dealing, will face ten years in prison.

Ms Cooper said: “The exploitation of children and vulnerable people for criminal gain is sickening and it is vital we do everything in our power to eradicate it from our streets.

“As part of our Plan for Change, we are introducing these two offences to properly punish those who prey on them, ensure victims are properly protected and prevent these often-hidden crimes from occurring in the first place.

“These steps are vital in our efforts to stop the grooming and exploitation of children into criminal gangs, deliver on our pledge to halve knife crime in the next decade and work towards our overall mission to make our streets safer.”

Ministers and the NCA are also concerned about the rise of drug importers, who bring classified substances into the UK through weaker entry points and sell them to distributors around the country.

 

Source: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/02/21/true-scale-uk-illegal-drug-use/

Filed under: Heroin/Methadone,Ketamine,Marijuana and Medicine,Methamphetamine/GHB/Hallucinogens/Oxycodone,Prevalence,UK :

By Tina Underwood – February 23, 2025

Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show there were about 107,000 drug overdose deaths in the United States in 2023. Of those, about 75 percent, or 81,000, involved opioids.

With the aim of reducing those statistics, Lauren Jones ’22, who is in a post-baccalaureate at Harvard University, Brenna Outten ’22, a third-year doctoral student at Caltech and Leah Juechter ’24, who is working temporarily as a medical assistant, used computational chemistry as undergraduates at Furman to study the impacts of synthetic opioids.

Their work, with collaborators at Hendrix College and California State University, Los Angeles, was published in December in The Journal of Physical Chemistry B.

To say the project was formative for Jones and Outten is an understatement. They laid the foundation for the study during the height of COVID when traditional wet labs were all but shuttered.

“It’s amazing we were able to continue the work virtually during the pandemic,” said Jones, who researches sensory processing in children with autism and brain activity in children with rare neurodevelopmental and neurogenetic disorders at Boston Children’s Hospital.

Outten said the project “opened my eyes to how a scientist can contribute to fields like neuroscience, chemistry, biology and physics in ways I had never considered before.”

The paper focuses on work targeting the mu opioid receptor, or MOR. It resides mainly in the central nervous system and the GI tract. It’s like a molecular lock waiting for the right key (a drug like morphine or fentanyl) to unlock or activate a favorable response, such as reduced pain signals. But the same drugs can activate negative responses like drug tolerance, constipation, respiratory depression, addiction and overdose.

“There’s a lot we don’t understand about how opioids interact with the receptors embedded on nerves that mitigate the pain-signaling process,” Juechter said. “So the more we can uncover about how these drugs are interacting with the receptors in our bodies and the responses we feel, the better we’re able to help create pain therapeutics with reduced adverse effects and more beneficial safety profiles.”

What makes the researchers’ study unique is the application of both quantum mechanics conducted by Juechter, Outten and Jones, led by chemistry Professor George Shields, and molecular dynamics carried out by teams at Cal State and Hendrix College.

“It was interesting to see two drugs (morphine and fentanyl) that elicit almost identical effects are binding to the receptor in completely different ways,” Juechter said. “And to demonstrate that with highly accurate quantum mechanics was one of the first times we’ve seen that done.”

The manner in which opioids bind to MOR is diverse and complex. “So the need for a precise computing model becomes essential,” Juechter explained. “Even slight variations in calculations can drastically affect the data and subsequent conclusions.”

The ability to do research computationally can make drug development faster and cheaper, Juechter added. “Being able to paint the picture of what’s going on using empirically-supported mathematical theories, we can streamline the initial process of drug development.”

Impactful undergraduate research is a hallmark of The Furman Advantage, a four-year approach to education that creates a pathway for students to determine who they want to be and how they want to contribute to the world once they leave the university.

Juechter spent about eight months post-graduation fine-tuning the work with her co-authors before the paper was published.

“It was exceedingly evident Dr. Shields wanted to elevate me and give me the opportunity to pursue research,” Outten said.

Juechter hopes the project will set the tone for organic chemists involved in drug research and development.

