Legislative Analysis and Public Policy Association
@thelappa.bsky.social
LAPPA is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation working in the areas of areas of public safety and health, substance use disorders, and criminal justice.
legislativeanalysis.org
legislativeanalysis.org
A study looked at state laws prohibiting prior authorization for MOUD in private insurance in the US. The number of states with such prohibitions grew from two in 2015 to twenty-two in 2023.
www.healthaffairs.org/doi/abs/10.1...
www.healthaffairs.org/doi/abs/10.1...
State Laws Banning Prior Authorization For Medications For Opioid Use Disorder Increased Substantially, 2015–23 | Health Affairs Journal
Prior authorization is a barrier to accessing medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD). Although private insurance covered about one-third of patients with OUD in 2023, the understanding of prior au...
www.healthaffairs.org
November 25, 2025 at 3:35 PM
A study looked at state laws prohibiting prior authorization for MOUD in private insurance in the US. The number of states with such prohibitions grew from two in 2015 to twenty-two in 2023.
www.healthaffairs.org/doi/abs/10.1...
www.healthaffairs.org/doi/abs/10.1...
A new multi-state study led by researchers at CU Anschutz found that nearly half of patients discharged with take-home methadone successfully connected to follow-up treatment within 72 hours. @cumedicalschool.bsky.social @cumedicine.bsky.social
news.cuanschutz.edu/news-stories...
news.cuanschutz.edu/news-stories...
Study Finds Take-Home Methadone at Hospital Discharge Can Be a Critical Turning Point in Opioid Recovery
CU Anschutz Leads Study That Finds Take-Home Methadone at Hospital Discharge Can Be a Critical Turning Point in Opioid Recovery
news.cuanschutz.edu
November 24, 2025 at 5:41 PM
A new multi-state study led by researchers at CU Anschutz found that nearly half of patients discharged with take-home methadone successfully connected to follow-up treatment within 72 hours. @cumedicalschool.bsky.social @cumedicine.bsky.social
news.cuanschutz.edu/news-stories...
news.cuanschutz.edu/news-stories...
Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway announced that her Office has launched a statewide investigation into numerous kratom manufacturers and distributors operating in Missouri.
ago.mo.gov/attorney-gen...
ago.mo.gov/attorney-gen...
Attorney General Hanaway Launches Investigation Into Major Kratom Manufacturers And Retailers For Potentially Dangerous And Illegal Practices | Attorney General Office of Missouri
ago.mo.gov
November 21, 2025 at 4:38 PM
Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway announced that her Office has launched a statewide investigation into numerous kratom manufacturers and distributors operating in Missouri.
ago.mo.gov/attorney-gen...
ago.mo.gov/attorney-gen...
Youth who adhered to an opioid use disorder prescription drug for a full year were less likely to experience an overdose compared to their peers who discontinued their treatment earlier, according to a study published in "Pediatrics." @ameracadpeds.bsky.social
www.aap.org/en/news-room...
www.aap.org/en/news-room...
Study Finds Adherence To Opioid Use Disorder Drug Buprenorphine Limits Likelihood Of Opioid Overdose
Youth who adhered to an opioid use disorder prescription drug for a full year were less likely to experience an overdose compared to their peers who discontinued their treatment earlier, according to ...
www.aap.org
November 20, 2025 at 5:33 PM
Youth who adhered to an opioid use disorder prescription drug for a full year were less likely to experience an overdose compared to their peers who discontinued their treatment earlier, according to a study published in "Pediatrics." @ameracadpeds.bsky.social
www.aap.org/en/news-room...
www.aap.org/en/news-room...
A federal bankruptcy court judge on Tuesday formally approved OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma’s plan to settle thousands of lawsuits over the harms of opioids.
thehill.com/policy/healt...
thehill.com/policy/healt...
thehill.com
November 19, 2025 at 3:39 PM
A federal bankruptcy court judge on Tuesday formally approved OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma’s plan to settle thousands of lawsuits over the harms of opioids.
thehill.com/policy/healt...
thehill.com/policy/healt...
Interested in driving change in addiction policy? Learn more about the Master of Science in Addiction Policy and Practice from Georgetown University's School of Health.
gradapply.georgetown.edu/register/?id...
gradapply.georgetown.edu/register/?id...
