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Newsroom
Press Releases and Announcements
Celebrating a Major Milestone: More Than 500 Certified Responding to Addiction Instructors!
We're excited to share that we have reached more than 500 instructors who are now certified to deliver the Responding to Addiction Training! From healthcare professionals and educators to first responders, behavioral health providers, peer support specialists, and community leaders, our instructor network continues to grow with passionate individuals committed to increasing addiction knowledge and reducing stigma in their communities. Each new instructor creates countless opp
Aug 17
Addiction Policy Forum Launches Free Prevention Online Course in English and Spanish to Expand Access to Youth Prevention Education
Over 30 national and community organizations join efforts to increase access to evidence-based prevention resources for youth and families WASHINGTON, D.C., July 9, 2026— Addiction Policy Forum (APF) today announced the launch of Protect Your Brain (Protege tu Cerebro), a free, evidence-informed youth prevention e-course now available in both English and Spanish. The course is designed to provide youth, families, educators, and communities with accessible prevention education
Jul 8
Addiction Stigma in America: How Public Knowledge Shapes Attitudes Toward Recovery
The Addiction Policy Forum and Gallup released Addiction Stigma in America: How Public Knowledge Shapes Attitudes Toward Recovery, featuring findings from a nationally representative study examining Americans’ addiction literacy and how it influences stigma, attitudes toward individuals in recovery, and support for public health policies. The report is also available on Gallup's website. The study included a nationally representative sample of 5,097 U.S. adults surveyed throu
Jun 2
1 in 4 U.S. Adults Don’t Recognize Addiction as a Health Condition
New Addiction Policy Forum and Gallup Study Released Findings from a nationally representative study show that nearly 1 in 4 U.S. adults (23%) either disagree or do not know that addiction is a health condition. Individuals who did not recognize addiction as a health condition were significantly less likely to believe substance use disorders (SUDs) are treatable by healthcare professionals, that early intervention works, or that medications are effective treatments to treat a
Jun 1
Cannabis Use Trends, Risks, and the Evolving Policy Landscape with Dr. Rosalie Pacula
Cannabis access has accelerated globally and across the United States, creating substantial variation in regulatory systems, product availability, potency limits, commercialization practices, and public health risks. In this Ask the Expert video, Dr. Rosalie Liccardo Pacula, Professor and Elizabeth Garrett Chair in Health Policy, Economics & Law in the Sol Price School of Public Policy at the University of Southern California, examines the evolving policy landscape of cannabi
May 12
Research and Science Highlights
Polysubstance Use Disorders Common Among U.S. Adults
Early Substance Use Also Linked to Higher Rates of Polysubstance Use Disorders Despite slight decreases in overall overdose deaths in recent years, deaths involving multiple drugs have risen over time. A study published in Molecular Psychiatry examined the prevalence of U.S. adults who had multiple substance use disorders (SUDs)––also known as a polysubstance use disorder––and whether the age at which they first used substances was associated with the number of disorders they
Nov 5
Cannabis and Mental Health Treatment: What Does the Research Show?
Researchers conducted a review of the scientific literature to determine if using cannabis helped treat mental health problems. They identified 15 articles, divided by the type of mental health condition and form of cannabis used as a treatment. Overall, they found: No clear benefits: Evidence is too limited and uncertain to support cannabis as a treatment for conditions like post‑traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, or ADHD. Some possible small benefit: A few stud
Nov 5
Does Cannabis Help or Hurt Sleep? Insights from a Long-Term Study
Many people use cannabis believing it helps them sleep. Researchers sought to understand whether cannabis (marijuana) use is linked to sleep quality in middle-aged adults. Researchers followed participants in a long-running U.S. health study for up to 35 years and examined both: Lifetime cannabis use (how much cannabis people had used over many years) Recent cannabis use (use within the past 30 days) To measure sleep, they used: A wearable device that tracked sleep objectivel
Nov 4
Alcohol Continues to Lead U.S. Treatment Admissions, Followed by Methamphetamine and Synthetic Opioids
A recent report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) provides a comprehensive look at substance use disorder (SUD) treatment across the United States, including who is entering treatment, what substances are most commonly involved, and what services are being utilized. Drawing on data from the Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS), the annual report captures admissions and discharges among individuals ages 12 and older receiving treatment at
Nov 3
New Review Examines Psychosocial Treatments for Substance Use Disorder
Effective treatment for substance use disorder (SUD) can include counseling and other psychosocial approaches, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Contingency Management (CM). These therapies can help people build coping skills, manage cravings, strengthen relationships, and work toward their own recovery goals. A systematic review published in Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy examined 64 randomized controlled trials published between 2021 and 2025. The studies
Nov 2
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