“I want a role in the health care industry because I like the idea of affecting someone’s life in real time, in a positive way,” she said.

 

Source: https://www.furman.edu/news/neuroscience-grads-studied-how-to-make-opioids-safer

Filed under: Culture,Drug use-various effects,Education,Health,Opioids,Prevention and Intervention,Treatment and Addiction,USA :
 by Ella Denton – Kentucky Health News – The Lexington Times – February 23, 2025

Kentucky has battled the opioid crisis for decades, but a new drug prevention campaign targeting youth could protect future generations.

Attorney General Russell Coleman launched the “Better Without It” campaign in partnership with the University of Kentucky, the University of Louisville and Western Kentucky University Wednesday, Feb. 19 at the State Capitol. 

The statewide education campaign will encourage young people to be independent, make their own decisions and stay informed about the dangers of drug use, while also highlighting the positive effects of a drug-free lifestyle. The prevention campaign is modeled after a Florida initiative targeting youth ages 13-26. 

The “first-of-its-kind” campaign in Kentucky will include student-athletes from UK, UofL and WKU. 

 “To reach Kentucky’s young people with an effective statewide drug prevention message, we need the right messengers. That’s why we’re partnering with some of the biggest names in Kentucky’s college athletics to tell the commonwealth’s young people they are truly better without it,” Coleman said in a news release. “Whether you’re a Hilltopper, you throw an “L” or you bleed blue, this is our chance to come together to save lives.”

Through name, image and likeness agreements, or NIL, athletes such as UK basketball’s Trent Noah, UofL basketball’s J’Vonne Hadley and WKU basketball’s Tyler Olden will be some of the first participants in the “Better Without It” campaign. 

The main outlet of this campaign will be through social media platforms. Apps such as TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat will all be utilized to promote positive messages about a drug-free lifestyle. 

According to a Pew Research Center survey, in 2024, 96% of teens between the ages of 13 to 17 report using the internet daily, 73% report visiting YouTube daily, 57% said they visited TikTok daily, 50% said they visited Instagram daily and 48% said they visited Snapchat daily. In today’s world, social media is the most effective way to influence the opinions of the future generation.

Aside from social media content, the athletes will also attend on-campus and sporting events to promote their message.

The Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission approved Coleman’s two-year, $3.6 million proposal to establish a research-backed youth drug prevention initiative in September.

The commission was created by the legislature in 2021 to distribute the state’s portion of the $900 million in settlements with opioid manufacturers and distributors. Half of the money goes to the state and the other half to local governments.

 “Partnering with our state universities and student-athletes is a great way to reach our youth to promote substance use prevention,” Cabinet for Health and Family Services Secretary and Opioid Commission member Eric Friedlander, said in the release. 

The “Better Without It” campaign will spread across Kentucky in the upcoming months, using the power of social media, popular athletes and influencers to fight against harmful drugs. 

In addition to the “Better Without It” campaign, the prevention program will also promote existing school-based programs and amplify the work of the commission to support youth-focused prevention efforts.

According to the Kentucky Office of Drug Control Policy, 1,984 Kentuckians died from an overdose death in 2023. Between 2021 and 2023, 101 of those deaths were in Kentuckians aged 24 and younger.

Ella Denton is a student at the University of Kentucky College of Public Health and a spring intern for Kentucky Health News, an independent news service of the Institute for Rural Journalism in the School of Journalism and Media at the University of Kentucky, with support from the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky. 

Kentucky Health News is an independent news service of the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues, based in the School of Journalism and Media at the University of Kentucky, with support from the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky.

Filed under: Education,Prevention and Intervention,USA,Youth :
Release: February 25, 2025 by CDC Media Relations

New provisional data from CDC’s National Vital Statistics System predict a nearly 24% decline in drug overdose deaths in the United States for the 12 months ending in September 2024, compared to the previous year. This is the most recent national data available and shows a continued steep decline in overdose deaths. Provisional data shows about 87,000 drug overdose deaths from October 2023 to September 2024, down from around 114,000 the previous year. This is the fewest overdose deaths in any 12-month period since June 2020.

