Addiction Policy Forum

A study published in Drug and Alcohol Dependence  introduces two new validated tools designed to measure substance use disorder (SUD) knowledge across prevention, treatment, and recovery. In response to the lack of validated tools to measure general knowledge about SUD, the Addiction Policy Forum and researchers from the University of Delaware developed and tested two scales to assess knowledge about addiction, including risk factors, treatment options, and medications used to treat SUDs....

A new study published in JAMA Health Forum  found that adolescent cannabis use was associated with an increased risk of developing psychotic, bipolar, depressive, and anxiety disorders by young adulthood. The study included over 400,000 adolescents ages 13 to 17 who were universally screened for past-year cannabis use during routine pediatric visits between 2016 and 2023. Participants were followed through age 25, and researchers examined clinician-diagnosed psychiatric disorders documented...

The Addiction Policy Forum joined a national letter of support for continued funding of the Second Chance Act in the Fiscal Year 2027 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill.  The national sign-on letter calls on Congress to maintain funding for these proven reentry initiatives, which help individuals successfully reintegrate by increasing access to housing, employment, behavioral health care, and other essential services. Ongoing support will ensure that...