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Controlled Substances and Illegal Drugs

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Article
Illegal Opioids Are Hurting Too Many of Us. We Need a New Approach
Fatal overdoses are on the rise in the United States, with the proliferation of potent, synthetic opioids like illicit fentanyl. But deaths are just the tip of America's iceberg-sized opioid crisis. To save and improve lives, policymakers will need to take a holistic approach. People who use opioids and their families should be at the heart of this new response.
Mar 16, 2023
Commentary
What's Next After Biden's Announcement on Cannabis and Racial Equity?
Cannabis legalization isn't just a yes-or-no choice. There are many ways for state and federal policymakers to shape the market and tax it. With deliberations in Washington, D.C., beginning and more states set to vote on the issue in November, now is the time for lawmakers to take stock of how potential changes will or won't help communities of color.
Oct 11, 2022

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Journal Article
Traditions and Connections for Urban Native Americans (TACUNA): Utilizing Community-Based Input to Develop an Opioid Prevention Intervention for Urban American Indian/Alaska Native Emerging Adults
Very few opioid prevention programs exist for urban Native American emerging adults. Community participation enhances opioid prevention programs for urban Native Americans. Engaging in Native American traditional practices promotes healthy behaviors.
Jun 21, 2023
Journal Article
Integrating Traditional Practices and Social Network Visualization to Prevent Substance Use: Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial Among Urban Native American Emerging Adults
A community-informed and culturally grounded opioid prevention intervention can be developed for urban AI/AN emerging adults and can help to build resilience and hopefully decrease opioid use among this underserved population.
Jun 21, 2023
Journal Article
Risk and Protective Factors of Social Networks on Alcohol, Cannabis, and Opioid Use Among Urban American Indian/Alaska Native Emerging Adults
A higher proportion of network members engaging in traditional practices but not heavy substance use was associated with lower intentions to use cannabis or drink alcohol. Traditional practices may be an important part of prevention.
Jun 16, 2023
Journal Article
State Policy and the Breadth of Buprenorphine-Prescriber Networks in Medicaid Managed Care
Researchers used a diff-in-diff approach to compare three Medicaid Managed Care networks for buprenorphine providers across specialties and market segments within the same state.
Jun 14, 2023
Journal Article
Prevalence of Buprenorphine Providers Requiring Cash Payment From Insured Women Seeking Opioid Use Disorder Treatment
Researchers used an audit (simulated patient) study methodology to examine appointment-granting behavior by buprenorphine prescribers in ten different U.S. states.
Jun 14, 2023
Commentary
State and Local Policy Is Changing for Psychedelics. What Will the Feds Do?
Psychedelics are attracting interest as a treatment for some mental health conditions. In response, some states and cities are changing their laws and policies on the supply and use of these mind-altering substances. But like cannabis, most psychedelics are federally prohibited—raising some tough questions for the federal government.
Jun 12, 2023
Journal Article
Association of Selected State Policies and Requirements for Buprenorphine Treatment With Per Capita Months of Treatment
State-mandated educational requirements beyond the initial training required to prescribe buprenorphine were associated with increased buprenorphine use over time.
Jun 8, 2023
Report
Onderzoek Experiment Gesloten Coffeeshopketen: Rapportage voormeting 2021: [Study in support of the Controlled Cannabis Supply Chain Experiment: Pre-measurement report 2021]
The document reports on cannabis consumption, the sale of cannabis from tolerated dispensaries (coffeeshops) and the illegal sale of hash and weed in the Netherlands prior to the introduction of an experiment with a legal cannabis supply chain.
May 31, 2023
Blog
Immigration Policy, the Black-White Wealth Gap, ChatGPT: RAND Weekly Recap
This weekly recap focuses on the challenges facing U.S. immigration policy, what it would take to close America's Black-white wealth gap, risks and opportunities associated with artificial intelligence, more.
May 26, 2023
News Release
State Policies Requiring Education for Buprenorphine Prescribers Boosts Use of Opioid Use Disorder Treatment
States that want to increase access to buprenorphine, a lifesaving medication used to treat opioid use disorder, should consider efforts to enhance professional education and clinician knowledge.
May 26, 2023
Journal Article
Disparities in Postoperative Opioid Prescribing by Race and Ethnicity: An Electronic Health Records-Based Observational Study from Northern California, 2015-2020
To examine racial and ethnic disparities in postoperative opioid prescribing.
May 24, 2023
News Release
Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder Rises After Medicare Expands Coverage for Methadone
The use of methadone among Medicare beneficiaries to treat opioid use disorder increased sharply after the program began covering the drug, with evidence suggesting the change created new treatment rather than displacing use of other medications.
May 19, 2023
Blog
RAND Turns 75: A Look Through the Decades At World-Changing Research
From anticipating the Space Age in the 1940s to studying gun policy and COVID-19 responses in the 2020s, RAND is celebrating 75 years of research that has made a difference.
May 8, 2023
Journal Article
Buprenorphine Treatment Episodes During the First Year of COVID: A Retrospective Examination of Treatment Initiation and Retention
Buprenorphine treatment remained stable during the pandemic, however the flow of individuals receiving treatment changed significantly, indicating that policy efforts were successful in maintaining existing patients, but did not extend to new patients.
May 2, 2023
Journal Article
A Randomized Trial of Letters to Encourage Prescription Monitoring Program Use and Safe Opioid Prescribing
Researchers conducted a randomized trial to assess whether letters to clinicians increased use of the state prescription monitoring programs (PMP) and decreased risky coprescribing of opioids with benzodiazepines or gabapentinoids.
Apr 20, 2023
Journal Article
Association Between Hospital Adoption of an Emergency Department Treatment Pathway for Opioid Use Disorder and Patient Initiation of Buprenorphine After Discharge
Researchers evaluated the association between hospitals attesting to an emergency department buprenorphine treatment Opioid Hospital Quality Improvement Program (O-HQIP) pathway and patients' subsequent initiation of buprenorphine treatment.
Apr 20, 2023
Blog
Violence in Schools, Neurodiversity and National Security, Drug Cartels: RAND Weekly Recap
This weekly recap focuses on preventing school violence, dealing with drug cartels, the benefits of a neurodivergent national security workforce, and more.
Mar 31, 2023
Project
Opioids Uncharted: Mapping America's Opioid Crisis
A RAND initiative to map the underexplored consequences of America's opioid crisis—and discover big-picture solutions.
Mar 21, 2023
Blog
Opioids in America, Silicon Valley Bank, Semiconductors: RAND Weekly Recap
This weekly recap focuses on addressing America's illicit opioids problem, Silicon Valley Bank’s demise, Taiwan’s semiconductor dominance, and more.
Mar 17, 2023

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Research conducted by

Researcher Spotlight

Adam C. Resnick

Senior Operations Researcher

Adam C. Resnick is a senior operations researcher at the RAND Corporation. His research applies quantitative analysis to policy issues in resource management, defense strategy and planning, health care access and satisfaction, supply chain management and logistics, military force structure and…
Bradley D. Stein

Director, Opioid Policy, Tools, and Information Center (OPTIC)

Bradley Stein (he/him) is director of the NIH-funded RAND-USC Schaeffer Opioid Policy Center and a senior physician policy researcher at the RAND Corporation. A health services and policy researcher and practicing child and adolescent psychiatrist, Dr. Stein's research focuses on better…

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