Everyone who’s gone to elementary school in the last fifty years has had some sort of “Just Say No” sessions and activities; we’re all familiar with this type of informational prevention. But there is much more to the picture. My guest this month is Stephanie Strutner, CEO of the Prevention
Author: Jeremy Kourvelas
Xylazine Fact Sheet
SMART has made available a fact sheet on Xylazine, highlighting all the information we currently know on this drug, including trends, presentations, treatment, and more. Please download and share! Download PDF | Full Text
Guest column: Harm reduction is key to recovery, preventing overdose deaths
Read the full article at Knox News. More recovery centers have opened, telehealth use has exploded, drug courts and treatment-oriented incarceration alternatives continue to proliferate, and Narcan is more available than ever before. But overdose deaths continue to climb, and are now in fact the leading cause of death for
(Podcast) Methamphetamine and the Overdose Crisis
We are now in the fourth wave of the overdose crisis. Fentanyl is the still the most common drug involved in these deaths, but stimulants, primarily methamphetamine, is increasingly prevalent. In fact, the vast majority of all overdose deaths now involve multiple drugs. Meth, cocaine, heroin; worse still, newer contaminants
(Podcast) The New CDC Guidelines: Correcting Past Mistakes
At the end of 2022, the CDC released new prescribing guideline for opioids, replacing their last set from 2016. Excluding patients with cancer and other terminal illnesses, this guideline strongly emphasizes alternatives to opioids and urges extreme caution for physicians considering new opioid prescriptions, while also recommending how to appropriately
Naloxone Access Update: Over-the-counter Narcan expected in March, 2023
Emergent BioSolutions Inc. has announced that the FDA has fast-tracked their application for an over-the-counter (OTC) version of their trademarked Narcan nasal spray, and are anticipating approval as early as March 29th, 2023. A week prior, FDA Commissioner Robert Califf issued an open call for such applications, promising to assign
New Policy Brief: Harm Reduction
Key Points Harm reduction is a policy philosophy aimed at minimizing negative health outcomes by embracing compassion and rejecting stigma. It is often described as “meeting people where they are.” The core of harm reduction is acknowledging the lethality of modern drugs such as fentanyl. If you keep the person
New Podcast Episode: Harm Reduction
Harm reduction does not mean drug use is condoned. It simply means withholding condemnation of the behavior while the consequences of behavior are first addressed. For opioids, this basically means keeping people alive so that you can treat them. Jeremy speaks with Genoa Clark, Director of Harm Reduction at Choice
Guest Column: How mental health and substance abuse treatment help incarcerated Tennesseans
Read the full article at The Tennessean. Changes to telehealth policy enable mental health and substance abuse treatment programs. This is crucial, as the rate of incarceration is increasing the most in rural areas. About two-thirds of all incarcerated Tennesseans meet the criteria for a diagnosable substance use disorder. This
Rockin’ Night of Recovery
The Rocky Top Recovery Ambassadors put on a free concert on UT’s campus to raise awareness of mental health and recovery from substance use disorder. Participants were given free pizza and soda, and local sober bar Frog Juice had a table, distributing alcohol-free kombucha. Other organizations had tables at the