Methamphetamine has made an unprecedented comeback, surpassing even fentanyl in drug overdose deaths in certain parts of the U.S. It hasn't shown up by accident; it's an offshoot of the misinformed anti-opioid movement. But it took two different government screwups to cause this latest mess: one that gave us pure, cheap meth and another that gave addicts the reason to use it. Nice going.
Fentanyl
From JAMA Pediatrics to Yahoo Finance, our work continues to be cited and published all over the world. Check out where we recently appeared.
Dr. Singh, ACSH friend and former Chief Medical Officer for the Office of the Assistant Secretary for HHS, published a paper on the adulterants found in street drugs. What was in there? A lot of junk.
Here is yet more evidence that fentanyl, rather than prescription drugs, is fueling the opioid crisis. It's time to add illegal drug cartels to the list of defendants.
The so-called War on Drugs, a spectacular failure by any measure, just got more complicated (and worse) because of vaping. New ACSH advisor Dr. Jeffrey Singer (pictured) argues that we are seeing a modern version of Prohibition decorated with vaping devices.
U.S. drug policies are just plain nuts. Pain patients can't get opioids because they're "bad." But your miniature poodle could walk into ... pretty much any store and waltz out with vaping solutions of CBD oil or maybe even THC because they're "good." But now fentanyl -- the real cause of most overdose deaths -- is showing up in vaping solutions. Can't make this up.
Not that we needed it, but there's now even more evidence that prescription analgesic opioids play a very small part in fatal overdoses that continue to plague America. How small? According to a new study published in Public Health Reports, let's just say: get out your magnifying glass.
The enormous Rand Corporation just issued a 265-page report discussing how and why fentanyl is plaguing the United States. Interesting stuff, but "itsy bitsy" ACSH was all over this years ago. See for yourself.
Fentanyl washed upon our shores several decades ago, as China White. Today, the fentanyl market has more of a Breaking Bad vibe. A thorough study by the Rand Corporation suggests that fentanyl is a whole quantum different from the opioid crisis narrative.
One of the core principles of ACSH is harm reduction – an essential component of any sane public health policy. Dr. Jeffrey Singer (pictured) writing for the Cato Institute, calls for harm reduction, both from opioid prescribers and policymakers. Dr. Singer graciously allowed us to reprint his latest essay, which is a must-read.
The CDC just released "Provisional Drug Overdose Death Counts," which seems to imply that opioid overdose deaths are falling for the first time. Some will doubtlessly take credit for ending the opioid crisis. But they shouldn't.
Have you started your Christmas and/or holiday shopping? If you're like us, you're putting it off to the last minute – because you're too busy with other things. Here at ACSH, we've been busy telling the world about science. Here's where we've appeared recently.