Alison Knopf

4 days ago | onlinelibrary.wiley.com | Alison Knopf

In his April 22 blog for Psychology Today, addiction expert Mark Gold, M.D. explains why the language of AA and other self-help groups works. “One Day at a Time” is a relapse prevention strategy which encourages short-term, achievable abstinence goals. Instead of being overwhelmed by “I'll never use again,” this saying actually helps someone not use.

4 days ago | onlinelibrary.wiley.com | Alison Knopf

Varenicline, a smoking cessation drug, can also help young adults quit vaping, according to a study by researchers from Mass General Brigham. The study, Varenicline for Youth Nicotine Vaping Cessation: A Randomized Clinical Trial, published in JAMA last week, showed that teenagers and young adults who took a varenicline pill twice a day were more than three times as likely to quit vaping as those who received only a text service.

4 days ago | onlinelibrary.wiley.com | Alison Knopf

A bill introduced by Assemblyman Mark Haney this month allows venues to extend “last call” for alcohol to 4 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, depending on whether the city will allow it. The purpose of this bill, AB 342, is to allow local governments to create “Hospitality Zones” where they can permit specific venues to extend last call. This would help struggling downtowns attract visitors, according to Haney, a Democrat representing San Francisco.

4 days ago | onlinelibrary.wiley.com | Alison Knopf

On April 16, a leaked “passback” budget plan for FY 2026 was published in the Washington Post. Typically, nobody sees this document. It would have been released to agencies in the summer of 2024, which would meet internally, and send their comments to the Office of Management aqnd Budget (OMB). The OMB would “pass back” its lingo to the agencies with its reactions.

4 days ago | onlinelibrary.wiley.com | Alison Knopf

The frequency of cannabis use increased signifcicantly, but misuse discreased, in a study of almost 1,500 adults. A prospective cohort study has found that five years after legalization, the frequency of cannabis use increased modestly, while cannabis misuse decreased modestly. Frequent consumers of cannabis before legalization showed the largest decreases in both frequency of use and cannabis misuse after legalization.