The Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) is conducting a survey on regulatory reform that will help guide its work in this area. The survey is available online, and responses are due by close of business March 28, 2024. Regulations governing licensed addiction treatment providers under DDAP’s authority can be found in the Pennsylvania Code and Bulletin. If you have any questions, please contact Cynthia Beidler.
As Pennsylvania pushes to legalize recreational marijuana, recent research suggests doing so could have harmful effects for adolescents, including a potential increase in suicide.
The study, “Cannabis use disorder, suicide attempts, and self-harm among adolescents: A national inpatient study across the United States,” examined the association between cannabis use disorder (CUD) and suicide/self-harm in a large, nationally representative sample of hospitalized adolescents. It found that adolescents with CUD were 40 percent more likely to experience a suicide attempt or self-harm.
Although the inpatient study does not directly tie an increase in adolescent suicide to legalization of recreational marijuana, there is an association between marijuana legalization and the increased risk of cannabis use disorder among adolescents. As more adolescents experience CUD, then, the potential for more suicides also increases.
In his 2024-2025 Budget Book, Governor Shapiro, acknowledging that all of Pennsylvania’s neighboring states except West Virginia have legalized recreational marijuana, says now is the time for the commonwealth to do so as well. His budget proposes legalization of adult use marijuana effective July 1, 2024, with sales within Pennsylvania beginning January 1, 2025.
The governor’s plan estimates about $14.8 million in revenue in the industry’s first year of operation, with more than $250 million in annual tax revenue expected once the industry is established.
In its review of the inpatient study, the Recovery Research Institute (RRI) suggests policymakers develop policies and funding structures that appropriately educate the public about the risks of cannabis use, and support those who are currently using, as a way to potentially help reduce the public health burden of cannabis use and suicidal behaviors among adolescents.
For treatment providers, RRI points out that cannabis use was uniquely associated with suicidal behaviors among adolescents being treated in an inpatient setting over and above well-known risks such as depression. Furthermore, those with both CUD and depression were at an even greater risk, concluding, then, that it is likely helpful to conduct thorough screenings for each of these issues if an individual presents with one of them.
The governor has proposed millions of dollars to address Pennsylvania’s growing mental health needs. With legalization of recreational marijuana seemingly inevitable in the commonwealth’s near future, even more resources will be needed to address the inevitable substance use disorder (SUD) and mental health issues Pennsylvanians of all ages will likely face following legalization. With a quarter of a billion dollars expected in eventual annual revenue from legalized marijuana, a significant portion of that sum must be committed to SUD and mental health treatment providers.
The Pennsylvania Compulsive and Problem Gambling Annual Report for 2022/23 outlines the impact of programs funded by the Compulsive and Problem Gambling Treatment Fund. According to the report, around $8.3 million was transferred to support crisis counseling, awareness programs, and treatment services. The funds were distributed among Single County Authorities to conduct needs assessments and prevention programs. Additionally, the gambling treatment providers received direct support from the funds. Outpatient treatment providers spent $469,145 in 2022/23, focusing on monitoring demographics such as age, race, ethnicity, income, and preferred gambling methods. The Pennsylvania Gambling Helpline received 2,834 calls, indicating an increase from the previous year, with financial hardship being a common issue.
For a comprehensive overview, including detailed statistics on treatment admissions, demographics, and gambling methods, refer to the full report.
Harm Reduction Therapeutics (HRT), a non-profit pharmaceutical company, has shipped the first order of RiVive, an over-the-counter naloxone nasal spray to prevent opioid overdose deaths. The FDA-approved nasal spray provides a single 3 mg administration for the emergency treatment of opioid overdose without a prescription. RiVive will be distributed to community harm reduction groups that are working to combat opioid overdoses, and HRT is committed to its non-profit model and aims to make RiVive available across the United States free of charge or at a low cost.
HRT emphasizes that no entity or individual, including its unpaid volunteer board of directors and staff, will profit from RiVive sales. The product will be available at cost or less, with a selling price of $36 per twin pack, covering production, packaging, testing, and transportation costs. Additionally, HRT actively seeks additional funding partners to support operations, reduce selling prices, and increase the availability of free-of-charge doses, highlighting the importance of charitable contributions in saving lives amid the opioid crisis.
Pennsylvania’s Behavioral Health Council, created through executive order in October, held its first meeting yesterday.
The council intends to develop and recommend to the governor a statewide action plan to address any gaps in access, affordability, or delivery of services, with the goal of removing silos across state agencies, healthcare providers, payers, state and local government sectors, as well as decreasing the wait time for services for Pennsylvanians in need.
Read the full press release and list of Behavioral Health Council members.
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