Youth and Adult Arrests for Cannabis Possession After Decriminalization and Legalization of Cannabis.

Importance: Civil liberty advocates typically support legalization of cannabis, which targets adult use, rather than decriminalization, which can affect both adults and youths. However, it is unknown how arrests of youths for cannabis possession change when adult use of cannabis is legalized.

Objective: To model changes in arrest rates of adults and youths after decriminalization and legalization of cannabis.

Preventing Opioid Overdose in the Clinic and Hospital: Analgesia and Opioid Antagonists.

Drawing from existing opioid prescribing guidelines, this article describes how medical providers can reduce the risk of overdose. Through primary prevention, providers can prevent initial exposure and associated risks by educating patients, using risk stratification, minimizing opioid dose and duration, and avoiding coprescribing with sedatives. Secondary prevention efforts include monitoring patients with urine toxicology and prescription monitoring programs, and screening for opioid use disorders.

Is Preconception Substance Use Associated With Unplanned or Poorly Timed Pregnancy?

Objective: Unplanned and poorly timed pregnancies are associated with adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes. Further understanding of preconception substance use with unplanned and poorly timed pregnancy is warranted.

Methods: Data were analyzed from a prospective study enrolling women early in pregnancy.

Group Visits for Overdose Education and Naloxone Distribution in Primary Care: A Pilot Quality Improvement Initiative.

Objective: Opioid prescribing for chronic pain significantly contributes to opioid overdose deaths in the United States. Naloxone as a take-home antidote to opioid overdose is underutilized and has not been evaluated in the high-risk chronic pain population. The objective was to increase overdose education and naloxone distribution (OEND) to high-risk patients on long-term opioid therapy for pain by utilizing group visits in primary care.

Long-Term Outcomes After Residential Substance Use Treatment: Relapse, Morbidity, and Mortality.

A cohort of 207 veterans admitted to a residential substance use treatment program was followed for 5 years following discharge to determine factors associated with reduced relapse or mortality following discharge. Subsequent utilization of medical and psychiatric hospitalization and emergency room utilization was also examined. Retrospective chart review was conducted using demographic, diagnostic, and prior treatment as independent variables.

Participation in a novel treatment component during residential substance use treatment is associated with improved outcome: a pilot study.

Background: A person-centered substance use treatment component, the Natural Recovery Program, was developed. The Natural Recovery Program is comprised of small group therapy combined with pursuit of hobbies.

Methods: This was a pilot study of the program and was not randomized.

Allopurinol and xanthine oxidase inhibition in liver ischemia reperfusion.

Introduction: Allopurinol was first introduced, in 1963, as a xanthine oxidase inhibitor when it was investigated for concomitant use with cancer chemotherapy drugs. Today it is used in gout and hyperuricemia. Due to its additive benefit in preventing oxidative damage, attention has shifted towards the use of allopurinol in organ ischemia and reperfusion.