Substance Use Disorder Treatment

Sexual Assault
blog
Sexual Assault in the Military, School Security, Mental Health Care: RAND Weekly Recap
Jun 4, 2021
This weekly recap focuses on the risk of sexual assault to sexual minorities in the U.S. military, making medication treatment more accessible to people struggling with opioid addiction, countering Russian propaganda, and more.
Read More »

Veterans Health Care
essay
There's Help for Veterans with Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders
Nov 4, 2020
Many post-9/11 veterans who have PTSD or depression also struggle with substance use. There are clinically proven treatments to help break the cycle of the co-occurring disorders, but the VA and other facilities need guidance on how to expand and enhance treatment opportunities for these veterans.
Read More »
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
commentary
PTSD and Substance Use Disorders Are a Vicious Cycle for Veterans
Michael Richardson, Roger Brooks, Eric R. Pedersen @ericrpedersen, Terri Tanielian
Sep 15, 2020
Military.com
It is not uncommon to see a co-occurrence of PTSD and heavy use of substances, which can rise to the level of a substance use disorder. It may be necessary to challenge how the needs of veterans are addressed to remove barriers to care that make treating these co-occurring disorders simultaneously so difficult.
Read More »
Opioids
essay
Fentanyl: The Most Dangerous Illegal Drug in America
Jan 13, 2020
America's fentanyl crisis is unlike previous drug epidemics and is likely to get worse. Deaths involving fentanyl and other synthetic opioids have surged from around 3,000 in 2013 to more than 30,000 in 2018. Solving the problem requires innovative approaches and unprecedented resources.
Read More »
Opioids
commentary
Where Science Says to Spend Any U.S. Opioid Settlement Money
Rebecca Lee Haffajee, Bradley D. Stein @BradleyDStein
Dec 19, 2019
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
A global settlement with pharmaceutical companies has started to appear more and more likely. Even with billions of dollars, the settlement resources won't be unlimited. To avoid mistakes made in the tobacco master settlement agreement, any opioid funds must be carefully allocated.
Read More »
The Internet
blog
Disinformation, Drug Policy, Artificial Intelligence: RAND Weekly Recap
Nov 15, 2019
This weekly recap focuses on tools to fight disinformation online, the negative consequences of punishing pregnant women for drug use, how to ensure public trust in artificial intelligence, and more
Read More »
Substance Use Disorder Treatment
blog
Opioids, Summer Learning, Immigration: RAND Weekly Recap
Dec 7, 2018
This weekly recap focuses on heroin-assisted treatment and supervised consumption sites, helping schools build better summer learning programs, America's overwhelmed immigration system, and more.
Read More »
Substance Use Disorder Treatment
commentary
In Opioid Policy, One Size Does Not Fit All
Bradley D. Stein @BradleyDStein
Oct 12, 2018
The Hill
To solve America's opioid crisis, policymakers will need to view the epidemic as an "ecosystem," where policies that target only one part of the problem can have unintended consequences.
Read More »
Evidence Based Health Practice
commentary
Evidence-Based Treatments May Be Casualties of War on Drugs
Matthew Chinman, Joie D. Acosta
Jan 15, 2018
The Hill
U.S. schools and community organizations face a difficult battle to keep kids safe and drug-free. They need tools to help them choose programs that will work best for youth. The National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices is such a tool, but its future is uncertain.
Read More »
Smoking Cessation
commentary
Can Vaping Help Smokers Quit? The Real Story from a Real Story
William G. Shadel
Nov 16, 2017
BASIS
Evidence doesn't support using electronic cigarettes to quit smoking. In fact, doing so could even lead to reduced chances of quitting. Evidence does show that other options work, such as nicotine replacement patches or gum combined with counseling strategies.
Read More »
Opioids
blog
Conversations at RAND: A Sobering Look at the Opioid Epidemic
May 13, 2016
Opioid overdoses were the greatest cause of accidental death in America in 2014. A panel discussion at RAND addressed the epidemic, including societal attitudes toward pain and addiction, poor understanding of the mechanics of addiction itself, economic drivers, legal responses, and treatment approaches.
Read More »
Smoking Cessation
commentary
Sniping: Homeless Youths' High-Risk Smoking Practice
Joan S. Tucker, William G. Shadel
Oct 29, 2015
Orange County Register
Any intervention to help homeless youth quit smoking must also address 'sniping.' This high-risk activity involves scavenging cigarette butts and filters to make a 'new' cigarette.
Read More »
Tobacco and Smoking
commentary
Last Week Tonight's Jeff the Diseased Lung Is No Joke
Jeffrey Wasserman
Feb 20, 2015
The RAND Blog
John Oliver's "Jeff the Diseased Lung," a cross between a warning label on cigarette packs in Australia and the Marlboro Man, has gone viral while research shows cigarettes are responsible for even more premature deaths than previously thought.
Read More »
Smoking Cessation
commentary
Graphic Warning Labels on Cigarettes Are Scary, but Do They Work?
Deborah M. Scharf, William G. Shadel
Sep 30, 2014
The Health Care Blog
'Graphic warning labels' pair gruesome images with warnings about the dangers of smoking, covering anywhere from 30 to 80 percent of cigarette pack 'faces' (the front and back). Do they prevent people from starting to smoke or cause current smokers to quit?
Read More »
Tobacco and Smoking
commentary
CVS Health: Breathing a Little Easier and Holding Our Breath
William G. Shadel
Sep 12, 2014
The Health Care Blog
CVS has officially stopped selling cigarettes and other tobacco products, a move that will cost the pharmacy chain about $2 billion in annual profits. It's difficult to say if this will affect smoking. For now, the ban is most significant for what it represents symbolically.
Read More »
Veterans Health Care
commentary
Improving the Experience of Veterans Seeking Mental Health and Substance Use Care
Kimberly A. Hepner @KimberlyHepner
Aug 13, 2014
The RAND Blog
Last week, President Obama signed a bill to overhaul care provided by the Veterans Health Administration. This is an important step, but attention to veterans' experiences receiving care, particularly veterans in need of mental health and substance use care, should be an essential component to ongoing efforts to improve quality.
Read More »
Health Care Quality Measurement
commentary
The ACA's Opportunity to Improve Care for Substance Use Disorders
Katherine E. Watkins
Jul 28, 2014
The RAND Blog
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) will significantly increase coverage for the publicly funded treatment of substance use disorders. But in order to maximize the benefit to patients, families, and society, it's critical to invest in the development, validation, and use of performance measures.
Read More »
Tobacco and Smoking
commentary
Where There's Vapor, Is There Fire? We Need Evidence on E-Cigarettes
William G. Shadel, Joan S. Tucker, Steven C. Martino
Mar 4, 2014
The Health Care Blog
Currently, evidence for the safety, harmfulness, utility, and addictiveness of e-cigarettes is lacking. The questions that research needs to answer, however, are clear as day—particularly since business is booming.
Read More »
Tobacco and Smoking
blog
CVS and the Effect of In-Store Tobacco Displays on Smokers
Feb 6, 2014
CVS Caremark will stop selling cigarettes and other tobacco products at its CVS/pharmacy stores beginning Oct. 1. Though it stands to lose $2 billion dollars in annual revenue, CVS CEO Larry J. Merlo said that selling tobacco products is at odds with the company's mission of improving health outcomes.
Read More »
Tobacco and Smoking
commentary
Big Tobacco vs. Tobacco Regulation and Control: An Even Match?
William G. Shadel
Aug 26, 2013
The RAND Blog
Anti-tobacco policies that have clear scientific support will strengthen the FDA's regulatory position. While the evidence base is solid in this area, it needs to be much stronger and broader if the TCA is going to have any lasting success against the industry.
Read More »
Community Health and Well-Being
commentary
Promoting Success: Using Data to Inform Decision Making
Sarah B. Hunter
Mar 21, 2012
Independent Sector
Many organizations that we have worked with indicate that this approach has helped improve reporting and communication both within and external to their organization, writes Sarah Hunter.
Read More »

