Drug-Related Fatalities Update
Drug-Related Fatalities Now Outnumber Motor Vehicle Fatalities in 16 States
In sixteen states (NC not among them) drug-related fatalities now outnumber motor vehicle accidents as the leading cause of accidental death. Most of these fatalities are a result of overdoses, usually Opioid analgesics.

For additional information and links to related articles, click here.

National Center for Health Statistics Data Brief: Increase in Fatal Poisonings Involving Opioid Analgesics in the US, 1999-2006

New Studies about SA
Last week, results of a Duke University analysis of NSDUH data reported that over 20% of adult men between the ages of 50 and 64 binge drink. - http://www.jointogether.org/news/research/summaries/2009/binge-drinking-not-for-kids.html

Another report documents a sharp uptick in illicit drug use among individuals in their 50s. - http://www.jointogether.org/news/research/summaries/2009/illicit-drug-use-rising-among.html

Most Common Source of Prescription Drugs
Friends and family are the most common source of prescription drugs misused* by youths in the U.S., according to an analysis of data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). Around one-half of youths who reported misusing prescription stimulants (50%), Tranquilizers (47%), or sedatives (47%) in the past year said that they most recently obtained the medication for free from friends or family, as did one-third of those who reported the misuse of prescription opioids.

More Info - Friends and Family Are Most Common Source of Prescription Drugs Misused by Youths

Treatment may help make Healthcare Reform Affordable
Study shows addiction treatment may help make healthcare reform affordable

Treating Americans who are addicted to alcohol and drugs will lead to substantial healthcare savings totaling billions of dollars over a decade, according to an analysis released by the Closing the Addiction Treatment Gap (CATG) initiative.

The white paper, "Unforeseen Benefits: Addiction Treatment Reduces Health Care Costs," cites studies showing that addiction treatment will contribute to containing healthcare costs by reducing emergency room visits, hospital stays and overall healthcare costs.

Link Here

Alcohol Identification and Treatment
Alcohol identification and treatment: we can’t afford NOT to identify and treat alcohol problems. http://www.ensuringsolutions.org/usr_doc/Primer3Costs.pdf

Centers of Excellence on Physician Education
In collaboration with the AMA, NIDA has created Centers of Excellence on Physician Education to serve as models for advancing addiction awareness, prevention, and treatment in primary care. The project will begin to release products (11 total) starting April 2009. http://www.nida.nih.gov/coe.html

Creighton University is focusing on Methamphetamine and developing a scale to assess knowledge gaps and a drug abuse curriculum guide: http://medschool.creighton.edu/medicine/admin/ome/nida/index.php

Drexel University working on innovative web-based educational units for medical students and residents: Click Here

N&O on Institute of Medicine Report
Dr. Pam Silberman, on behalf of the North Carolina Institute of Medicine Substance Abuse Task Force, made recommendations to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on MHDDSAS on January 14, 2009. The report culminates a process that began in the fall of 2007 in which the Task Force was convened monthly to discuss how to improve substance abuse prevention and treatment in the state. Interim report recommendations can be accessed here. The full report will be posted later this month.

Institute board member David Friedman served on the Task Force and is quoted in the article. Executive Director Sara McEwen served on the Task Force Steering Committee. The Governor’s Institute is mentioned in several of the primary care/substance abuse integration and workforce recommendations. The recommendations of the task force will also be featured in the Jan/Feb issue of the North Carolina Medical Journal as well as articles by Dr. Friedman and Dr. McEwen.

While it looks to be a tough year to get new money, the Task Force recommends raising tobacco and beer/wine taxes that would more than cover the expense of all of the recommendations. The report makes a very strong case for the cost effectiveness of substance abuse prevention and treatment, citing a savings of $5 for every $1 invested in prevention. The report stresses the cost of not providing these services is much greater over the long term in increased health care costs, lost worker productivity, broken families, increased criminal justice expenses, and lost lives.

Advocacy will be necessary to move these recommendations along and we hope you will speak out when the time is right. We will keep you posted.