ADAI News

KUOW: As Overdoses Rise, King County Loses Detox Beds for Treatment

KUOW radio's Ross Reynolds spoke with Dennis Donovan, director of the University of Washington's Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute, about the loss of detox beds in King County and what that means for people struggling with drug and alcohol addiction.   

Heroin Overdose Deaths Up in Seattle-King County in 2014

Heroin deaths in Seattle-King County rose 58 percent from 2013 to 2014, according to an annual report published June 18 by UW’s Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute. “The increase in drug deaths in 2014, particularly heroin, is quite distressing,” said Caleb Banta-Green, senior research scientist with the institute and the report’s lead author. He said King County has expanded access to lifesaving measures, including opioid drug treatment, and is distributing the opiate overdose antidote naloxone. It appears, however, that heroin use and related mortality are outpacing these efforts. For more on the story, see the article in HSNewsBeat and coverage in Seattle Times, KOMO-TV ABC 4 and Radio 1000, KING-TV NBC 5, and KUOW.

Report: Drug Abuse Trends in Seattle-King County Area: 2014.

Substance Use Programs in American Indian Communities Should Reflect Tribal Values & Traditions

"One size fits all' interventions for American Indian communities should represent their values and traditions, finds a study by ADAI Research Scientist Sandra Radin, lead author of an article in the Journal of Ethnicity and Substance Abuse, co-authored with representatives of the partnering tribal communities as well as Lisa Rey Thomas and Dennis Donovan of ADAI.

Most interventions have been developed for non-Native individuals, Radin noted; even programs developed in one Native American community might not work for another with a different culture and history.

"American Indians have thousands of years of experience dealing with adversity and have customs and traditions that have helped them to survive,” Radin said. “There is a lot that they know about their communities and their communities’ needs that outside researchers don’t.”

Successful interventions, tribal members told the researchers, would incorporate tribal communities' strengths by recognizing those values and incorporating cultural practices into treatment and prevention, such as traditional ceremonies, healing rituals, and practices such as beading, weaving, and drumming, according to Radin.

Read the full story by Michael McCarthy in UW Health Sciences NewsBeat.

Online Training for Healthcare Providers on Medicinal Cannabis

The University of Washington Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute  launched a new interactive online education program that gives healthcare providers the knowledge and tools they need to discuss medicinal cannabis with their patients suffering from chronic pain.  

Medicinal cannabis has been shown to be an effective therapy in the treatment of chronic pain.  Though a legally available option in Washington State, recommendations for medicinal cannabis may be avoided by providers who lack knowledge about the potential benefits and risks of this approach in managing chronic pain, and confidence in discussing this option with their patients. 

 “Washington State passed one of the earliest laws allowing for the use of medical marijuana by qualified patients.  We now have the legal marijuana as well for non-medical use.  Thus, regardless of personal opinions or viewpoints, it is critical that all health care providers in our state possess a good working knowledge of the pharmacology of cannabis,” said Dr. Gregory Carter, Medical Director of St. Luke’s Rehabilitation Institute in Spokane and a key instructor in the training.

"Medicinal Cannabis and Chronic Pain" was developed with a grant awarded to ADAI Research Scientist Dr. Beatriz Carlini by the Washington Office of the Attorney General to offer non-judgmental, science-based information to healthcare providers and the general public.

 “Our ultimate goal is to help clinicians to make informed clinical decisions on this topic. The information provided during the trainings aims to destigmatize cannabis and increase providers’ comfort level in talking to patients about medicinal cannabis,” Carlini said. Included on the training website are patient education materials and screening and clinical tools for providers.  Up to 2.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ are available for health care providers who successfully complete the online course.

More information about this project and a link to the training can be found at http://adai.uw.edu/mcacp/.

King County Mental Health & Substance Abuse Legislative Forum - Video

The 18th Annual King County Mental Health & Substance Abuse Forum on Nov. 13, 2014 featured Seatle Mayor Ed Murray, Dep. King County Exec. Fred Jarrett, Jim Vollendroff, Dir. of King County`s mental health and substance abuse services and a parental perspective from TV reporter/producer Penny LeGate, as well as stories of recovery from the public.

Drug Deaths in King County Up in 2013, Says Annual Drug Trends Report

Drug-caused deaths and heroin use among young adults increased in 2013, according to the annual King County Drug Trends report. The King County Drug Trends Workgroup releases an annual report on substance use trends each year. Findings for 2013 were presented at the National Institute on Drug Abuse’s Community Epidemiology Workgroup on June 5, 2013.

“Overall, drug-caused deaths were up in 2013,” says Caleb Banta-Green, PhD, MPH, MSW, research scientist at the UW Alcohol & Drug Abuse Institute, lead author on the report. “Pharmaceutical opiates (e.g. OxyContin, Vicodin, methadone), were the most common drugs detected, although down from their peak in 2009, and heroin deaths have doubled to 99 in 2013 compared to heroin deaths in 2009.”

Heroin use has increased in young adults, ages 18 to 29, and over the past four years treatment admissions are up substantially for heroin. Methamphetamine abuse persists as a major impetus for those entering treatment, and increased deaths in 2012 and 2013 may be linked to the increase in use coupled with heroin.

