Addiction Medicine
From the Journals
Coagulopathy outbreak underscores danger of synthetic cannabinoids
Four patients died after developing spontaneous intracranial bleeding.
Latest News
House, Senate agree on broad opioid legislation
Huge bill to address the opioid epidemic contains many provisions that will affect physicians.
From the Journals
Methadone may shorten NICU stays for neonatal abstinence syndrome
Conference Coverage
Signs point to growing abuse of gabapentinoids in the U.S.
LAS VEGAS – Several states have made gabapentin a Schedule V controlled substance while others have mandatory reporting of its dispensing and...
From the Journals
Cannabinoids may raise pain tolerance, not relieve pain itself
The pain relief that some patients experience from cannabinoids might be driven largely by an “affective rather than a sensory component.”
Latest News
Confirmed: Growth in overdose deaths is exponential
Opioid epidemic appears to be “the most recent manifestation of a more fundamental, longer-term process.”
News from the FDA/CDC
FDA issues new REMS for immediate-release opioids
For the first time, training will be made available to health care providers, nurses, and pharmacists involved in pain management.
Feature
Half as many people are trying heroin, but marijuana use grows
It appears that public health messaging on marijuana has not been as effective as marketing efforts by the burgeoning cannabis industry.
Opinion
Inpatient vs. outpatient addiction treatment: Which is best?
Dr. Dinah Miller interviews two experts about criteria to consider when referring patients with substance use issues.
Conference Coverage
More than half of urine drug screens showed improper medication use
LAS VEGAS – One sample in every five showed a combination of opioids and benzodiazepines, at least one of which was an unprescribed medication.
News
FDA warns kratom vendors about unproven claims
The substance is already outlawed in several countries and banned in some states.