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The Latest News from Our Field

We curate a digest of the latest news in our field for advocates, policymakers, community coalitions and all who work toward shaping policies and practices to effectively prevent substance use and treat addiction. Sign up here to receive weekly updates straight to your inbox.

Trump reauthorizes major opioid legislation

President Trump signed the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act into law, reauthorizing the expired 2018 law that includes programs and funding to address the opioid crisis.

Senate vote looms on ACA subsidies

As the Senate vote on addressing the expiring ACA subsidies approaches next week, it remains unclear what bills will receive a vote and what the fate of the tax credits will be.

Trump pardons ex-Honduran president convicted for drug trafficking

President Trump pardoned a former Honduran president found guilty of drug trafficking, while continuing to intensify the U.S. military campaign against alleged drug boats in the Caribbean.

Attorneys general target Shopify over e-cigarettes

State attorneys general claim that more than 200 online stores who use Shopify illegally sold tobacco products, skirting age and safety requirements.

Research News Roundup: December 4, 2025

View our curated digest of the latest research news, including how self-reported cognitive impairment is highly prevalent among patients with opioid use disorder (OUD) and correlates with various demographic and clinical variables (such as neurological comorbidities), regardless of the specific medication used for treatment.

Judge approves Purdue opioid settlement

A federal bankruptcy judge approved an agreement settling the thousands of lawsuits against Purdue and the Sacklers for their role in the opioid crisis.

Trump administration shifts homelessness policy funding priorities

The Trump administration issued new guidance for federal housing funds that will move away from Housing First approaches and toward involuntary treatment and less support for permanent housing.

Research News Roundup: November 20, 2025

View our curated digest of the latest research news, including an article on how current regulations governing ENDS access, including flavorant aerosols, are insufficient because they do not account for human behavior (such as finding black market sources or puffing harder on weak devices). The paper calls for a shift in research focus toward mental health, respiratory issues, and human-specific toxicity of flavorants to create better safety laws.

Congress restricts intoxicating hemp products

Included in the funding package to reopen the government is a provision that restricts the sale of intoxicating hemp products, which are often unregulated and are appealing and accessible to youth.

Congress passes funding bill to end shutdown

Congress passed and President Trump signed a government funding package yesterday to end the government shutdown.

Staff and funding cuts gut SAMHSA

SAMHSA's work has been hampered by deep cuts to funding and staff, the lack of an agency leader, the shift of duties to other agencies, and other reorganization efforts.

Adolescent overdose trends and school responses

A KFF analysis examined trends in overdose deaths among adolescents and the steps public schools are taking to combat fentanyl overdoses.

Study: Naloxone saves lives and money

A New York Department of Health study found that naloxone is both effective in preventing overdose deaths and has a high cost benefit.

U.S. faces gambling regulation challenge

With the legalization of sports betting, gambling has grown and evolved. But the regulations and available support services lag behind.

Research News Roundup: November 13, 2025

View our curated digest of the latest research news, including how teen vaping rates dropped between 2020 and 2024, which is encouraging, but unfortunately teens who are vaping are vaping more daily and finding it harder to quit. The demographics of who is vaping are changing too, with rural kids increasingly vaping compared with urban.

Research News Roundup: November 6, 2025

View our curated digest of the latest research news, including how flavored vape use has jumped from 2021-2024 so that it is now how most teens who use marijuana are doing it. This is one of the very few drug trends that has gone up since the onset of the COVID pandemic and highlights how it is time to make flavored THC vapes a priority prevention policy.

HHS layoffs temporarily halted by judge

A federal judge extended and expanded her order to shield HHS employees from the administration's shutdown reductions in force.

Settlement sets precedent for nursing facility admissions for people with SUD

Two skilled nursing facilities in North Carolina reached a settlement that bars them from discriminating against people with a history of substance use by automatically denying admission.

Syringe services programs face closure threat

Syringe service programs face closure amid pushback from states and localities and moves from the federal government.

Research News Roundup: October 30, 2025

View our curated digest of the latest research news, including the fact that many people have wrong ideas about e-cigarettes and vaping devices. Some common myths include the idea that the vapor they produce is harmless and vaping is safe (or at least safer than regular cigarettes). Because of these myths it is harder for people to understand that vaping actually does have real health risks and can harm the environment.

Update on federal layoffs: impact and a court order

A federal judge put many of the latest round of HHS firings on hold for now, saying the reduction-in-force plan appears to be unlawful.

Congress struggles to resolve shutdown crisis

Congress is still mired in the shutdown fight, voting down the House-passed bill for the 11th time amid new pressures.

Research News Roundup: October 23, 2025

View our curated digest of the latest research news, including a study finding that more than half of those who survive a drug overdose did not go to the emergency room. People who went to the ER usually received take-home naloxone, while those who did not go to the ER missed an opportunity to receive it.

White House initiates mass federal layoffs

The White House followed through on threats to terminate federal employees in response to the government shutdown, firing over 1,000 HHS employees.

HHS reorganization impacts SAMHSA leadership

The proposed reorganization of HHS and transfer of officials to Indian Health Service clinics are adding to the already deep staffing and program cuts at SAMHSA.
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