At our Phoenix House adult residential program in Florida, prescription opiate abuse now accounts for 95% of admission calls. So on Monday, I was grateful that a Tampa Tribune story brought greater attention to the issue. read more
In this week’s Science Times, I was heartened to see the spread “Second Life: Moving Beyond Cancer.” Seeing the photos and reading the accompanying stories online, I was inspired by the celebration of cancer survival. And it made me look forward to a time when we might a see a similar article, celebrating people in recovery from substance abuse. read more
Last week, our first lady Michelle Obama took an important step in raising public awareness of a chronic health condition that affects 23 million Americans, with devastating consequences for them, their families, and communities. I’m talking about substance abuse—a problem for which only one in ten affected adults and only one in thirteen teenagers receive the treatment they need. read more
Tuesday was one for the history books: After a year of contentious debate in Washington, President Obama signed into law a bill that virtually guarantees a sweeping overhaul of our healthcare system, including access to medical insurance for tens of millions of Americans. No doubt, the changes will be profound. But, the question I and many others in the field have been pondering is, How will healthcare reform impact substance abuse treatment and the way we deliver care? read more
Last week, the Senate voted to reform a law conceived in this era of crisis that set a mandatory minimum sentence of five years for possession of five ounces of crack. The laws were not changed for powder cocaine, which allow for possession of 500 ounces before this minimum five-year penalty is imposed. For too long, the 1986 legislation has perpetuated a distortion about cocaine—that crack cocaine is more addictive and harmful than its powder form. read more
The national debate on health care reform has overlooked an area of vast potential savings—the treatment of substance abuse. Untreated or under-treated substance abusers are world-class consumers of health care dollars; they are repeat customers, who crowd emergency rooms and overwhelm clinics.
A recent study by CASA, Columbia University’s National Center on Addiction… read more