Ian McLoone directs us to another study (the 4th in a row) finding that buprenorphine patients receive no benefit from added behavioral treatments. Where does this leave us? We've seen criticism of the devolution of methadone maintenance (MMT) into dosing clinics with calls for a new recovery orientation to MMT and a return to methadone being … Continue reading Buprenorphine + therapy = ?
Category: Controversies
Buprenorphine and emotional reactivity
The following article was shared with me by a reader. Not surprisingly, the emphasized portion below caught my eye. [emphasis mine] Abstract Addictions to illicit drugs are among the nation’s most critical public health and societal problems. The current opioid prescription epidemic and the need for buprenorphine/naloxone (Suboxone®; SUBX) as an opioid maintenance substance, and its … Continue reading Buprenorphine and emotional reactivity
What makes treatment effective?
I've been catching a lot of heat recently for posts about Suboxone and methadone. (For the sake of this post, lets refer to them as opioid replacement therapy, or ORT, for the rest of this post. One commenter who blogs for an ORT provider challenged my arguments that we should offer everyone the same kind … Continue reading What makes treatment effective?
Regulating the marijuana market
The Partnership at Drugfree.org reports the results of a recent survey: There is strong support for a wide array of stringent post-legalization marijuana regulations to protect minors and the community wellbeing. The research shows intense support (above or near 90 percent) for: Setting a legal age of 21 Prohibiting marijuana smoking in public places Severe … Continue reading Regulating the marijuana market
Why “medical” marijuana gets little respect here
Mark Kleiman, the Washington state pot czar, explains his use of "scare quotes" when writing about medical marijuana: Yes, cannabis has medical value for some people. And yes, the sustained effort of the federal government to make medical cannabis research as difficult as possible is a national disgrace. And then, on the other … Continue reading Why “medical” marijuana gets little respect here
Thanks for the evidence
Anna David points us toward some positive press for AA. One of the articles focuses on a lecture by Marc Galanter Galanter said that AA uses many of the psychosocial features that operate in any charismatic membership group: social cohesion through attendance at regular meetings; a belief system embodied in the book Alcoholics Anonymous; a behavioral program … Continue reading Thanks for the evidence
Solving the prescription opioid problem
I've posted several times recently on the problem of opioid over-prescription and overdose. Some might assume that I want some regulatory or statutory intervention to address the issue. Truth is, I've got more questions than answers and I would not support a response that forces us to choose between treating pain and preventing addiction and … Continue reading Solving the prescription opioid problem
Overprescription of opioids is bad medicine
Keith Humphreys points out that the problem with the explosion of prescriptions for opioids isn't just addiction and overdose. They are often just not good medicine. Opioids typically have a miraculous effect on acute pain, but this does not necessarily translate to chronic pain relief, particularly as tolerance sets in over time. Even more disturbing, … Continue reading Overprescription of opioids is bad medicine
What policy would minimize total damage?
Mark Kleiman responds to a WSJ column expressing concern about increases in marijuana use leading to increases in schizophrenia. Kleiman responds to the specific concerns and then steps back to frame the larger policy decisions. The author of the WSJ piece solemnly announces, “The claim that marijuana is medically harmless is false.” No sh*t, Sherlock! … Continue reading What policy would minimize total damage?
The surgery was a success, but…
Public health workers are declaring their harm reduction approach a success: Harm reduction — not a war on drugs — has reduced illicit drug use and improved public safety in what was once Ground Zero for an HIV and overdose epidemic that cost many lives, says a 15-year study of drug use in Vancouver's impoverished … Continue reading The surgery was a success, but…
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