“It is unprecedented to see predicted overdose deaths drop by more than 27,000 over a single year,” said Allison Arwady, MD, MPH, Director of CDC’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. “That’s more than 70 lives saved every day. CDC’s public health investments, our improved data and laboratory systems for overdose response, and our partnerships with public safety colleagues in every state mean that we are more rapidly identifying emerging drug threats and supporting public health prevention and response activities in communities across America.”

While this national decline is encouraging news, overdose remains the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18-44, highlighting the importance of sustained efforts to ensure this progress continues. President Trump first declared opioid overdose to be a public health emergency in 2017, a designation that remains in place, and the subsequent public health investments to CDC from Congress have transformed the nation’s ability to use data to save lives. In the most recent data, 45 states showed declines in overdose deaths, but five states—Alaska, Montana, Nevada, South Dakota, and Utah—still saw increases in overdose deaths, highlighting the continued need for rapid local data and tailored response. In addition to the large provisional drop in fatal overdoses, we also see smaller decreases in nonfatal overdoses, as measured by emergency department visits for overdose, and welcome continued decreases in self-reported youth substance use.

Multiple factors contribute to the drop in overdose deaths, including widespread, data-driven distribution of naloxone, which is a life-saving medication that can reverse an overdose; better access to evidence-based treatment for substance use disorders; shifts in the illegal drug supply; a resumption of prevention and response after pandemic-related disruptions; and continued investments in prevention and response programs like CDC’s flagship Overdose Data to Action (OD2A) program.

CDC’s OD2A program provides the United States with robust data through its fatal (SUDORS) and nonfatal (DOSE) overdose data systems. Currently, 49 state and 41 local health departments receive OD2A funding to collect, improve, and immediately use the data in their communities to implement life-saving activities. For example, the OD2A program funds comprehensive laboratory testing, which allows us to identify emerging substances involved in nonfatal and fatal overdoses and quickly highlight geographic shifts in the illegal drug supply. State and local public health departments, in partnership with CDC experts, use the data to inform where, what, and when overdose prevention efforts are needed in communities to have the greatest impact and save lives. Finally, CDC funds the Overdose Response Strategy, an innovative public health-public safety data collaboration in every state which allows public safety professionals like law enforcement officials to use data to better understand and intercept illegal drugs.

We are moving in the right direction, and we must accelerate and strengthen CDC’s continued investments in prevention to reduce overdose deaths. Expanding access to evidence-based treatment for substance use disorders—including medications for opioid use disorder such as buprenorphine and methadone—is important, in addition to building more community-driven interventions and promoting education and early intervention to prevent substance use disorders before they begin.

For more information on CDC’s overdose prevention efforts and data, visit: What CDC is Doing | Overdose Prevention | CDC

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Whether diseases start at home or abroad, are curable or preventable, chronic or acute, or from human activity or deliberate attack, CDC’s world-leading experts protect lives and livelihoods, national security and the U.S. economy by providing timely, common-sense information, and rapidly identifying and responding to diseases, including outbreaks and illnesses. CDC drives science, public health research, and data innovation in communities across the country by investing in local initiatives to protect everyone’s health.