The RAND State Firearm Law Database

Giving Drug Policy Decisionmakers the Data They Need

How Cognitive Dissonance and Repression Shape Russian Perceptions of the Conflict in Ukraine

Russia's Ambitions and the War in Ukraine: Q&A with Dara Massicot

RAND Remote: Informing Innovative Policy Solutions to Address L.A.'s Dual Crises

The Policy Currents Podcast

Improving Psychological Wellbeing and Work Outcomes in the UK

Managing Escalation in Crisis and War

Getting to Know Military Caregivers and Their Needs

Planning for the Rising Costs of Dementia

Substance Use Disorder Treatment

Sexual Assault in the Military, School Security, Mental Health Care: RAND Weekly Recap

There's Help for Veterans with Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders

PTSD and Substance Use Disorders Are a Vicious Cycle for Veterans

Fentanyl: The Most Dangerous Illegal Drug in America

Where Science Says to Spend Any U.S. Opioid Settlement Money

Disinformation, Drug Policy, Artificial Intelligence: RAND Weekly Recap

Opioids, Summer Learning, Immigration: RAND Weekly Recap

In Opioid Policy, One Size Does Not Fit All

Evidence-Based Treatments May Be Casualties of War on Drugs

Can Vaping Help Smokers Quit? The Real Story from a Real Story

Conversations at RAND: A Sobering Look at the Opioid Epidemic

Sniping: Homeless Youths' High-Risk Smoking Practice

Last Week Tonight's Jeff the Diseased Lung Is No Joke

Graphic Warning Labels on Cigarettes Are Scary, but Do They Work?

CVS Health: Breathing a Little Easier and Holding Our Breath

Improving the Experience of Veterans Seeking Mental Health and Substance Use Care

The ACA's Opportunity to Improve Care for Substance Use Disorders

Where There's Vapor, Is There Fire? We Need Evidence on E-Cigarettes

CVS and the Effect of In-Store Tobacco Displays on Smokers

Big Tobacco vs. Tobacco Regulation and Control: An Even Match?

Promoting Success: Using Data to Inform Decision Making

Connect

Contact Us

I am interested in

Follow

Stay Informed

Resources

Site Information