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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.

CMS guidance on tier system for Medicaid work requirements

CMS released guidance for states allowing them to use a “tier system” to determine which Medicaid recipients are exempt from work requirements.

FDA explores opioid alternatives, including psychedelics

FDA held a meeting about nonaddictive alternatives to opioids and is ramping up attention on psychedelics.

DOL guidance on parity compliance

The Department of Labor issued guidance announcing its intent to focus enforcement of the non-quantitative treatment limitation requirements under the Parity Act in three areas - treatment limitations, medical necessity, and network adequacy.

New unauthorized flavored vapes hit shelves

New fruit-flavored Vuse Pro vapes are for sale in some places, even though they have not been authorized by FDA, following the FDA's new enforcement priorities.

FDA leadership changes and health nominee hearings

FDA announced a new director of the Center for Tobacco Products, and Congress is holding confirmation hearings this week for the deputy director at HHS, surgeon general, and SAMHSA head.

Research News Roundup: September 17, 2026

View our curated digest of the latest research, including a study showing how young people’s success in quitting nicotine vaping may be closely linked to their friends’ vaping habits. Researchers found that greater vaping among peers was associated with lower rates of biochemically verified abstinence. More frequent vaping among close friends was also associated with fewer counseling sessions attended. These findings suggest that young people’s social environments deserve attention alongside individual motivation and treatment when supporting quit attempts. The study highlights the potential value of helping young people manage exposure to friends’ vaping and develop social support for quitting.

CDC unveils overdose data hub

CDC launched the Overdose Prevention Data Channel, a centralized resource with fatal and nonfatal overdose data, prevention strategies, and information about CDC programs.

Commonwealth Fund: Why overdose death rates are falling

A Commonwealth Fund brief outlines factors that have contributed to the recent decrease in overdose deaths in the U.S. and other high-income countries, including policies, changing drug supply, and behavior changes.

Pentagon seeks NIH funds for defense

The Department of Defense signed an interagency agreement with NIH that could give the Pentagon access to billions of dollars meant for biomedical research.

Research News Roundup: September 10, 2026

View our curated digest of the latest research, including a study estimating that the annual number of cancer deaths attributable to alcohol in the United States more than doubled between 1990 and 2023, rising from 11,361 to 23,126. Researchers found higher mortality rates among men than among women, and among adults aged 55 and older than among those aged 20–54. Liver cancer accounted for the highest alcohol-attributable cancer mortality rate among men aged 55 and older, while breast cancer led among women in both age groups. Among men aged 20–54, colorectal cancer had the highest rate. The findings highlight alcohol’s substantial contribution to cancer mortality and reinforce the importance of incorporating cancer risk into alcohol education and prevention efforts.

Ultrapotent drugs reshape the market

With the shift to synthetic drugs, production and purchase cost less as potency and unpredictability rise.

FDA authorizes new Juul e-cigarettes

FDA authorized the marketing of the Juul2 e-cigarette device and tobacco- and menthol-flavored pods.

Congress passes funding bill delaying hemp and grant rules

The House cleared a stopgap funding patch to fund the federal government until mid-December, preventing a government shutdown next month and delaying rules on federal grants and hemp-derived products.

Opioid funds used for law enforcement tech and other uses

Opioid settlement funds are being put towards uses that violate the spirit and/or letter of the settlement agreements, such as law enforcement salaries and surveillance equipment.

More regulation needed amid marijuana commercialization

In a Health Affairs Forefront article, three researchers outline some of the harms created by marijuana commercialization and call for increased regulation and enforcement.

Research News Roundup: September 3, 2026

View our curated digest of the latest research news, including a finding that 69.4% of e-cigarette sales in the tracked U.S. convenience and grocery market involved unauthorized products. The predominance of flavored disposable products, many potentially appealing to young people, makes the result especially important for youth prevention. It also has immediate practical implications for FDA enforcement, retailer oversight, and marketplace surveillance. Although the data exclude vape shops, online sellers, and other untracked channels, that limitation may mean the study understates rather than fully captures the problem.

Gallup: US alcohol consumption remains at record low

A Gallup poll found that 54% of U.S. adults say they drink alcohol, remaining at a record-low for the second consecutive year.

CDC’s zombie programs struggle to survive

CDC has several programs that, despite receiving congressional appropriations, are functionally dead because the experts who did the work were laid off.

Trump nominates Heidi Overton for FDA

President Trump nominated White House health policy official Heidi Overton to be the next FDA commissioner.

Reimbursement for new peer support programs for families

The Administration for Children and Families added new peer support programs to the Title-IV Prevention Services Clearinghouse, allowing states to claim federal matching funds for the services.

Best practices for opioid fund management

A Health Affairs Forefront article outlines best practices to reduce problematic spending of opioid settlement funds.

Research News Roundup: August 27, 2026

View our curated digest of the latest research news, including a study demonstrating a consequential mismatch: autistic people with substance use disorders experience greater risks—including overdose and hospitalization—yet receive fewer substance-use services than comparable non-autistic patients. The study identifies both a previously understudied population and a potentially remediable treatment disparity, making a strong case for autism-adapted substance-use services.

New federal toolkit prioritizes “treatment first” approach

ONDCP, HHS, and HUD released a toolkit outlining strategies to address homelessness and addiction through a "treatment first" approach that rejects the research-supported "housing first" approach.

Monitoring the Future: Cannabis and vaping rates remain high among adults

An annual survey of U.S. adults 19-65 found that in 2025, adults reported using marijuana at or near record-high levels, while nicotine vaping also remained high among young adults.

Survey finds OTPs are implementing flexibilities

A survey of methadone clinics found that a significant share have implemented flexibilities from the 2024 rule changes, but the survey represented a small percentage of clinics nationwide.
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