THE DAILY BRIEFING

Fishing is tough, physically grueling work and therefore highly prone to injury, so it’s not surprising that people working in the fishing industry have significantly higher rates of opioid-involved overdose deaths. Around two in five of the 60,000 fishing workers in the U.S. have experienced either an opioid-related overdose or a substance-related accident or injury on the job. To cope, they often combine prescription painkillers, alcohol and other substances, increasing the risks of addiction and deaths. Now, help is available through organizations offering counseling, harm reduction services and overdose reversal medications.

Meanwhile, the New York Times publishes a moving account of how the opioid epidemic ravaged a small town in Pennsylvania. The writer, Shawn McCreesh, calls himself a member of Generation Opioid, noting that by the time he graduated high school a decade ago “opiates were everywhere,” followed by waves if addiction and death “that threatened to swallow families whole.”

And finally, an opinion piece by an addiction psychiatrist in USA Today, about the George Floyd murder trial, says it is unsurprising that Floyd’s substance use would be used to vilify him by the defense. “Our society has long viewed addiction as a moral failing,” especially among people of color. Yet Floyd was among the 2.4 million Americans struggling with opioid addiction, the majority of whom do not receive treatment.

Preliminary analysis of CDC data on drug overdose deaths estimates that fatalities may exceed 90,000 in 2020, up from nearly 71,000 the year before—the largest annual increase in two decades. Health officials had been tracking a surge in overdoses due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the latest figures point to even greater losses due to the stress, isolation and economic downturn caused by the corona virus. But as the death toll mounts, there’s little word from the Biden administration on what it intends to do. The president has yet to appoint a “drug czar” to oversee and coordinate national drug policy, and a recent statement outlining drug policy priorities did not include any new funding beyond the $4 billion allocated in the American Rescue Plan. Clearly, we need federal action now to confront this national drug crisis.

Meanwhile, New Mexico became the latest state to legalize marijuana—but with a distinct difference: unlike in other legalized states, the law does not allow municipalities to opt out of allowing pot dispensaries. The opt-provision has become an important tool for localities opposed to legalization to say they don’t want pot shops in their neighborhood. But unfortunately, even this measure of local control has been eliminated.

And finally, the CEO of Uber is also thinking about getting into the pot business, He told CNBC the company would like to start home-delivery services once federal-level prohibition of marijuana is lifted.

A Colorado lawyer who helped draft the state’s marijuana legalization proposition now says he has profound regrets about the law, writing that the industry is dominated by corporate greed and crony capitalism and lacks proper safeguards to protect children. In an editorial, Robert Corry complained that pot lobbyists spread the lie that regulations on limiting the potency of THC—the psychoactive component of pot—would destroy marijuana businesses. As such, the industry “threw a tantrum” against even modest steps to regulate such products to make Colorado safer, especially for young people—a reaction that clashes with the industry’s cleverly cultivated image of hip social responsibility, Corry says.

Meanwhile, as New Yorkers get used to the idea of being a legalized pot state, local officials are already gearing up to invoke an opt-out provision in the law allowing them to ban retail dispensaries. Local leaders say they believe marijuana is a gateway drug and don’t want it in their neighborhoods, even if it means losing out on a share of tax revenues, as they would under the opt-out rules.

And finally, a new book explores the role of Purdue Pharma’s founding Sackler family in fueling the ongoing opioid epidemic. Empire of Pain,by New Yorker writer Patrick Radden Keefe, looks at how the family became a decisive force in the tragedy, after introducing the powerful, highly addictive painkiller OxyContin and marketing the drug as safe and effective—all the while making a name for itself in the world of philanthropy.

The national opioid epidemic and the struggle by many people to overcome addiction are in the spotlight in the George Floyd murder trial in Minneapolis. Testimony offered by Mr. Floyd’s girlfriend, Courteney Ross, provided a glimpse into how opioid addiction often begins with seeking relief from chronic pain, and can spiral into addiction and periods of recovery and relapse. Lawyers for the Floyd family said this testimony was important to raise awareness about substance use and how people should be treated with dignity, respect, and support rather than brutality.

