Seminars

Concerns over diversion have long shaped drug policy and frustrated the efforts of narcotic reformers, including the pioneers of methadone maintenance. They faced growing regulatory opposition when, in the early 1970s, rapid program expansion worsened methadone diversion. Using legal, medical, and oral-history sources, I reinterpret the history of methadone maintenance from 1964-1975 and argue that it anticipated the rise and fall of another reform movement, long-term opioid analgesia for patients suffering from chronic noncancer pain. After gaining traction in the 1980s and 1990s, this treatment also ran afoul of the diversion issue—and did so in era-defining fashion.

Ms. Riddick is a Certified Addiction Recovery Coach and a member of the NYCB Trainer Registry.  A professional trainer with more than 25 years of experience, she is also a credentialing expert and has consulted with certification boards in NYS and nationally. Among other voluntary commitments, Ms. Riddick has served as a recovery ambassador for the Caron Foundation, which has twice honored her for this work.

Dr. Hasin's talk will include information on long- term trends in the use of other substances, to provide context, and then review potential benefits and harms of cannabis use and the diagnosis of Cannabis Use Disorder. Time trends in the prevalence of adolescent cannabis use will be presented. Adult trends will then be presented overall, and by the presence of chronic pain and/or psychiatric disorders, and by state cannabis legalization status. Implications for clinicians, policymakers, and the public will be reviewed.

This session will provide an overview of the Opioid Settlement Fund (OSF), including national trends in fund utilization and innovative strategies adopted across states. Participants will engage in an in-depth discussion on New York State’s implementation of OSF, exploring key lessons learned, challenges encountered, and emerging opportunities.