Latest News On Substance Misuse

Latest KFF Health News Stories

Not Yesterday’s Cocaine: Death Toll Rising From Tainted Drug

KFF Health News Original

While the U.S. continues to focus mainly on the opioid crisis, cocaine is quietly making a comeback and has become one of the biggest overdose killers of African Americans when tainted with fentanyl.

Surgeon General’s Marijuana Warning Omits Crucial Context

KFF Health News Original

Surgeon General Jerome Adams said the drug has a “unique impact” on the developing brain ⁠— technically true, but neglecting a vital comparison to other drugs, as well as shortcomings in the existing research.

Some Academics Quietly Take Side Jobs Helping Tobacco Companies In Court

KFF Health News Original

Faced with lawsuits from sick smokers, tobacco firms argue the health risks were “common knowledge” for decades, and they often pay professors to help make that point as expert witnesses.

How Germany Averted An Opioid Crisis

KFF Health News Original

Doctors are less likely to prescribe opioids in Germany and quicker to notice if a patient is at risk of abuse. And, for those who do experience addiction, treatment is easier to come by.

¿Metanfetamina o trastorno mental? Policías muchas veces no pueden darse cuenta

KFF Health News Original

Cerca de 9,2 millones de adultos en los Estados Unidos enfrentan tanto un problema de salud mental como de drogas, o ambos. Y les resulta difícil acceder a atención especializada.

Meth Trip Or Mental Illness? Police Who Need To Know Often Can’t Tell

KFF Health News Original

The calming techniques that officers learn during training to intervene in a mental health crisis don’t seem to work as well when a suspect is high on meth. Meth calls can be much more dangerous, police say.

Hospitals Take Shot At Opioid Makers Over Cost Of Treating Uninsured For Addiction

KFF Health News Original

A few hundred hospitals have banded together to sue drugmakers in state courts, but far more are staying on the sidelines to avoid ‘unflattering attention’ about their role in the opioid crisis.

Vape District en Los Angeles, una puerta de entrada al mercado negro

KFF Health News Original

Una sección de cinco cuadras del centro de Los Ángeles que solía ser parte del Toy District se ha convertido en la zona cero del país para el comercio de cannabis falsificado.

Los Angeles Vape District A Black-Market Gateway

KFF Health News Original

A seedy section of downtown Los Angeles has become the go-to place for those who trade in wholesale — and sometimes counterfeit — vaping products. As more people fall ill with a mysterious lung disease linked to e-cigarette use, the manufacture and distribution of vaping products face increased scrutiny.

Washington State Law On Behavioral Care Balances Parental Rights, Teens’ Autonomy

KFF Health News Original

Many states have rules that keep parents from knowing about or consenting to certain types of care for their children, including mental health and drug and alcohol treatment. Washington state, however, has revised its policies.

For Generation Juul, Nicotine Addiction Happens Fast And Is Hard To Shake

KFF Health News Original

One in 4 high school seniors report vaping in the previous month. Teens talk about how quickly vaping became ingrained in teen culture and how hard it is to quit vaping nicotine.

Rescates del 911 relacionados con la salud mental, sin policías

KFF Health News Original

Denver es una de al menos ocho ciudades que está considerando implementar un programa que busca despenalizar y mejorar el tratamiento de las personas con enfermedades mentales graves.