Meanwhile, what do the rapper Snoop Dogg and the rightwing billionaire Charles Koch have in common? Not much, perhaps, except their support for marijuana legalization. The two have come together in the new Cannabis Freedom Alliance, a group that joins the Koch brothers’ political advocacy with the rapper and a libertarian think tank along with marijuana businesses to support legalization efforts. While cannabis reform has mostly involved left-leaning organizations, the Alliance aims to garner Republican backing at a time when many lawmakers in Congress are pushing to end federal-level marijuana prohibition.

And finally, the CBD craze apparently knows now bounds as companies bring to market CBD-infused clothing. They claim that socks, yoga pants and gloves saturated with CBD oils can ease stress, anxiety, and pain—although there is no evidence proving that the marijuana component is an effective treatment.

New York last week legalized adult-use recreational marijuana and now it’s New Mexico’s turn to ease access to legal weed. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said she would sign the bill passed by the state legislature, which had been called in to special session to pass the legalization measure. Much like other states that have legalized pot, the governor hailed the social-justice implications of legalization as well as purported benefits such as job and tax revenue creation—without mentioning the possible risks to public health that other states have already experienced. The state expects to get about $20 million annually but only 2023 when the market is fully established.

Meanwhile, a new study finds that the dangerous mix of cocaine and opioids are increasingly responsible for the surge in drug overdose deaths, which at 88,000 over a 12-month period are at a record high. The study showed that more than 75 percent of cocaine-related overdose fatalities also involved one or more opioids in 2019. At the same time, opioid deaths linked to meth and fentanyl use are also on the rise.

And finally, the Hollywood Reporter writers that Michael Sackler, an heir to the Sackler family fortune from OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma, is trying to cultivate a new image by becoming an ethically-responsible investor. In the article, Sackler asserts that he is innocent of involvement with the family firm and its aggressive marketing of prescription painkillers that contributed to the opioid epidemic. But it also points out that this next generation Sackler did in fact play an integral role in the family’s crisis-management efforts as it came under pressure in lawsuits and in the media to take responsibility for its actions and pay compensation to victims.

With drug overdose fatalities at a new record high—88,000 for the 12-month period ending August 2020—the Biden administration has finally announced its drug policy priorities, focusing on expanding treatment, harm reduction and education and prevention programs aimed at youth substance abuse. Noting that the addiction crisis has taken too great a toll on Americans and their families, the White House and Office of National Drug Policy Control (ONDCP) said the priorities are part of a “bold” effort to reduce overdoses and save lives, and are founded on evidence-based practices and ensuring racial equity. T

he statement also calls for reducing the supply of illicit substances, and advocates for “recovery-ready” workplaces—employment programs for people in recovery—and expanding the addiction workforce. While describing the implementation of these policies as “urgent,” the statement does not include any mention of significant new funding, aside from the $4 billion included in the American Rescue Plan earmarked for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Agency.

There was no word about a $125 billion program over the next decade to combat the opioid epidemic, promised by Biden during the campaign. Also no mention of who will be the nation’s “drug czar” running ONDCP (there is now an acting director) and whether this position will be brought back to the cabinet to give it more clout. And surprisingly, the policy priorities ignore marijuana legalization and cannabis reform at a time when states are moving quickly to legalize the drug amid concerns about public health and safety.

It’s a done deal: New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signs a law legalizing adult-use recreational marijuana, making the state the 15th to sanction easier access to weed. Legalization is touted as a way to boost state tax revenues and help communities disproportionately harmed by the failed war on drugs. But with lax rules and regulations on use—including home-delivery services, on-site consumption, and lenient penalties for drugged DUI—the law poses a threat to public health and safety especially in light of new findings that marijuana is as addictive for adolescents and teens as prescription opioids. But that apparently doesn’t figure into the political equation.

Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Senator Chuck Schumer is preparing legislation to end federal-level prohibition of pot, in what would be the biggest overhaul of drug policy in decades. The bill being drafted by the New York Senator goes beyond decriminalization by removing pot from the list of controlled substances and enables the feds to tax and regulate it (and of course win support from progressives for the Senator’s next reelection bid).

