In opioid use disorder treatment, there’s been a persistent (though not always acknowledged) tension between what’s good for public health and what individuals and their families want from treatment. I’ve written about it before. For public health, there’s plenty of evidence that MAT (medication assisted treatment) reduces illicit drug use, improves health and reduces crude mortality
Opioid replacement treatment. Great! What’s next? Read More »
This popular claim lacks evidence and leads to poor policy. The notion that drug addiction is a brain disease has become axiomatic. Around the globe aspiring health professionals treating substance abuse are indoctrinated with this belief, especially after the idea became popular in the 1990s. Its popularity extends far beyond the hallowed halls of academia.
Is Drug Addiction a Brain Disease? Read More »
“It’s not that difficult to overcome these seemingly ghastly problems [drug addiction]… what’s hard is to decide to do it.” Robert Downey Jnr (2004) This is where assisted decision-making is imperative. No matter how functional the regular drug user may appear, the drug addled brain has corrupted processes due to the presence and interference of
Re-tasking the Judicial Educator to Rehabilitate Not Incarcerate Read More »
This is where assisted decision-making is imperative. The drug addled brain has corrupted processes due to the presence and interference of psychotropic toxins. The Judicial Educator actively engaged through problem-solving courts is the key circuit breaker needed to help facilitate the exit from this will diminishing haze. Punitive action is not necessary, if coercive mechanisms
Helping an Alcoholic Loved One
Helping an Alcoholic Loved One Read More »
Enhancing the Criminal Court Response to Substance Misuse: an Evidence and Practice Briefing (Drug Court Effectiveness) Evidence suggests substance misuse courts are effective at reducing reoffending and drug and alcohol misuse. Practitioners identify key problem-solving features including judicial engagement, fast-tracked treatment, tailored support, and multi-agency collaboration. “Such a process can motivate and inspire individuals to
Substance Misuse Briefing – Drug Courts 2020 Read More »
Records broken at Australian-first drug treatment prison Wandoo Rehabilitation Prison for women celebrates second anniversary Prison has nation’s lowest rate of return to prison of less than one per cent Wandoo still remains drug-free, which is unprecedented across the world More than 100 women have graduated from six-month program Australia’s first Alcohol and Other Drug
Removing memories associated with morphine use from the brains of mice enables Stanford researchers to prevent relapse and could point to a new approach for treating the opioid epidemic…Both the reward of the drug “high” and the alleviation of agonizing withdrawal symptoms can serve as powerful memory cues that trigger drug cravings and lead to
Stanford neuroscientists target drug-associated memories as a way to prevent relapse Read More »
In recent decades the range and patterns of opioids used for extra-medical purposes have changed. The use of pharmaceutical opioids exceeds the use of heroin. In 2017, 63 percent of opioid deaths were attributed exclusively to pharmaceutical opioids, 28 percent to illicit opioids and 8 percent to both illicit and pharmaceutical opioids (aged 15-64 years).
We Do Recover – Excerpt from evidence-based review of N.A and 12 Step Facilitation Programs Active drug users have a generally positive view of NA and seek help through NA through a variety of influences, including contact with an NA member, referral by a treatment agency, or encouragement from family members. Attraction or aversion to NA
