Substance Use

essay

Therapeutic Use of Psychedelics in Treating PTSD and Depression Among Veterans

Clinical trials have shown that psychedelics can have a positive effect on mental health conditions like PTSD or depression for some people. Enthusiasm for these treatments has grown among veterans and providers who work with military populations. The VA should invest in research and provide guidance on psychedelics.

blog

Disinformation Amid the Israel-Hamas War, U.S. Gun Policy, Cannabis: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on how the information war may play out between Israel and Hamas, what the evidence says (and doesn't say) about U.S. gun policy, supply models for recreational cannabis, and more.

blog

Israel-Hamas War, Overdose Deaths, Striking Health Care Workers: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on historical context for the Israel-Hamas war, the link between education and fatal overdoses, why U.S. health care workers are striking, and more.

commentary

The Solution to Telemedicine Prescribing of Buprenorphine Seems Clear to Everyone but DEA

For more than a decade, Congress, clinicians, and policymakers have been requesting implementation of a special registration pathway that would allow registered clinicians to prescribe buprenorphine without an in-person visit requirement. It's clear to us that the time to implement the pathway is now.

Lori Uscher-Pines, Haiden A. Huskamp, et al.

blog

The State of Public Education, the Opioid Crisis, Defending Taiwan: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on the state of public education in America right now, a missing piece of the strategy for addressing the opioid crisis, emerging technology that could help defend Taiwan, and more.

blog

Unidentified Aerial Phenomena, Neurodiversity, Russia's 'Forever War': RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on public reports of unidentified aerial phenomena, neurodiversity and national security, Ukraine's path to victory, and more.

blog

Taiwan, Gun Violence, Fishing in the Arctic: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on the potential for a Chinese attack on Taiwan, America's persistent gun violence problem, managing Arctic fisheries, and more.

essay

A Promising New Program Treats Co-Occurring Mental Health and Opioid Use Disorders

People who have an opioid use disorder and either clinical depression or PTSD are hard to reach, hard to treat, and hard to hold onto. A new collaborative care model called CLARO aims to help patients who otherwise might disappear into the cracks of the U.S. health care system.

essay

America's Opioid Crisis: Adopting an Ecosystem Approach

The opioid crisis is metastasizing throughout society, reaching across public health and public safety, but also education, employment, and the child welfare system. Without profound change and new approaches to the crisis, hundreds of thousands of people could die in the coming years.

blog

Teacher Well-Being, Russian PMCs, AI Conspiracy Theories: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on how America's teachers are doing, the proliferation of Russian private military companies, preparing for conspiracy theories about artificial intelligence, and more.

commentary

State and Local Policy Is Changing for Psychedelics. What Will the Feds Do?

Psychedelics are attracting interest as a treatment for some mental health conditions. In response, some states and cities are changing their laws and policies on the supply and use of these mind-altering substances. But like cannabis, most psychedelics are federally prohibited—raising some tough questions for the federal government.

Beau Kilmer @BeauKilmer, Rajeev Ramchand @RRamchand

blog

Immigration Policy, the Black-White Wealth Gap, ChatGPT: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on the challenges facing U.S. immigration policy, what it would take to close America's Black-white wealth gap, risks and opportunities associated with artificial intelligence, more.

blog

RAND Turns 75: A Look Through the Decades At World-Changing Research

From anticipating the Space Age in the 1940s to studying gun policy and COVID-19 responses in the 2020s, RAND is celebrating 75 years of research that has made a difference.

blog

Violence in Sudan, Alcohol Use, North Korea: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on the violence in Sudan, preventing alcohol-related deaths, the North Korean nuclear threat, and more.

blog

Violence in Schools, Neurodiversity and National Security, Drug Cartels: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on preventing school violence, dealing with drug cartels, the benefits of a neurodivergent national security workforce, and more.