“Knowledge is in every country the surest basis of public happiness.” – George Washington, First Annual Message to Congress, 1790 Last January a report on alcohol and health was posted by the US Department of Health and Human Services for public comment, Draft Report: Scientific Findings of the Alcohol Intake & Health Study for Public … Continue reading Public Interest or Industry Interest: the Economics and Politics of Minimizing Alcohol Harm
Tag: wellness
Will We Ever Move Beyond an Acute Crisis Orientation? The Absence of Recovery Research and Emerging Drugs
“What remains in diseases after the crisis is apt to produce relapses.” ― Hippocrates Our SUD evidence base tends to be myopic and crisis oriented. It is focused on first aid and short-term stabilization rather than on developing sustained recovery over time. Nowhere is this more evident than in our response to emerging drug combinations … Continue reading Will We Ever Move Beyond an Acute Crisis Orientation? The Absence of Recovery Research and Emerging Drugs
Drugs, synthetic analogs, and regulation
Earlier today, we posted the #2 post of 2025, which was about the emergence of a synthetic analog to nicotine. it’s interesting to me that we start with tobacco, move to nicotine vape, then on to the nicotine pouch, and eventually drift to synthetic nicotine analogs. And all along we see a consistent theme of: harmful … Continue reading Drugs, synthetic analogs, and regulation
Rehab in Scotland – what’s going on?
. Scotland, for all its beauty and positives, has an unwelcome first ranking in Europe in the domain of drug deaths. In 2021, the Scottish Government announced the National Mission as a response. A significant financial resource was realised to do this, spread over a variety of interventions. One of these was residential rehabilitation – … Continue reading Rehab in Scotland – what’s going on?
Why won’t the acute care paradigm die?
Recently, I posted about a study finding significant declines in the duration of treatment for MOUD patients in Ontario, Canada. The post focused on the persistence of the acute care paradigm, now appearing in MOUD. The post prompted some discussion on LinkedIn, during which I was struck by how this is really just a cycle … Continue reading Why won’t the acute care paradigm die?
SDOH and Recovery Capital: Of Course Everything Isn’t Healthcare
The Wall Street Journal recently ran a commentary arguing that "Not Everything is Healthcare." Health insurers like UnitedHealthcare, Centene and Humana have devoted billions of dollars in the past decade to building new “affordable housing.” They’re also spending heavily on nutrition programs and local community resources. No, the insurance industry hasn’t suddenly begun emphasizing philanthropy over profit. Rather, it … Continue reading SDOH and Recovery Capital: Of Course Everything Isn’t Healthcare
Less effective and focused on only one problem
This is a throwback post that was originally posted January 14, 2012. Some friends shared this video about the benefits of exercise: At about 7:00, he says: So a German researcher named Rainer Hambrecht looked at this with about 100 cardiac patients He got the group to exercise, and by that I mean 20 minutes … Continue reading Less effective and focused on only one problem
Less effective and focused on only one problem
Some friends shared this video about the benefits of exercise: At about 7:00, he says: So a German researcher named Rainer Hambrecht looked at this with about 100 cardiac patients He got the group to exercise, and by that I mean 20 minutes a day in an exercise bicycle and once a week a 60 … Continue reading Less effective and focused on only one problem
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