Substance Use Disorder

The new task force highlights a stronger government focus on curbing the risks of e-cigarettes for young people, especially after sustained calls for stricter action on the public health issue by lawmakers and the public.

Overdose deaths have decreased for the first time since 2018, but naloxone remains an important tool in fighting the opioid epidemic.

Research presented at ENDO 2024 found that environmental stress increased the likelihood of earlier alcohol, nicotine and cannabis use in females and traumatic events increased the likelihood in males.

According to a survey, 18.9% of respondents said that the person they knew who died of a drug overdose was a family member or close friend.

Check out these top featured stories from Drug Topics in May 2024.

Savannah Roberts Clary, PharmD, BCPS, CPGx, a clinical pharmacist with Aegis Sciences Corporation, discusses what tianeptine is and how pharmacists can help warn the public about its potential hazards.

Unregulated tianeptine, often referred to as “gas station heroin,” has led to serious adverse effects. But while health officials warn the public about its potential dangers, others are concerned stigmatization could ruin any future chance of the drugs medicinal use.

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The company’s version of the opioid overdose medication will be $10 cheaper than branded products and is set to be available in stores later this month.

Study results suggest a nationwide increase in the supply and availability of illicitly manufactured fentanyl, with pills becoming more dominant across the ever-shifting US fentanyl market.

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With the mental health crisis worsening in the United States, recent research explores novel treatments and underlying causes.

For National Fentanyl Awareness Day, Drug Topics talked with Scott H. Silverman about how public health leaders can address the fentanyl crisis and the best ways to educate the public on the dangers of fentanyl use.

Amneal Pharmaceuticals said its generic naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray is now available in the US following FDA approval.

By addressing integration barriers associated with implementing tobacco cessation programs in the community pharmacy, community pharmacists can “significantly impact public health by increasing access to effective cessation support,” wrote investigators.

Patients in ED being treated for an opioid overdose were more likely to initiate medication for opioid use disorder after discharge when they received peer recovery support services.

The ongoing opioid crisis in the United States shows no signs of slowing down. As trusted community health care professionals, pharmacists must play a key role in fighting it.

See what's trending in pharmacy with a preview of the Total Pharmacy April issue.

According to Anita Jacobson, PharmD, pharmacists should actively facilitate access to harm reduction programs by providing information and resources, ensuring the person who uses drugs doesn’t have to navigate the landscape on their own.

It’s important that pharmacists continuously revise their counseling as new information about substances such as xylazine, levamisole, and phenacetin emerges, said Anita Jacobson at this year’s American Pharmacists Association Annual Meeting & Exposition.

At APhA 2024, 2 posters looked into how collaboration between physicians and community pharmacists is crucial when it comes to opioid prescriptions, and current opioid use patterns among older adults.

At this year’s American Pharmacists Association Annual Meeting & Exposition, Mark Garofoli urged pharmacists to develop strong documentation practices and go beyond baseline federal regulations to care for patients with red flags.

Pharmacists must uphold their “corresponding responsibility” to address controlled substance concerns among patients while balancing safety and respect, said Mark Garofoli at this year’s American Pharmacists Association Annual Meeting & Exposition.

The first nonprescription, OTC naloxone nasal spray (Narcan) was approved by the FDA in March 2023.

Telehealth mitigates barriers like stigma, fear, and legal concerns associated with receiving opioid use disorder (OUD) care by offering a convenient and discreet treatment option.