Most Sentenced for Trafficking Fentanyl are U.S. Citizens
Former President Trump has routinely blamed undocumented immigrants for a rise in drug trafficking and overdose deaths…But most fentanyl is being trafficked by American citizens. …
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Opioid Overdose Death Rates and All Drug Overdose Death Rates per 100,000 Population (Age-Adjusted)
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Why Painkiller Addiction and Abuse Are Rising Health-Care Priorities
From Drew AltmanIn this column for The Wall Street Journal’s Think Tank, Drew Altman uses new polling to explore why painkiller abuse and addiction is rising as a health issue among state and federal policymakers.
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Addressing the Opioid Crisis: A Look at the Evolving Landscape of Federal OUD Treatment Policies
Issue BriefFederal policies governing substance use disorder treatment have undergone rapid changes during the pandemic; however, the extent to which these changes can address the surge in opioid overdose deaths is unclear. Some of these policy adjustments are permanent, while others could revert to pre-pandemic regulations. In this brief, we examine the following 5 key federal policies and implications for access and treatment for OUD.
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Teens, Drugs, and Overdose: Contrasting Pre-Pandemic and Current Trends
Issue BriefThis brief analyzes the latest CDC data on adolescent overdose deaths, finding that from 2022 to 2023, there was a small reduction in overdose fatalities among adolescents (from 721 to 708 deaths). Additionally, the synthetic opioid, fentanyl, has largely driven the increase in adolescent drug fatalities since the pandemic began, accounting for 76% of these fatalities in 2023. This analysis also explores federal and state policy responses to the drug crisis, such as requirements to stock naloxone in schools, accountability for social media companies, and national prevention education efforts.
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Political Rhetoric Spreads Misinformation About Fentanyl — The Monitor
FeatureThis edition looks at how political rhetoric is driving misinformation about fentanyl and immigration, legal implications of fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills sold on social media, and myths about opioid exposure.
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Opioid Deaths Fell in Mid-2023, But Progress Is Uneven and Future Trends are Uncertain
Issue Brief• In the second half of 2023, opioid overdose deaths started to decline, and by December 2023, they were 20% fewer than there were in December 2022. Opioid death rates varied widely by race, ethnicity, age, and sex. In the second half of 2023, White people saw the largest decline (-14%) while declines in other racial and ethnic groups were much smaller. Opioid deaths increased for people 65+, while falling in all other age groups.
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A Look at Changes in Opioid Prescribing Patterns in Medicaid from 2016 to 2019
Issue BriefThis analysis builds on previous KFF work by using Medicaid claims data for 2016-2019 to explore how prescriptions for opioids used to treat pain and those used to treat OUD or rapidly reverse overdose changed across states and Medicaid enrollee demographic groups over time.