AOD Update - News and Resources on Alcohol and Other Drugs

Minnesota Department of Health sent this bulletin at 02/20/2025 10:00 AM CST

AOD Update – February 2025

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February 20, 2025

NEWS AND RESOURCES ON ALCOHOL AND OTHER DRUGS

Events and announcements

Reviving youth survey participation: Strategies for boosting response rates (PTTC Network) - Feb. 27 from 10 to 11 a.m.

Leveraging systems change for substance misuse prevention (PTTC Network) - Mar. 5 from 3 to 4:30 p.m.

Addressing the impact of tobacco and alcohol use on cancer-related health outcomes: a workshop (National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine) - Mar. 17 from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Mar. 18 from 7:30 to 10:30 a.m., please note these times are for the virtual sessions.

Navigating the strategic prevention framework to prevent alcohol-impaired driving (Prevention First) - Apr. 8 from 10 to 11:30 a.m.

A new roadmap for cannabis and cannabis policy research - (National Institute on Drug Abuse)

FDA’s new announcements on nicotine reduction & Zyn products (Public Health Law Center)

Data and research

QuickStats: Health center visit rates, by adults aged ≥18 years with mental health disorder, substance use disorder, or both, by sex — United States, 2023 (MMWR)

Draft report: Scientific findings of the Alcohol Intake & Health Study for public comment (Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Prevention of Underage Drinking)

Cannabis use disorder emergency department visits and hospitalizations and 5-year mortality (JAMA Network Open)

Time to act on a growing public health threat—Evidence of elevated mortality in cannabis use disorder (JAMA Network Open)

Exposure to secondhand cannabis smoke among children (JAMA Network Open)

Brain function outcomes of recent and lifetime cannabis use (JAMA Network Open)

The relationship of medical and recreational cannabis laws with opioid misuse and opioid use disorder in the USA: Does it depend on prior history of cannabis use? (International Journal of Drug Policy)

The association between discrimination and drinking among sexual minorities: A daily diary study (Addictive Behaviors Reports)

Rural houselessness among people who use drugs in the United States: Results from the National Rural Opioid Initiative (Drug and Alcohol Dependence)

The association of state policies and opioid analgesic amount dispensed from retail pharmacies (Drug and Alcohol Dependence)

Widening racial disparities in the U.S. overdose epidemic (Science Direct)

Alcohol

Why some heavy drinkers develop advanced liver disease, while others do not (Science Daily)

The link between alcohol consumption and cancer risk (MPR News)

Mixing alcohol and benzodiazepines: What you need to know (Drug Free)

Why, exactly, is alcohol so bad for you? (Time)

Cannabis

Vaping weed is popular, but there are many unknowns about its safety (NPR)

Marijuana dependence linked to higher risk of death (The New York Times)

Cannabis (marijuana): What families need to know to help protect children, teens and young adults (Drug Free)

Common responses from teens when talking about marijuana (Drug Free)

Opioids and prescription drugs

Changes in opioid use outcomes after passage of medical marijuana laws (Science Daily)

State law enforcement leader explains how fentanyl reaches Minnesota (MPR News)

FDA approves painkiller designed to eliminate the risk of addiction associated with opioids (AP News)

Commercial tobacco and e-cigarettes

Flavored e-cigarettes pose dire threat to youth and public health (American Medical Association)

What does the FDA's marketing authorization for Zyn nicotine pouches mean? (NPR)

Lower nicotine requirements in cigarettes could be coming soon (NPR)

FDA moves forward with last-minute push to cut nicotine levels in cigarettes (The New York Times)

Psychedelic medicine

Psychedelics in 2024: From hype to hard realities (Psychedelic Alpha)

Bipartisan bill allowing synthetic psilocybin in Colorado passes first test (KUNC)

New Missouri bill would legalize psilocybin therapy for veterans (NewsBreak)

Optimi Health reports first patients dosed in landmark natural psilocybin study in New Zealand (BioSpace)

Other news

NEW DIVISION: Division of Injury Prevention and Mental Health (IPMH) - For years, the Minnesota Department of Health's (MDH) injury and violence prevention section operated under the Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Division. Due to the rapid growth and evolution of this work, it is transitioning into its own division to better highlight the agency's efforts in injury and violence prevention, mental health promotion, substance misuse prevention, and commercial tobacco prevention and control. This new division will also encompass our suicide prevention initiatives, with an increased focus on mental health and wellbeing.

Learn more by visiting the MDH Alcohol and Other Drugs website.

Questions?

Contact the Injury and Violence Prevention Section: health.injuryprevention@state.mn.us.

Do you have news or resources to contribute to the next AOD Update? Send them to Kari Gloppen at kari.gloppen@state.mn.us.