Publications by authors named "B Sanz Pozo"

Background: US chiefs of police hold significant influence over the perceived acceptability and appropriateness of interventions for opioid use disorder (OUD) among the public, elected officials, and subordinate officers. This study assessed whether police chiefs' support for such interventions was sensitive to framing an intervention's benefits in terms that emphasize public health and harm reduction outcomes, versus terms typically indicative of public safety outcomes.

Methods: A two-armed survey utilizing a randomized, between-subjects design tested framing-based variance in support among US chiefs of police for overdose prevention centers, syringe service programs (SSPs), Good Samaritan laws, police naloxone distribution, trustworthiness of officers in recovery from OUD, and related propositions.

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Article Synopsis
  • Problem-solving courts (PSCs) aim to provide alternatives to traditional prosecution and support for individuals with drug-related issues, particularly those facing challenges with opioid use disorder, but medications like methadone and buprenorphine remain underutilized among PSC clients.
  • A study involving semi-structured interviews with 54 PSC staff across four states revealed that most courts have lifted blanket prohibitions on medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) due to changes in policies and education, but staff preferences and concerns still influence individual client decisions.
  • The decision-making factors for allowing MOUD include the type of treatment provider, communication with the court, and adherence to certain criteria, with staff expressing more comfort towards buprenorphine than methadone
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Importance: With the implementation of Measure 110 (M110) in 2021, Oregon became the first US state to decriminalize small amounts of any drug for personal use. To date, no analysis of the association of this law with overdose mortality has fully accounted for the introduction of fentanyl-a substance that is known to drive fatal overdose-to Oregon's unregulated drug market.

Objective: To evaluate whether the decriminalization of drug possession in Oregon was associated with changes in fatal drug overdose rates after accounting for the rapid spread of fentanyl in Oregon's unregulated drug market.

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At the intersection of drug policy, the opioid crisis, and fragmented care systems, persons with opioid use disorder (OUD) in the United States are significantly vulnerable to contact with the criminal legal system (CLS). In CLS settings, provision of evidence-based treatment for OUD is variable and often secondary to punitive approaches. Linkage facilitation at every touch point along the CLS Sequential Intercept Model has potential to redirect persons with OUD into recovery-oriented systems of care, increase evidence-based OUD treatment connections, and therefore reduce CLS re-exposure risk.

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Background: In the U.S., overdose deaths and substance treatment admissions related to methamphetamine are rising.

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