In the spring of 2010, the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) released its National Drug Control Strategy, the first such document released by the Obama White House. Although it was supposed to be released earlier in the year, it was delayed due to the passage of health care reform. The strategy lays out [...]

In late 2003, a new coalition was formed in Washington. Led by Dr. Bill Dewey and Dr. Charles O’Keefe of Virginia Commonwealth University and its College on Problems of Drug Dependence, the Friends of NIDA held its first meeting. Its mission, then and now, is to advocate for the use of science to bring an [...]

Most in the public only view the term “addiction” in terms of illicit drugs and alcohol, but the recent spate of celebrity deaths connected to prescription drug abuse has begun to raise the public awareness of addiction to drugs other than illicit ones. Even so, the public and policymakers remain largely unaware of what makes [...]

For years the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Parity Act was just a dream. The law itself passed in 2008, but just two weeks ago it actually went into effect. Exactly what this means for our field has yet to take shape but the idea that mental health problems are finally understood to have the [...]

For the past year, health care reform has dominated the headlines and monopolized the time of Congress and the White House.  Not since 9/11 has all of Washington been singularly focused on one issue.
While the legislation going to conference between the House and Senate is over 1,900 pages, there are parts that apply to substance [...]

For several months, the advocacy community for addiction prevention and treatment has followed the review process that is examining whether a merger between the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) is in the best interests of research and the public.  Both institutes are part of [...]

What began as a campaign slogan evolved into an important component of every campaign speech and now is the subject of every political commentary – HealthCare Reform.  Over the past year all of us have been subject to information, misinformation, suggestions, demands, proposals, analysis and every other gyration possible as we have marched toward self [...]

In many jurisdictions, a non-violent drug crime such as simple possession is a misdemeanor.  First-time offenders rarely receive jail time.  Yet a conviction for possession of a controlled substance could have a substantial impact on a young person’s future, especially if they have designs on attending college.
The Higher Education Act (HEA) was signed into law [...]

Needle exchange programs that run on state, local, and private dollars exist all over the country. There are currently over 200 programs in 14 states.  Several major cities have needle exchange programs.  In San Francisco, there is one operated by the San Francisco AIDS Foundation.  In Baltimore, one is run by the Baltimore City Health [...]

Drug policy in America tends to focus on illicit drugs, such as heroin, cocaine, marijuana, methamphetamine, etc.  However, of these illicit drugs, only marijuana is abused more than another class of narcotic: prescription drugs.
Three categories of prescription drugs are abused: painkillers, stimulants, and sedatives & tranquilizers.   Prescription drug abuse is widespread, and is hardly new.  [...]

Congratulations! Congratulations to all of you who care about those suffering from addictive disease! Congratulations to all who have worked these many years to change the course of our nation toward a more sensible public policy regarding chemical dependency treatment. The signing into law of the Mental Health Parity Bill by President George W. Bush [...]

On October 3, 2008, the United States Congress passed into law the Paul Wellstone & Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008.  With the President’s signature affixed later the same day, the bill became law, ending over a decade of effort by the behavioral health advocacy community.
The Act amends the Mental [...]