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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.

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.

Employers offer mental health benefits, but large gaps remain

A survey of large employers found that while nearly all offered mental health services, only two-thirds covered SUD treatment.

Research News Roundup: October 16, 2025

View our curated digest of the latest research news, including a major review of 181 brain imaging studies (12K participants) that reveals how meth affects the brain; such as reduced grey matter in areas controlling emotions and decision-making, damaged white matter connections, and impaired thinking skills. The good news? Advanced brain scans could help doctors track recovery and test new treatments for meth addiction.

Government shut down as Congress deadlocks

The government has been shut down for a week and a half, with no signs of an agreement coming soon.

Trump has “determined” the U.S. is at war with drug cartels

Trump notified Congress that he has "determined" that the U.S. in engaged in a formal "armed conflict" with drug cartels. Experts are skeptical the strikes are legal.

FDA targets youth vaping with retailer initiative

FDA launched a campaign to educate retailers about which tobacco/nicotine products are legal to sell in hopes of increasing voluntary compliance.

Indivior halts Opvee marketing amid controversy

Indivior has discontinued promotion of overdose-reversal medication Opvee amid criticism that it is no more effective than naloxone but is more expensive and carries additional risk.

Research News Roundup: October 9, 2025

View our curated digest of the latest research news, including a study showing how flavored marijuana vaping is on the rise among U.S. teenagers, a trend that goes against the general decline in adolescent drug use since the pandemic began. Flavored marijuana vaping has become the dominant method for teens who use marijuana.

UN debates global drug policy

At the UN meeting last week, the U.S. rejected a declaration pushing for reductions in tobacco/alcohol use and expanded mental health care access, while touting its aggressive approach to drug enforcement.

Government enters shutdown amid health care and funding clash

The government shut down after Congress failed to reach a deal on a spending bill, with health care at the center of the debate.

Senate advances opioid crisis legislation

The reauthorization of the SUPPORT Act is headed to President Trump's desk for enactment.

Sara Carter defends drug czar credentials

Former Fox News journalist Sara Carter went before the Senate Judiciary Committee for her confirmation hearing to become ONDCP director.

Local impact of federal directives on involuntary treatment and harm reduction

A recent executive order will reinforce an existing local shift away from harm reduction and toward forced treatment, despite evidence showing the harm of such approaches.

Government shutdown looms amid debate on health care

With a government shutdown looming at the end of the month, Congress is debating whether to include health care protections in a stopgap spending bill.

Research News Roundup: October 2, 2025

View our curated digest of the latest research news, including a list of public datasets on youth mental health and school policies compiled from national surveys by agencies like the NIH, CDC, and SAMHSA. Also included are data on state and school health policies, as well as data repositories like ICPSR, Data.gov, and Healthdata.gov. Having a centralized list of these public datasets is crucial for improving youth mental health research and for creating effective, evidence-based policies and interventions.

Research News Roundup: September 25, 2025

View our curated digest of the latest research news, including a recent study highlighting the increasing impact of alcohol consumption on cancer rates, particularly in the United States. Esophageal cancer showed the strongest link to alcohol consumption. Among women an estimated 18,463 new breast cancer cases in the U.S. will be caused by alcohol. While higher daily consumption contributed the most to cancer cases, even low levels of alcohol intake were shown to increase cancer risk. The findings suggest that public health efforts to reduce alcohol consumption could play a significant role in lowering cancer rates.

NIH study: Opioid treatment in jails saves lives

A study found that individuals who receive MOUD while incarcerated are more likely to continue treatment after release and have a lower risk of overdose, death, and reincarceration.

SAMHSA unveils strategic priorities

SAMHSA released its priorities for the administration's work to advance behavioral health prevention, treatment, and recovery efforts.

MAHA Commission strategy targets childhood chronic disease

The MAHA Commission released its strategy on how to address childhood chronic disease, which includes substance use awareness campaigns, addressing youth screentime, and efforts to limit "overmedicalization" of youth mental health conditions.

FDA fast-tracks nicotine pouch reviews

Reuters reported that FDA plans to fast-track reviews of nicotine pouches amid pressure from the administration to speed up approvals.

Research News Roundup: September 18, 2025

View our curated digest of the latest research news, including a survey of Midwestern college students that links difficult childhood experiences to substance use. The survey identified parental divorce as the most common difficult experience and found that students with more adverse childhood events were more likely to have used substances at some point in their lives.

House advances $108B HHS funding bill

The House Appropriations Committee voted to send to the House floor an HHS budget bill proposing a 6% cut.

HHS Secretary Kennedy defends health agenda

HHS Secretary Kennedy appeared before the Senate Finance Committee to discuss the administration's FY 2026 health care agenda.

U.S. strikes cartel ship near Venezuela

In an escalation of the administration's drug war, the U.S. struck a ship near Venezuela reportedly transporting drugs to the U.S.
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