M.S. Addiction Policy & Practice Information Session
gradapply.georgetown.edu
November 17, 2025 at 4:31 PM
Interested in driving change in addiction policy? Learn more about the Master of Science in Addiction Policy and Practice from Georgetown University's School of Health.
gradapply.georgetown.edu/register/?id...
gradapply.georgetown.edu/register/?id...
A federal bankruptcy judge on Friday approved a $7.4 billion bankruptcy settlement for OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma that will end years of litigation over the company's role in the opioid epidemic.
www.axios.com/2025/11/14/o...
www.axios.com/2025/11/14/o...
Federal judge approves $7.4 billion bankruptcy settlement in OxyContin case
"Today cements the end of a long chapter," said Purdue board chairman Steve Miller.
www.axios.com
November 17, 2025 at 3:22 PM
A federal bankruptcy judge on Friday approved a $7.4 billion bankruptcy settlement for OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma that will end years of litigation over the company's role in the opioid epidemic.
www.axios.com/2025/11/14/o...
www.axios.com/2025/11/14/o...
Southern New Jersey's @cooperhealthnj.bsky.social has expanded its first-in-the-nation Bupe FIRST program to two New Jersey health systems: University Hospital in Newark and St. Joseph’s Health in Paterson.
blogs.cooperhealth.org/news/2025/11...
blogs.cooperhealth.org/news/2025/11...
Cooper Expands Nation’s First EMS Buprenorphine Program to Newark and Paterson - Inside Cooper
Cooper’s “Bupe FIRST” team has partnered with University Hospital and St. Joseph’s Health to launch and enhance EMS buprenorphine programs in North Jersey. (CAMDEN, N.J.) – People who are revived from...
blogs.cooperhealth.org
November 13, 2025 at 7:39 PM
Southern New Jersey's @cooperhealthnj.bsky.social has expanded its first-in-the-nation Bupe FIRST program to two New Jersey health systems: University Hospital in Newark and St. Joseph’s Health in Paterson.
blogs.cooperhealth.org/news/2025/11...
blogs.cooperhealth.org/news/2025/11...
A last-minute provision in the federal spending bill will re-criminalize many hemp-derived products, reversing their legalization in the 2018 Farm Bill.
www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
Congress tightens THC restrictions on hemp, closing farm bill loophole
The restrictions on hemp-derived THC, the psychoactive compound found in cannabis, threaten to wipe out an industry worth approximately $30 billion, critics say.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 13, 2025 at 3:37 PM
A last-minute provision in the federal spending bill will re-criminalize many hemp-derived products, reversing their legalization in the 2018 Farm Bill.
www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
Nitazenes are a class of synthetic drugs 40 times more potent than fentanyl that have caused hundreds of confirmed deaths across Europe and the US since appearing on the radar of law enforcement agencies in 2019.
www.wired.com/story/a-new-...
www.wired.com/story/a-new-...
A New Type of Opioid Is Killing People in the US, Europe, and Australia
Nitazenes, a class of synthetic drugs 40 times more potent than fentanyl, are steadily becoming more common on both sides of the Atlantic.
www.wired.com
November 7, 2025 at 3:29 PM
Nitazenes are a class of synthetic drugs 40 times more potent than fentanyl that have caused hundreds of confirmed deaths across Europe and the US since appearing on the radar of law enforcement agencies in 2019.
www.wired.com/story/a-new-...
www.wired.com/story/a-new-...
Smoke shops in the Philadelphia area have been selling unregulated cannabis products that have gotten into children's hands, a Pennsylvania grand jury found.
www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia...
www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia...
Pennsylvania grand jury findings show need for smoke shop regulations, DAs say
Three District Attorneys and the Pennsylvania State Police announced findings of a grand jury investigation into smoke shops.
www.cbsnews.com
October 31, 2025 at 2:06 PM
Smoke shops in the Philadelphia area have been selling unregulated cannabis products that have gotten into children's hands, a Pennsylvania grand jury found.
www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia...
www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia...
Senate Democrats are urging the Trump administration to reverse recent firings at SAMHSA, arguing they undermine opioid crisis response.
news.bgov.com/bloomberg-go...
news.bgov.com/bloomberg-go...
Democrats Urge HHS to Reverse Layoffs at Mental Health Agency
Senate Democrats are urging the Trump administration to reverse recent firings at the lead health agency overseeing mental health and substance use disorder programs, arguing that the layoffs risk und...
news.bgov.com
October 29, 2025 at 2:54 PM
Senate Democrats are urging the Trump administration to reverse recent firings at SAMHSA, arguing they undermine opioid crisis response.
news.bgov.com/bloomberg-go...
news.bgov.com/bloomberg-go...
