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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.

Senate passes stopgap funding bill delaying hemp and grant rules

The Senate passed a stopgap funding bill that includes provisions to delay implementation of hemp restrictions and the rule giving political appointees more power over federal grants.

FDA approves new flavored nicotine pouches

The Food and Drug Administration granted marketing authorization to four new flavored nicotine pouches from on! brand.

NPR: Insufficient addiction care, with sometimes deadly consequences

People with addiction often go to doctor’s offices, clinics, and hospitals and receive insufficient or no treatment, a missed opportunity to prevent overdose deaths.

D.C. budget battle over opioid funds

D.C. is planning to use opioid settlement dollars, rather than general budget, to pay for Medicaid costs and existing addiction treatment, sparking controversy.

Research News Roundup: August 13, 2026

View our curated digest of the latest research news, including how executive-function difficulties help explain the relationship between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and adolescent substance use. Using longitudinal data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study, researchers measured ACEs at ages 9–11, executive-function deficits at ages 12–13, and substance use at ages 13–14. Executive-function deficits accounted for approximately 10% of the overall association between cumulative ACEs and subsequent substance use. The associations involved deprivation-based experiences as well as several threat-based experiences. Sexual abuse had a direct association with substance use that was not explained by executive-function deficits.

HHS secures insurer pledges for better MH/SUD care

The Trump administration secured voluntary commitments from the health care industry to support timely access to high-quality mental health and addiction treatment.

The Examination: Red Bull’s influence on energy drink research

An investigation found that Red Bull paid hundreds of thousands of dollars for research favorable to the energy drink industry, including to support the claim that consuming energy drinks and alcohol together was not harmful.

Military strikes fail to curb cocaine in the U.S.

According to a DEA assessment and current and former officials, the military strikes on alleged drug boats have not reduced the amount of cocaine entering the U.S.

Research News Roundup: August 6, 2026

View our curated digest of the latest research news, including a national study of opioid-related hospitalizations that found that although hospitalizations generally declined between 2016 and 2023, outcomes among those admitted became increasingly concerning. Analyzing data from 7.42 million hospitalizations, researchers found no comparable reduction among Hispanic or Native American patients, Medicaid beneficiaries, or adults over sixty-five. At the same time, the proportion of hospitalizations ending in death increased by 0.58 percentage points, while self-directed discharges rose by 2.68 percentage points.

NSDUH: 2025 substance use trends

SAMHSA released the results of the 2025 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, an annual national survey that measures the prevalence of substance use, substance use disorder, treatment receipt, recovery, and other measures.

STAT: THC drinks skirt regulations

Often in violation of state law, THC beverages line the refrigerated sections of grocery stores and delis, often next to other beverages and in colorful cans.

KFF Health News: Unclear oversight of opioid settlement funds

With control of opioid settlement funds split among various entities in each state, it is often unclear who should take action on questionable expenditures.

House E&C advances bills to combat overdoses

The House Energy and Commerce Committee advanced 8 bills aimed at preventing overdoses and curbing the illicit drug supply.

Research News Roundup: July 30, 2026

View our curated digest of the latest research news, including a study that reveals a troubling gap in adolescents’ understanding of fentanyl’s potentially lethal risks. Fewer than half of eighth-grade students surveyed considered experimenting with fentanyl once or twice to pose a great risk, while one-third did not regard even regular use as highly dangerous. Although perceived risk increased among older students, substantial racial and ethnic differences remained, with Hispanic eighth graders and Black tenth- and twelfth-grade students generally reporting the lowest levels of perceived risk. These findings demonstrate the need for clear, age-appropriate, and culturally responsive prevention-based education beginning before high school.

Former FDA scientist: FDA authorized Zyn despite microplastics concern

A former FDA scientist accused the agency of authorizing Zyn nicotine pouches without knowing what the pouches themselves are made of.

Coalition challenges FDA e-cigarette policy

A coalition of public health organizations, pediatricians, and parents filed a federal lawsuit challenging FDA’s new enforcement policy allowing e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches to be marketed without FDA authorization.

Advancing psychedelic therapies for mental health

Several HHS agencies and the VA are taking steps to advance the development of psychedelic therapies for mental illness, following President Trump's executive order earlier this year.

SAMHSA and CDC nominee updates

President Trump nominated Timothy Westlake, an emergency medicine physician and SAMHSA chief of staff, to lead SAMHSA. Dr. Erica Schwartz, Trump's nominee to lead CDC, had a confirmation hearing.

STAT: Tackling America’s alcohol epidemic

STAT published articles in its “The Deadliest Drug” series on excessive alcohol use outlining recommendations for addressing the alcohol epidemic in the U.S. and highlighting charts that explain the crisis.

Arizona becomes new center of overdose deaths

Unlike nationally, overdose deaths are rising in Arizona, driven by shifts in the drug supply, widespread use of methamphetamine, high temperatures, and homelessness in the region.

Research News Roundup: July 23, 2026

View our curated digest of the latest research news, including a major systematic review and meta-analysis that offers reassuring evidence that requiring cigarettes to contain substantially less nicotine is unlikely to cause widespread compensatory smoking. Across 17 randomized trials involving 5,500 participants, people assigned to very-low-nicotine cigarettes generally did not smoke more cigarettes or experience greater carbon-monoxide exposure than those using conventional cigarettes. By addressing one of the principal concerns surrounding the FDA’s proposed low-nicotine product standard, the findings strengthen the case that such a policy could reduce nicotine dependence without inadvertently increasing exposure to the toxic products of combustion.

Antismoking efforts stall

The administration has taken several steps to unravel federal antismoking initiatives and delivered significant policy wins to tobacco companies.

DEA targets tianeptine as Schedule I drug

DEA issued a proposed rule to place tianeptine, "gas station heroin," in Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act.

ASAM report highlights 2026 legislative trends

An American Society of Addiction Medicine report on state legislative efforts related to addiction in the first half of 2026 found top priorities included naloxone, insurance coverage, and access to MOUD.

Research News Roundup: July 16, 2026

View our curated digest of the latest research news, including a study that found that flavored nicotine-pouch use was nearly universal among U.S. adolescents who had ever tried the products. Among these young people, 97% most often used a non-tobacco flavor, with mint the leading choice, while approximately 80% named ZYN as their most frequently used brand. The findings suggest that flavors and brand appeal may play an important role in adolescent experimentation and support consideration of stronger regulatory protections.
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