Major findings in the 2013 report include:

• Heroin use continues to increase in King County and statewide; young adults are a major population of concern. Heroin involved deaths among those under 30 has increased from 7 deaths (14%) in 2009 to 34 deaths (34%) in 2013, the numbers for all ages increased from 49 to 99 respectively.
• Methamphetamine indicators are up as are indicators of combined use with heroin. Methamphetamine in police evidence tests continued to increase for the third year in a row though the numbers were well below the level of 2001. Approximately one-third of those who reported any use of methamphetamine at treatment admission also mentioned heroin use, a substantial proportional and numerical increase since 2005. Deaths involving heroin and methamphetamine together increased substantially in 2012 and 2013.
• Pharmaceutical opioids remain the most common drugs identified in drug-caused deaths--125 in total in 2013--though for the past few years the level has been approximately 25% lower than the peak in 2009. Treatment admissions with pharmaceutical opioids indicated as the primary problem declined somewhat in 2013.
• While marijuana use is widespread, indicator data are down. Police evidence for people testing positive for marijuana is down substantially from the peak in 2009 and treatment admissions for marijuana have declined for the fourth year in a row.
• More police evidence tests were positive for methylone than MDMA (“Ecstasy”) in 2013 for the first time, with methylone first appearing in substantial numbers in 2011. Methylone is similar to MDMA in terms of its chemical structure and its physical and psychological effects. Users believe that “Molly” is pure MDMA, however when evidence has been tested it is often methamphetamine or methylone.
• Overdose prevention education and take-home naloxone (also known as Narcan, an opiate overdose antidote) distribution are increasing across Washington via syringe exchanges, clinician prescribing, pharmacist direct dispensing and jails. Among heroin injectors surveyed in King County in 2013 28% had take-home-naloxone in their possession in the prior 3 months. Overdose education and a naloxone locator are available at www.stopoverdose.org.

The King County Drug Trends Workgroup includes diverse local experts on substance use including people working in street outreach, law enforcement, public health, treatment and other service providers. A complete copy of the report is available online at http://adai.uw.edu/pubs/cewg/CEWG_Seattle_June2014.pdf.

Media coverage: KOMO TV, KPLU 88.5 FM, Capitol Hill Seattle Blog.

Roger Roffman Chronicles Society’s Long Struggle with Pot in ‘Marijuana Nation’

Roger Roffman is a UW professor emeritus of social work who has studied marijuana dependence interventions for 30 years, and was a sponsor of Initiative 502, which legalized recreational marijuana in Washington. In an interview with UW News and Information, he answered a few questions about his new book, “Marijuana Nation: One Man’s Chronicle of America Getting High: From Vietnam to Legalization.”   The book follows Roffman’s exposure to marijuana while serving as a US Army officer in Vietnam, his personal use (and cessation of use), and his research and activism on behalf of patients who would benefit from medical marijuana.  From lobbying in Washington, to talking to doctors and nurses in oncology wards, and watching his brother struggle with addiction, Roffman has experienced the layered and complex relationship Americans have with marijuana first-hand. He was a co-sponsor of Washington State Initiative 502, which legalized marijuana for adults.

Read the full interview

Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, April 26, 2014, 10am - 2pm

The National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day aims to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs, while also educating the general public about the potential for abuse of medications.

Locate a Collection Site Near You

Collection site locations are now available. More than 50 sites in Washington State!  Check back often; sites are added daily. Please contact the Call Center at 1-800-882-9539 if you require assistance.

Law Enforcement Agencies Only

For law enforcement agencies that wish to host a collection site, please call the POC in your area.

Partnership Toolbox

Download posters, handouts and other materials to promote National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day.

Drug Disposal Information

 

Behavioral Health Barometer: Washington State, 2013

This is the first edition of SAMHSA's Behavioral Health Barometer: Washington 2013, one of a series of State and national reports that provide a snapshot of behavioral health in the United States. The reports present a set of substance use and mental health indicators as measured through data collection efforts sponsored by SAMHSA, including the National Survey on Drug Use and Health and the National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services. This array of indicators provides a unique overview of the Nation’s behavioral health at a point in time as well as a mechanism for tracking change and trends over time. As new data become available, indicators highlighted in these reports will be updated to reflect the current state of the science and incorporate new measures of interest.

Behavioral Health Barometer: Washington 2013 (full text)

See also: Behavioral Health Barometer, United States, 2013 (full text)

ADAI Receives Grant on Chronic Pain Management and Cannabis

The UW Alcohol & Drug Abuse Institute has received a grant from the state Attorney General’s Office to provide training and education for health professionals and the general public on the subject of chronic pain management and cannabis use.

The grant was presented by Attorney General Bob Ferguson in an event at the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute on Oct. 17.

The grant, to Beatriz Carlini, Phd, MPH, research scientist, and her colleagues at the Institute, will assess and address gaps in science-based training and education for a number of groups: staff of community organizations that provide information to individuals suffering from chronic pain, health care providers and the general public.

“Chronic pain is a major public health issue,” Carlini said. “This project will offer non-judgmental, science-based information to clinicians and to the general public on the role of medical marijuana as an option in alleviating intractable pain in our state.”

The ultimate goal of the project is to increase awareness of the options available to treat pain and other medical conditions, and to decrease unnecessary suffering among people living with chronic pain. The project will provide and information and education about medical conditions and populations for whom cannabis is recommended, and for whom it is not recommended, as well as possible side effects and risks.

Related article in Seattle Weekly, Oct 31, 2013.

[Photo from the Office of Attorney General Bob Ferguson.]