Top 10 Addiction Weekly Roundup News

1. Legislators push treatment over punishment for people with drug addictions

Jared Owen was in graduate school at MIT when his addiction spiraled out of control. He was drinking every day, taking opioid painkillers and getting hooked on heroin and methamphetamine. In late July 2013, he was sent to jail for 18 months on armed robbery charges. [bunewsservice.com]

2. ‘There Is Hope’: WYSO Series Highlights Stories Of Addiction Recovery In Ohio

The opioid epidemic has ravaged cities across the United States. And just a couple of years ago, Dayton, Ohio, had one of the nation’s worst overdose death rates. Now, overdose deaths have decreased, and Ohioans impacted by addiction are sharing stories of hope. [wfyi.org]

3. La Jolla teen pens books on alcoholism, addiction in the family

When The Bishop’s School student Lianna Treitler, 17, was nine years old, attending a David Archuleta concert could have been the highlight of her young life. But, while attending the show with her father, Marc, she said she only noticed one thing: “Daddy drank the whole time.” [lajollalight.com]

4. FOSTER NORMAN: ‘Help for Today, Hope for Tomorrow’: April is Alcohol Awareness Month

April is National Alcohol Month, and this weekend, Cobb County Community Services Board and the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence — now called Facing Addiction with NCADD — encourage people to participate in Alcohol-Free Weekend, April 5-7. During Alcohol-Free Weekend, Cobb residents are invited to engage in three alcohol-free days. Those individuals or families who experience difficulty or discomfort in this 72-hour experiment are urged to contact CCCSB, local NCADD affiliates, Alcoholics Anonymous or Al-Anon to learn more about alcoholism and its early symptoms. [mdjonline.com]

5. Medicaid Expansion Linked With More Drug Addiction Diagnosis, Treatment

More low-income people addicted to opioids are getting diagnosed and treated with effective medication as a result of the Affordable Care Act, a new study suggests. Under the ACA, also known as Obamacare, some U.S. states expanded coverage through Medicaid – the joint federal and state insurance program for the poor – starting in 2014. While previous studies have linked Medicaid expansion to gains in the number of people treated for substance use disorders, the current study offers fresh evidence that the law helped improve access to buprenorphine. [psychcongress.com]

6. ARC Funds Addiction Treatment For Women In Rural Kentucky And Ohio

The Appalachian Regional Commission has awarded more than two million dollars to expand addiction treatment and recovery resources for women in rural regions of the Ohio Valley hit hard by the opioid crisis. Ohio University received $1,100,000 for the Appalachian Recovery Project in Athens County, Ohio. WestCare Kentucky, Inc., received $1,136,000 for the Judi Patton Center for Families project in Pikeville, Kentucky. [wfpl.org]

7. 5 Questions with ReVIDA Recovery Centers’ Amy Morris

ReVIDA Recovery Centers’ CEO Lee Dilworth announced Monday that Amy Morris was hired to serve as the opioid treatment company’s director of quality and compliance. ReVIDA Recovery Centers provides medication-assisted treatment and behavioral health services to more than 2,000 patients in the Tri-Cities each month. Last fall, the company acquired and rebranded seven clinics in the Tri-Cities, formerly operated by Watauga Recovery Centers. [johnsoncitypress.com]

8. Diet Pill Addiction Symptoms

Sometimes the most obvious Diet Pill addiction symptoms are simply observing that something is wrong or different. If you are visiting this site because you have concerns for a friend or loved one, you are probably going to see what’s going on long before they do. People who are addicted do not necessarily see the whole picture. If you are concerned about a family member, friend or coworker, there are a few questions to ask in helping your assessment. Addicts will continue to use regardless of everything that is happening to them and happening around them. [drug-addiction-support.org]

9. Is Medication-Assisted Treatment Right for You?

Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) is a method of treating addiction that utilizes a series of FDA-approved medications in order to either help an individual through the painful stages of withdrawal or prevent them from experiencing cravings that may lead to a relapse. Frequently the assistance of medication to stave off these cravings is used after someone has gone through a natural or medically induced detox process, and/or an addiction treatment program at a rehab. [thefix.com]

10. Chronicle AM: Israeli Pot Decrim Now in Effect, NY Legal Pot Push Hits Bump, More… (4/1/19)

Pot legalization fails to make the budget in New York, New Mexico regulators reaffirm their support for medical marijuana for people addicted to opioids, Israel pot decriminalization is now in effect, and more. Marijuana legalization will not be fast-tracked as part of the state’s budget because lawmakers could not reach agreement by April 1, but Gov. Andrew Cuomo says the state will pass it by June. “We will get marijuana done, it’s not a question of political desire, it’s a question of practical reality of how you put the new system in place,” Cuomo said. [stopthedrugwar.org]