The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Virginia, ruled that a lower court judge erred when he said West Virginia's public nuisance law did not apply to the lawsuit involving the distribution of opioids.
apnews.com/article/gene...
apnews.com/article/gene...
US appeals court overturns West Virginia landmark opioid lawsuit decision
A federal appeals court has overturned a landmark decision in an opioid lawsuit in West Virginia. A lower court judge had rejected attempts by an opioid-ravaged area to be compensated by U.S. drug dis...
apnews.com
October 29, 2025 at 2:28 PM
The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Virginia, ruled that a lower court judge erred when he said West Virginia's public nuisance law did not apply to the lawsuit involving the distribution of opioids.
apnews.com/article/gene...
apnews.com/article/gene...
The DEA, in collaboration with nearly 4,000 law enforcement partners across the country, will host the 29th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day this Saturday, October 25, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. #TakeBackDay
www.dea.gov/press-releas...
www.dea.gov/press-releas...
www.dea.gov
October 22, 2025 at 3:25 PM
The DEA, in collaboration with nearly 4,000 law enforcement partners across the country, will host the 29th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day this Saturday, October 25, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. #TakeBackDay
www.dea.gov/press-releas...
www.dea.gov/press-releas...
The Trump administration has laid off between 100 and 150 workers at SAMHSA during the federal government shutdown.
news.bgov.com/bloomberg-go...
news.bgov.com/bloomberg-go...
Trump Administration Cuts Staff at Key Mental Health Agency
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration sent reduction-in-force notices to employees working on mental health services, substance use prevention, and substance use treatment, acc...
news.bgov.com
October 15, 2025 at 12:52 PM
The Trump administration has laid off between 100 and 150 workers at SAMHSA during the federal government shutdown.
news.bgov.com/bloomberg-go...
news.bgov.com/bloomberg-go...
The tendency to use cannabis is associated with genes linked to impulsive behavior, obesity, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder, among other traits, according to a study released Monday by researchers at @ucsandiego.bsky.social
www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...
www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...
Scientists identify key reason people may use or get addicted to cannabis
The study builds on growing genetic research into cannabis use, as policymakers grapple with the risks and benefits of the drug’s soaring popularity.
www.washingtonpost.com
October 14, 2025 at 4:08 PM
The tendency to use cannabis is associated with genes linked to impulsive behavior, obesity, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder, among other traits, according to a study released Monday by researchers at @ucsandiego.bsky.social
www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...
www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...
A settlement has been reached in a case brought on behalf of a North Carolina resident against Sunnybrook Rehabilitation Center, L.L.C., and Treyburn Rehabilitation Center, L.L.C., for excluding him from their skilled nursing facilities due to his SUD.
www.lac.org/news/groundb...
www.lac.org/news/groundb...
www.lac.org
October 8, 2025 at 3:31 PM
A settlement has been reached in a case brought on behalf of a North Carolina resident against Sunnybrook Rehabilitation Center, L.L.C., and Treyburn Rehabilitation Center, L.L.C., for excluding him from their skilled nursing facilities due to his SUD.
www.lac.org/news/groundb...
www.lac.org/news/groundb...
Advocates for families who have lost loved ones to opioids say that opioid settlement money would help them cope with the consequences of addiction: homelessness, psychological trauma, rehab, lawyers, and the costs grandparents face raising orphaned children.
www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/...
www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/...
Pharma has paid billions in opioid settlements — but not to many victims’ families
Jackie Lewis has spent years arguing that some of the roughly $57 billion flowing into states from opioid legal settlements should go to families affected by overdose deaths.
www.washingtonpost.com
October 8, 2025 at 2:05 PM
Advocates for families who have lost loved ones to opioids say that opioid settlement money would help them cope with the consequences of addiction: homelessness, psychological trauma, rehab, lawyers, and the costs grandparents face raising orphaned children.
www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/...
www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/...
The Legal Action Center has released a new report detailing critical strategies that policymakers should employ to protect Medicaid coverage for people with SUDs and formerly incarcerated individuals as the new work reporting requirements under H.R. 1 are implemented.
www.lac.org/resource/pro...
www.lac.org/resource/pro...
www.lac.org
October 6, 2025 at 1:58 PM
The Legal Action Center has released a new report detailing critical strategies that policymakers should employ to protect Medicaid coverage for people with SUDs and formerly incarcerated individuals as the new work reporting requirements under H.R. 1 are implemented.
www.lac.org/resource/pro...
www.lac.org/resource/pro...
