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Controlled Substances and Illegal Drugs

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Commentary

Fentanyl Makes an Already Dangerous Drug Market Deadlier Than Ever

May 2, 2022

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.
Essay

Army Enlistment Waivers in the Age of Legal Marijuana

Oct 27, 2021

Army recruits with a history of marijuana use can ask for a waiver like those who have diabetes or insomnia. They are just as likely as others to complete their first term and make sergeant, and are less likely to leave the Army for health or performance reasons.

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Report

What Policy Changes Could Help Save Lives from Illicit Synthetic Opioids Overdose?

In this recording of a July 2022 virtual event, experts discuss the findings from the Commission on Combating Synthetic Opioid Trafficking Final Report, and recommendations to reduce lives lost to illicit synthetic opioids.

Aug 18, 2022
Journal Article

Legal Review of State Emergency Medical Services Policies and Protocols for Naloxone Administration

We provide data on the authority of providers at different emergency medical services licensure levels to administer naloxone. We also describe relevant policies regarding which administration routes and dosages are permitted for each licensure level.

Aug 2, 2022
Journal Article

How Much Illegally Manufactured Fentanyl Could the U.S. Be Consuming?

This article provides guidance through two thought experiments that provide a hypothetical upper bound on U.S. consumption of fentanyl.

Jul 28, 2022
Journal Article

Methodological Considerations for Estimating Policy Effects in the Context of Co-Occurring Policies

Researchers conducted simulations to assess how concurrently implemented policies affected the evaluation of hypothetical state-level policies.

Jul 15, 2022
Commercial Book

Assessing the Harms of Crime: A New Framework for Criminal Policy

Assessing the Harms of Crime provides a firm analytical foundation for making normative decisions about criminal and related policy, taking harm—and its reduction—as a conceptual starting point and supplying the means for systematic, empirical analysis in a harm assessment framework.

Jun 29, 2022
Blog

Synthetic Opioids, Ukrainian Grain, the Metaverse: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on countering the illegal flow of synthetic opioids, freeing up Ukrainian grain to prevent famine, the importance of defining the metaverse, and more.

Jun 24, 2022
Testimony

Giving Drug Policy Decisionmakers the Data They Need

Better data and analysis can help improve federal drug policy responses. With the appropriate funding, the United States could enhance its drug data infrastructure and ensure that drug policy is based on high-quality information.

Jun 24, 2022
Commentary

What Chesa Boudin's Replacement Can Do About Open-Air Drug Dealing

Successfully addressing open-air drug dealing in San Francisco will likely require transparency about consequences that drug dealers face; a rethinking of how such crimes are sanctioned; and collaboration between prosecutors, police, and the community.

Jun 10, 2022
Article

Synthetic Opioids Are an Everything Problem

Illegally manufactured synthetic opioids have accelerated the opioid crisis. These drugs have created new challenges across a wide range of policy areas. That's why this crisis warrants new strategies and a comprehensive response.

Jun 9, 2022
Journal Article

State Policies and Buprenorphine Prescribing by Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants

This cross-sectional study used pharmacy claims to examine the association of state policies with the odds of receiving buprenorphine treatment from a nurse practitioner or physician assistant versus a physician.

Jun 2, 2022
Journal Article

Opioid Use Disorder Among Clients of Community Mental Health Clinics: Prevalence, Characteristics, and Treatment Willingness

The authors examined the prevalence of co-occurring opioid use disorder and willingness to engage in treatment among clients of eight Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health outpatient clinics.

Jun 1, 2022
Journal Article

Rapid Changes in Illegally Manufactured Fentanyl Products and Prices in the United States

This analysis used data from drug seizures and undercover purchases to address two questions: To what extent does supply of illegally manufactured fentanyl (IMF) vary over time and geography? What has happened to the purity-adjusted price of IMF?

May 13, 2022
Periodical

RAND Review: May-June 2022

The cover story explores what prison-based programs are available to help incarcerated parents and their children. Another feature examines ways to help social media users navigate the online extremist ecosystem.

May 11, 2022
Blog

How Data Can Help Refugees, Homelessness in L.A., Harm Reduction: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on tapping into Facebook data to help refugees, addressing homelessness in Los Angeles, understanding burnout among health care providers, and more.

May 6, 2022
Multimedia

Commission on Combating Synthetic Opioid Trafficking

This video provides an overview of the Commission on Combating Synthetic Opioid Trafficking, including its purpose, research, and findings.

May 3, 2022
Commentary

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
Blog

A Peacekeeping Operation in Ukraine, Synthetic Opioids, Geoengineering: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on why it may be time to consider a peacekeeping operation in northern Ukraine, supporting veterans with traumatic brain injury, a new response to synthetic opioids, and more.

Apr 29, 2022
Q&A

A New Approach to Fighting Synthetic Opioids: Q&A with David Luckey and Jayme Fuglesten

The opioid crisis isn't just about drug policy or law. It involves national security, homeland security, intelligence, diplomacy, supply chain issues, and cryptocurrency. Drawing on RAND's expertise across all those areas, the Commission on Combating Synthetic Opioid Trafficking delivered a plan, a call to action about what it's going to take to save lives.

Apr 26, 2022
Journal Article

Beyond State Scope of Practice Laws for Advanced Practitioners: Additional Supervision Requirements for Buprenorphine Prescribing

This study of state laws governing buprenorphine prescribing found that these vary; nurse practitioner and physician assistant supervision should include state non-scope of practice laws.

Mar 31, 2022

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