The 2025 Addiction Policy Forum Pillar of Excellence is awarded to Dr. Brian Fuehrlein Presented annually, this award is to honor those in the field who have demonstrated exceptional leadership in improving our response to individuals with substance use disorders and communities in need. Dr. Brian Fuehrlein, M.D., PH.D., Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Yale University and Director of Acute Care Psychiatry at the Veterans Administration (VA) Connecticut Healthcare System,

While medications for addiction treatment (MAT) and behavioral therapies are the primary treatment options for substance use disorders (SUDs), neuromodulation interventions have emerged as promising new treatments. These non-invasive therapies use electrical, magnetic, or soundwave stimulation to alter the activity of neural circuits in the brain involved in reward and motivation and implicated in addiction (Oesterle et al., 2025). The goal is to directly influence brain func

In 2024, 48.4 million people in the U.S. ages 12 and older – about 1 in 6 people– met the criteria for a substance use disorder, according to the most recent National Survey on Drug Use and Health  (NSDUH) released by SAMHSA. The annual report provides nationally representative data on substance use (e.g., tobacco, alcohol, illicit drugs, misuse of prescription drugs), substance use disorders, treatment receipt, recovery, and related behavioral health indicators. Of the 48.4

Medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) help stabilize brain chemistry, reduce or block the opioid’s euphoric effects, relieve cravings, and help patients engage in other aspects of treatment (NIDA, 2025). The three formulations approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat opioid use disorder include methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone.  Proven Effectiveness of MOUD Decades of research have shown that MOUDs are effective in reducing opioid use, overdose

In recent years, medications originally developed to treat Type 2 diabetes, obesity, and other weight-related conditions—such as semaglutide and liraglutide—are showing promise in treating substance use disorders (SUDs). These medications belong to a class of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists and are marketed under brand names such as Ozempic®, Wegovy®, Victoza®, and Saxenda®.  GLP-1 is a naturally occurring hormone produced in the gut and brain that regulates

According to the latest Monitoring the Future (MTF) Panel Study from the University of Michigan, young and midlife adults are reporting sharp increases in several emerging substance use behaviors, including nicotine pouches, cannabis, vaping, and psychedelics.  For 50 years, MTF surveys nationally representative samples of 8th, 10th, and 12th-graders, tracking trends in youth substance use and following a subset of 12th-grade participants into adulthood. Today, the MTF Panel