Filed under: Drug use-various effects,Prevalence,USA :
George Soros and his Open Society Foundations have been significant supporters of drug policy reform, including efforts to legalize marijuana, but exact figures specifically earmarked for “legalization lobbyists” are not always broken out distinctly in public records. Instead, contributions are typically reported as broader donations to organizations advocating for drug policy reform, which includes lobbying as part of their activities.
Based on available information, Soros has personally funded drug reform efforts since the 1990s, with estimates suggesting he has contributed at least $80 million to the broader legalization movement since 1994. This figure comes from analyses of his foundation’s tax filings and includes support for various initiatives, not just lobbying. His Open Society Foundations have donated roughly $200 million globally to drug policy reform since 1994, with about $25 million specifically focused on marijuana-related reforms, including decriminalization, medical use, and full legalization. These funds have primarily flowed through organizations like the Drug Policy Alliance (DPA), which Soros has supported with approximately $4 million annually in recent years.
The DPA, a leading advocate for ending the war on drugs, uses these funds for a mix of research, public education, and lobbying efforts, though the precise portion allocated to lobbying isn’t always specified. Additionally, Soros has supported the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP), both of which engage in lobbying for legalization, though his donations to these groups are periodic rather than fixed annual amounts. For instance, in 2014, Soros teamed up with others to provide over 80% of the funding for a Florida medical marijuana ballot initiative, contributing significantly through the DPA.
Beyond these specifics, the Open Society Policy Center, a 501(c)(4) advocacy arm of the Foundations, has ramped up lobbying spending in recent years—tripling its budget between 2021 and 2022 to influence policy directly—but these efforts span multiple issues, not just drug legalization. While the Foundations’ total giving exceeds $32 billion since 1984, only a fraction ties directly to drug policy, and an even smaller slice to lobbying specifically for legalization.
So, while a precise dollar amount for “legalization lobbyists” alone isn’t fully isolated in the data, a reasonable estimate based on historical patterns suggests Soros and Open Society have channeled tens of millions—likely between $25 million and $80 million—into efforts that include lobbying for marijuana legalization over the past three decades, with the DPA’s $4 million annual contribution being a consistent anchor. The actual lobbying-specific figure could be lower, as these sums also cover advocacy, research, and grassroots campaigns. Without more granular public disclosures, this remains an educated approximation.
Source: https://x.com/i/grok/share/FyZ3V2g7xQXKuKO6Z3a21Jy5k
Filed under: Culture,Economic,Legal Sector,Social Affairs,USA :
Teen non-medical misuse of medications may be more common than we believed.

by Mark Gold M.D. – Professor of Psychiatry, Yale, Florida and Washington Universities

Updated February 27, 2025 |  Reviewed by Gary Drevitch

Key points

  • Teen nonmedical misuse of medications may be more common than previously reported.
  • Adolescents misuse dextromethorphan (DXM) products for their dissociative/hallucinogenic effects and euphoria.
  • A recent alert highlights increasing adolescent interest in using DXM and promethazine together

According to Sharon Levy, MD,Harvard Medical School’s pediatric addiction expert, nonmedical medication misuse may be much more common than previously reported. One of the older fads is in the news again: getting high from cough and cold medicines containing dextromethorphan (DXM). This drug is sometimes combined with prescribed promethazine with codeine. At very high doses, DXM mimics the effects of illegal drugs like phencyclidine (PCP) and ketamine.

More than 125 over-the-counter (OTC) medicines for cough and colds contain DXM. It’s in Coricidin, Dimetapp DM, Nyquil, Robitussin Cough and Cold, and store brands for cough-and-cold medicines. These products are available in pharmacies, grocery stores, and other retail outlets. A safe dose of products with DXM is about 15-30 milligrams (mg) over 24 hours. It usually takes 10 times that amount to make a teenager high.

Teen DXM Slang

A syrup head is someone using cough syrups with DXM to get high. Dexing is getting high on products with DXM. Orange Crush alludes to some cough medicines with DXM. (The name may stem from the orange-colored syrup—and packaging—Delsym.)

Poor man’s PCP and poor man’s X are also common terms, because these drugs are inexpensive, but can cause effects similar to PCP or ecstasy at high doses. Red devils refer to Coricidin tablets or other cough medicines. Robo usually refers to cough syrup with DXM. It derives from the brand name Robitussin but is common slang for any cough syrup. Robo-tripping alludes to abusing products with DXM and, specifically, to the hallucinogenic trips people can attain at high doses.

Parents who hear teens using these terms should ask questions when the child and parent are alone.

