Fentanyl Makes an Already Dangerous Drug Market Deadlier Than Ever
Failure to recognize and respond to how rapidly illegal drug markets have changed with the arrival of illegally manufactured synthetic opioids will continue to put many Americans at risk of exposure to fentanyl, endangering the lives of hundreds of thousands more for years to come.
May 2, 2022 The Ripon Forum
A Greater Focus On Harm Reduction Will Save Lives
For decades, elected officials brushed off harm reduction as a viable option for reducing the harms of drug use over concerns of enabling drug consumption. But now, these strategies are front and center, spoken aloud, from the largest podium in the land, and during prime time. What caused this historic about-face?
Apr 29, 2022 Health Affairs Blog
A New and More Dangerous Drug Market Requires a New Approach
Synthetic opioids are likely to increasingly reach illegal drug markets. Failure to recognize and respond to how rapidly drug markets have changed with the arrival of illegally manufactured synthetic opioids will continue to put many at risk of exposure to fentanyl, endangering the lives of hundreds of thousands more Americans for years to come.
Mar 16, 2022 The RAND Blog
Treating Supervised Drug Consumption Sites like Cannabis
Some communities hard hit by the opioid crisis are interested in opening supervised consumption sites—places where people who use drugs can do so under supervision of trained staff. What could be done to make it easier to pilot and evaluate these sites in the United States?
Oct 22, 2021 Philadelphia Inquirer
Australia Contained COVID-19 Early On. Can It Do the Same with Synthetic Opioids?
Australia is at risk of a fentanyl problem, but it is better prepared than North America. If the country can make the same kind of concerted effort it did to keep COVID-19 at bay, that could save thousands of lives.
Apr 30, 2021 The RAND Blog
Being Mindful About Changing Psychedelic Policy in California
The question for California isn't really if psychedelic policy will change, but more likely how—and how quickly. Now is the time for the California State Legislature to consider holding hearings on psychedelics and creating a commission to assess regulatory options.
Nov 10, 2020 The Sacramento Bee
Want to Know If a New Drug Crisis Is Growing? Check the Wastewater
Few people foresaw how quickly fentanyl would displace heroin, doubling or tripling opioid overdose deaths in some pockets of the United States from 2013 to 2017. But we could have been warned—if only we'd checked our wastewater.
Mar 26, 2020 Scientific American
Synthetic Opioid Crisis Still Growing, Often Among Unwitting Users
Although opioid prescriptions in the U.S. have fallen, opioid overdose deaths remain at historic levels. The continued spread of fentanyl and other illicitly manufactured synthetic opioids suggests the problem could still get worse.
Oct 14, 2019 Axios
Tackle Fentanyl like a Poisoning Outbreak, Not a Drug Epidemic
America's fentanyl problem is far deadlier than past crises with other illegal drugs. New ideas, be they public policies, technologies or law enforcement strategies, are desperately needed. Continuing to treat fentanyl just like previous drug epidemics will likely be insufficient and may condemn thousands more to early deaths.
Sep 3, 2019 Los Angeles Times
China's Ban on Fentanyl Drugs Won't Likely Stem America's Opioid Crisis
Given China's recent decision to ban the unauthorized manufacture of fentanyl, authorities there appear to recognize a growing problem. But China cannot solve the U.S. opioid problem. The United States could do more to reduce demand for opioids as well as drug users' exposure to these powerful drugs.
May 22, 2019 Los Angeles Times
Addressing Federal Conflicts Over Supervised Drug Consumption Sites
With drug overdose deaths mounting, some American cities are trying to create designated spaces where people who use heroin and other drugs can have their consumption supervised by medical professionals. The Department of Justice argues these sites would violate federal law, but federal decisionmakers have several options.
Mar 14, 2019 The Hill