And finally, is President Biden waging a one-man war against weed by cracking down on White House hires that have used the drug? A story in Politico says more staff have been let go under the edict that had been previously known, and that other federal agencies and departments are also scrutinizing past drug use. The battle over marijuana is a simmering point of contention between Biden and the left-wing of the party that regards his moderate position as “outmoded and antiquated.”

State governors in New York, New Mexico and Virginia want marijuana legalization—and they want it now. In the rush to commercialize cannabis, New York’s legislature is set to quickly approve a bill tabled just last week. Virginia’s governor has pushed forward the date for legalization to July—years ahead of the original schedule. And New Mexico lawmakers have been called into special session to consider a legalization bill. The politicians falsely claim that easier access to weed will quickly solve a host of problems, from social inequality to criminal justice reform, and pandemic-related budget shortfalls.

But they fail to recognize the potential risks and dangers to public health, as were revealed in a new study that suggests that adolescents and teenagers may be particularly vulnerable to the intoxicating effects of marijuana and prescription drugs. Many people who used such drugs at an early age went on to develop a substance use disorder, indicated that experimentation had spiraled into addiction. The research expands on early findings that marijuana use by teens can impair learning and cognitive development.

And finally, as an opioid litigation settlement takes shape, Dr. Marvin D. Seppala writes in an opinion piece in STATnews that the windfall is urgently needed now—and should be directed to expanding access to drug treatment and for a wider range of addictions, not just those directly related to the opioid epidemic.

The White House is facing heat from Congress over its termination of five staff members who have used marijuana. The lawmakers criticize the Biden administration for being “out of step” with broad public support for cannabis reform and going easy on those who consume, or have consumed, the drug. Marijuana is now legal in 14 states and Washington, D.C., and some states have also changed laws banning pre-employment screenings for pot. Yet this dustup also sheds light on Biden’s less than forthcoming policy agenda on marijuana. As states rush to legalize, members of congress are calling for ending federal-level prohibition, while Biden has not clarified where he stands on the issue since the campaign, when he opposed federal legalization.

Meanwhile, Dr. Vivek Murthy is back as Surgeon General— reprising the role he had during the Obama years—and is facing an agenda of drug crises, in addition to the COVID-19 pandemic. During his first go round, Murthy was outspoken about the worsening opioid epidemic and surging e-cigarette use. During his confirmation hearings, he called for expanded access to overdose reversal medications and medication-assisted treatment (MAT).

And finally, can texting and tracking patients’ pain levels help reduce post-operative use of prescription opioid painkillers? A new study found that more than half of the pills go unused when monitored for pain and usage.

The danger of increased methamphetamine use is back in the spotlight as a group of bipartisan congressional lawmakers introduces a bill to declare meth an emerging drug threat—and to direct the Office of Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to establish a comprehensive program to prevent addiction and overdose death. The bill recognizes that meth has returned as a national drug crisis, with overdose deaths spiking 42 percent in a single year and the largest seizures on record of the drug. The bill comes as pressure is building for the Biden administration to take action on a number of drug crises—including the opioid epidemic—which have so far not been a top priority.

Meanwhile, a report in the Los Angeles Times busts another myth about marijuana legalization in California—that it will promote social equity, and help those hit hardest by the war on drugs. The program was first praised as a kind of reparation for failed drug policies, but many would-be entrepreneurs complain that the sluggish rollout of the program is actually hurting those it was meant to help.

And finally, congressional lawmakers have tabled a bill that would ensure the Sackler family, who control the opioid maker Purdue Pharma, would not be immune from prosecution in nationwide opioid lawsuits. If Purdue’s current bankruptcy plan were approved by the court family members would receive immunity from the nearly 3,000 lawsuits filed by states, counties, cities and tribes seeking compensation for the costs of the opioid crisis. The company is accused of downplaying addiction risks of its best-selling opioid painkiller OxyContin and encouraging overprescribing, which has contributed to the deaths of more than 500,000 Americans over the past two decades.