Prevalence and Trends

The Monitoring the Future (MTF) survey, conducted by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the University of Michigan, provides insights into adolescent substance use. The survey began monitoring OTC cough-and-cold medication abuse every year in 2006. That year, the MTF reported that 4.2% of 8th-graders, 5.3% of 10th-graders, and 6.9% of 12th-graders misused OTC cough-and-cold medications in the previous year. In 2015, 2.6% of 8th-graders, 3.3% of 10th-graders, and 4.0% of 12th-graders reported past-year misuse. The most recent data, in 2024, indicate that the percentage dropped somewhat. However, a recent alert from the National Drug Early Warning System at the University of Florida (NDEWS) suggests a resurgence of interest in DXM and its combination with antihistamines.

DXM+ Combination Dangers

When taken alone, DXM’s dissociative and hallucinogenic effects may include euphoria, altered perception of time, paranoia, disorientation, and hallucinations. Physical symptoms of intoxication are hyperexcitability, problems walking, involuntary eye movements, and irritability. High doses can lead to impaired motor function, numbness, nausea and vomiting, increased heart rate, and elevated blood pressure. Chronic misuse results in dependence and severe psychological or physical health issues.

Combining DXM with other substances, especially alcohol, sleeping pills, antihistamines, or tranquilizers, is highly risky, as is combining DXM with antidepressants affecting serotonin, due to the risk of a possibly life-threatening serotonin syndrome.

Combining DXM With Promethazine

Combining the abuse of the prescribed antihistamine promethazine (Phenergan) with DXM may be increasing. The recent alert from the National Drug Early Warning System suggested that this new combination is an emerging threat.

The NDEWS recently checked for recent reports of saccharine (artificial sugar) being detected in abused drugs. Putting on their detective hats, the NDEWS team discovered that increased saccharine in drugs was caused by users adding cough syrup to promethazine. The signal for this combination was detected in more than double the number noted in early 2024.

Combining DXM and promethazine can amplify central nervous system depression, leading to increased drowsiness, dizziness, and impaired motor function. High doses may cause aggression, severe respiratory depression, hallucinations, delirium, paranoia, and cognitive impairments. Reddit social media reports noted an increased risks of falls and injuries due to severely impaired coordination and balance from the DXM-and-promethazine combination.

Promethazine with codeine is still available by prescription in the U.S., but access is restricted due to its classification as a Schedule V controlled substance at the federal level. Pharmacies and healthcare providers have become more cautious in prescribing promethazine with codeine due to its association with recreational use. Some manufacturers have discontinued production of promethazine with codeine, but generic versions remain on the market under tight regulation.

Purple drank is drug slang for the mixture containing codeine and promethazine mixed with a soft drink such as Sprite or Fanta—and sometimes with candy such as Jolly Ranchers. The drink gets its name from the purple color of some cough syrups. Purple drank has been popularized in certain music and hip-hop cultures, with some artists glorifying its use in their lyrics. However, many rappers who once promoted the drug later warned against its dangers after experiencing serious health consequences themselves or witnessing peers suffer from addiction and overdoses.

Professor Linda Cottler, Ph.D., M.P.H., director of NDEWS. commented: “Healthcare professionals should be aware of the potential for abuse and monitor for signs in patients, especially adolescents and young adults,”  Linda added: “Parents should be aware of these combinations and talk to their children about avoiding “cough” medicines acquired from friends, friend’s siblings, or friends’ parents.”

Summary

While the combination of DXM and promethazine is not commonly reported in drug abuse or emergency-room cases, misuse could lead to significant health risks. Stores have started to keep these cough and cold remedies behind the counter to reduce access and potential for teen abuse. Some makers of OTC medicines with DXM have put warning labels on their packaging about the potential for abuse. Many states have banned sales of meds with DXM to minors. These actions have helped reduce teen DXM abuse. However, recent teen interest in abuse of combined DXM and promethazine is concerning.

