Author: lappaadm

September 1, 2022 | Fact Sheets, Novel Psychoactive Substances, Opioids, Public Safety, Stimulants, Substance Misuse, Synthetic Drugs

The Legislative Analysis and Public Policy Association is monitoring the emergence of novel psychoactive substances appearing on the illicit drug market in the United States. The term “novel” does not denote a new, never-before-seen substance but rather a substance that is newly available in the drug market. This fact sheet,  examines pyro, a relatively new high potency synthetic opioid increasing in prevalence in the U.S. Pyro belongs to an opioid subclass of NPS called 2-benezylbenzimidazoles, or nitazenes, and is structurally similar to etonitazene, a synthetic opioid that is nationally and internationally controlled. N-pyrrolidino etonitazene is not described or mentioned in any medical literature or patents, meaning that it is a truly “novel” NPS and likely developed independently from the pharmaceutical industry. Researchers believe that N-pyrrolidino etonitazene is coming to the U.S. via purchases on the dark web and is likely being produced in China. N-pyrrolidino etonitazene can be found in powder form or pressed into pills to resemble other substances. Studies estimate that N-pyrrolidino etonitazene is over 800 times more potent than morphine and 20-40 times more potent than fentanyl. Like other opioids, N-pyrrolidino etonitazene use can potentially cause fatal respiratory depression in the person ingesting the drug. However, because...

August 11, 2022 | Case Law Monitor

Each issue of Case Law Monitor highlights unique cases from around the United States in the areas of public health and safety, substance use disorder, and the criminal justice system. Every other month, LAPPA updates readers on cases that are important to the fieldm...

July 14, 2022 | Alcohol, Controlled Substances, Fact Sheets, Harm Reduction, Opioids, Prescription Drugs, Public Health, Recovery, Substance Misuse, Treatments

Recovery residences provide a sober, safe, and healthy living environment that promotes recovery from alcohol and other drug use and associated problems. These residences are commonly referred to by a number of names, including sober living houses, sober living environments, and recovery homes, and their primary purpose is to provide a home-like environment for individuals in recovery from substance use disorder to help sustain that recovery....

July 6, 2022 | News Bites

Each issue of News Bites highlights unique news articles from around the United States in the areas of public health and safety, substance use disorder, and the criminal justice system. Every other month, LAPPA updates readers on news they may have missed....

June 22, 2022 | Controlled Substances, Opioids, Prescription Drugs, Public Health, Recovery, Reports & Studies, Substance Misuse, Treatments

The COVID-19 pandemic created an unprecedented public health emergency throughout the world, prompting providers to turn to telehealth to provide necessary health care to patients at a distance. This paper analyzes the current state of telehealth services at the federal and state levels, as well as the benefits and limitations of telehealth technology use. It also offers public policy recommendations to improve telehealth services in the United States....

June 8, 2022 | Case Law Monitor

Each issue of Case Law Monitor highlights unique cases from around the United States in the areas of public health and safety, substance use disorder, and the criminal justice system. Every other month, LAPPA updates readers on cases that are important to the field....

May 19, 2022 | Controlled Substances, Harm Reduction, Innovative Initiatives, Law Enforcement, Opioids, Prescription Drugs, Public Health, Recovery, Substance Misuse, Treatments

The restaurant industry has been particularly impacted by the opioid epidemic with, for example, ten percent of food service workers dying from opioid overdoses in the State of Delaware.[1] This sobering statistic prompted the Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) to launch the Restaurant Accolade Program (the Program), which trains all restaurant staff and owners in the state on how to identify, respond to, and reverse an opioid overdose and helps food establishments draft policies that support employees and patrons with substance use disorders (SUDs). The Office of Health Crisis Response (OCHR) within DPH conducts the training and education....