A case-cohort study found that readily available data can be used to identify those at high risk of hospitalization or ED visit for cocaine- or stimulant-involved overdose.
jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
Stimulant Overdose Prediction Model for Medicaid-Insured Persons
This case-control study develops and validates a model to predict hospitalization or emergency department treatment for stimulant-involved overdose among the Medicaid-insured population.
jamanetwork.com
October 3, 2025 at 3:43 PM
A case-cohort study found that readily available data can be used to identify those at high risk of hospitalization or ED visit for cocaine- or stimulant-involved overdose.
jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
Indivior has stopped marketing Opvee, its controversial overdose-reversal medication, after two years of meager sales, outcry from harm reduction groups, and intense scrutiny from New York State’s AG.
www.statnews.com/2025/09/30/n...
www.statnews.com/2025/09/30/n...
Indivior to stop marketing Opvee, controversial overdose-reversal medication
Indivior is halting Opvee promotion after a New York settlement. Critics say the overdose drug is overpriced, risky, and no safer than widely used naloxone.
www.statnews.com
October 1, 2025 at 2:02 PM
Indivior has stopped marketing Opvee, its controversial overdose-reversal medication, after two years of meager sales, outcry from harm reduction groups, and intense scrutiny from New York State’s AG.
www.statnews.com/2025/09/30/n...
www.statnews.com/2025/09/30/n...
The DEA announced the results of a week-long operational surge aimed at dismantling the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. The agency seized a million counterfeit pills and 77,000 kilograms of the cartel's drugs in five days.
www.dea.gov/press-releas...
www.dea.gov/press-releas...
www.dea.gov
September 29, 2025 at 3:31 PM
The DEA announced the results of a week-long operational surge aimed at dismantling the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. The agency seized a million counterfeit pills and 77,000 kilograms of the cartel's drugs in five days.
www.dea.gov/press-releas...
www.dea.gov/press-releas...
A study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry provides the first evidence that contingency management use in real-world health care settings is associated with reduced risk of mortality among patients with stimulant use disorder.
psychiatryonline.org/doi/10.1176/...
psychiatryonline.org/doi/10.1176/...
Contingency Management for Stimulant Use Disorder and Association With Mortality: A Cohort Study | American Journal of Psychiatry
Objective: While opioid overdose has begun to decrease in recent years, stimulant overdose has continued to increase and has not been adequately addressed. Unlike opioid use disorder, there are no med...
psychiatryonline.org
September 26, 2025 at 1:46 PM
A study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry provides the first evidence that contingency management use in real-world health care settings is associated with reduced risk of mortality among patients with stimulant use disorder.
psychiatryonline.org/doi/10.1176/...
psychiatryonline.org/doi/10.1176/...
The Blackfeet Tribal Business Council has banned the sale, use, and possession of kratom from the tribe’s reservation in north-central Montana.
montanafreepress.org/2025/09/23/b...
montanafreepress.org/2025/09/23/b...
Blackfeet Tribal Council bans kratom sales, use on reservation
Blackfeet officials said the move, an apparent first among tribal governments in Montana, is intended to prevent potential addiction to products that can have opioid-like effects.
montanafreepress.org
September 25, 2025 at 1:58 PM
The Blackfeet Tribal Business Council has banned the sale, use, and possession of kratom from the tribe’s reservation in north-central Montana.
montanafreepress.org/2025/09/23/b...
montanafreepress.org/2025/09/23/b...
Overdose deaths involving stimulants have increased in the US since 2011, accounting for 59% of overdose deaths from January 2021 to June 2024. About 1 in 4 overdose deaths involved the simultaneous use of stimulants and opioids.
jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
More Than Half of US Overdose Deaths Now Involve Stimulants
Overdose deaths involving stimulants—particularly cocaine and methamphetamine—have increased in the US since 2011, accounting for 59% of the nearly 309 300 reported deaths from January 2021 to June 20...
jamanetwork.com
September 25, 2025 at 1:34 PM
Overdose deaths involving stimulants have increased in the US since 2011, accounting for 59% of overdose deaths from January 2021 to June 2024. About 1 in 4 overdose deaths involved the simultaneous use of stimulants and opioids.
jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...