Source: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/addiction-outlook/202502/teenage-abuse-of-cough-medicines-and-promethazine

Filed under: Addiction,Drug use-various effects,Medicines,Mental Health,Prescription Drugs,Prevention and Intervention,Treatment and Addiction,USA,Youth :

Comment by NDPA: The health-promoting benefit of prevention before treatment is well-founded. The latin root of the word ‘prevention’ is ‘praevenire’ which means ‘to come before’ – not ‘during’ or ‘after’ – reactive policies which have their place, but are at best ‘repair jobs’. The PreVenture program is to be welcomed in this context, and we wish it every success. Peter Stoker, Director, National Drug Prevention Alliance (UK).

PreVenture program has reduced odds by focusing on risky personality traits: study

by Alison Northcott · CBC News · national reporter for CBC News in Montreal –

A drug prevention program that began in Montreal has been found to reduce the risk of substance use disorders in teens by offering them tools and strategies to cope with personality traits like impulsivity and anxiety.

“If a young person is reporting very high levels of these traits, they’re more likely to use substances as a way to manage those traits,” said Patricia Conrod, founder of the PreVenture program, who is also a psychiatry professor at the Université de Montréal and a scientist at Sainte-Justine hospital in Montreal.

A recent study in the American Journal of Psychiatry looked at the impact of PreVenture in 31 Montreal-area high schools over a five-year period.

The study found the program helped reduce the growth in the odds of substance use disorder by 35 per cent year over year, compared with a control group.

  • Opioid death rates tripled for Ontario teens, young adults since 2014, research shows

Conrod told CBC News that the odds of developing a substance use disorder increase as students get older.

The program focuses on such traits as impulsivity, sensation seeking, anxiety sensitivity and hopelessness — all of which may lead teens to turn to substance use to cope. During two 90-minute workshops given in Grade 7, students gain insight into their own personalities and tools to manage them.

The program uses cognitive behavioural therapy, interactive exercises and group discussions to find personality-specific coping strategies.

‘I can deal with them, so I feel better’

Fara Thifault, 13, a Grade 7 student at Collège de Montréal, participated in a workshop last fall.

“I didn’t realize I had negative thoughts, and when I did that [workshop], I realized, ‘Yeah I get them a lot and this is how I can deal with them, so I feel better,'” she said.

Grade 10 student Romane Roussel, 16, said the workshops helped her, too.

“I’m less impulsive now because I use some techniques, I take a breather,” she said.

Conrod said while a growing body of evidence supports the PreVenture program and others like it, schools across the country need sustained funding, including from federal and provincial governments, to deliver them more widely.

“Some substance use disorders are preventable, and we should be making sure that young people have access to the programs and the resources they need,” she said.

The program is currently available in schools in five Canadian provinces, including Quebec, Ontario and British Colombia, as well as in several U.S. states.

“It’s a little bit harder for policy-makers to put the money towards prevention knowing they may not see the benefits — and there will be benefits in many of these cases, but they’re not going to see them for several years,” she said in an interview.

Schwartz was part of a team that examined school-based prevention programs around the world, including PreVenture.

“There’s been a long history of using programs that haven’t necessarily been effective,” she said. “What’s happening now is that policy-makers are increasingly turning to the research evidence.”

What’s missing, Schwartz said, is funding to maintain programs and put them in place more widely.

Prevention before treatment

Justin Phillips’s son Aaron died of a heroin overdose in 2013, when he was 20, in Indianapolis. She described him as an “impulsive, sensation-seeking kid.”

He once skateboarded off the roof of her house, Phillips recalled, but said he was also very sensitive and sometimes anxious.

These are all traits, she said, that young people and their families don’t always have the tools to recognize and manage.

“Had we had these tools, I absolutely believe things would have been different,” she said in an interview.

The year after her son’s death, Phillips founded an organization called Overdose Lifeline to support other families dealing with addiction and to promote prevention. She is also involved with PreVenture, training people to deliver the workshops and working to bring the program to more communities in the United States.

Source: https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/teens-drug-use-prevention-study-1.7470849

Filed under: Canada,Education,Prevention (Papers),Prevention and Intervention,Youth :

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