Addictions, Drug & Alcohol Institute

ADAI News & Events


August 2, 2022

Cannabis-Related Calls to the WA Poison Center, 2017-2021

Call center staff sitting at computers with headsets

The Washington Poison Center (WPC) receives calls for help about people who used a substance and experienced negative reactions. An increase in poison center calls for cannabis consumption has been documented in legalized states since 2014, including Washington. Given this increase and the diversification of legalized cannabis products, poison centers began collecting more information on…


August 1, 2022

How to Talk to Your Partner About Their Addiction (UW Right as Rain)

Woman holding glass of wine with one head and resting forehead in other hand

This piece from the UW Medicine magazine Right as Rain (by McKenna Princing) features advice from ADAI/Psychiatry Assistant Professor Mandy Owens, PhD on how couples can talk to each other about their substance use. The pandemic has led to worsened mental health for many folks, including an increase of use of substances to cope. “People…


July 22, 2022

New from ADAI: Most US Adults Who Use Cannabis Also Use Other Substances

This new article, coauthored by ADAI Research Scientists Beatriz Carlini, PhD, MPH and Gillian Schauer, PhD, MPH, reports on one of the first studies to explore the prevalence of adults in the U.S. who use cannabis while abstaining from other substances. Using data from adults aged 18 or older who responded to the 2017 or…


July 21, 2022

New: Cannabis Legalization in WA: Policy Evolution and Emerging Evidence from the First 9 Years

The Cannabis Social Club

The new book THE CANNABIS SOCIAL CLUB (Routledge, 2023) features a chapter focused on policy evolution and emerging evidence from the first nine years of cannabis legalization in Washington state that was co-authored by Julia Dilley (Oregon Health Authority and UW), Caislin Firth (UW ADAI), and Beau Kilmer (RAND Corporation). The book’s title, “Cannabis Social…


July 19, 2022

REGISTER NOW! ADAI Symposium: High-THC Cannabis in Legal Regulated Markets

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN for our fall cannabis symposium, to be held both online and in-person at the UW Tower in Seattle, WA. This year’s event, High THC Cannabis in Legal Regulated Markets: Documenting Risks & Exploring Solutions for Non-Medical Use, will focus on the short and long-term risks of high-THC products, including conversations about policy-focused solutions and…


July 13, 2022

New Article: Community-Based “Meds-First” Model of Care for Opioid Use Disorder Study

Background image of blurred clinic waiting room with quote over top "This is the mode of care we've been waiting for" - a Community-Based "Meds First" site director in rural Washington State

  This paper, by ADAI Principal Research Scientist Caleb Banta-Green and colleagues, describes the Community-Based “Meds First” model of care for opioid use disorder treatment and an ongoing study. The Meds First model of care is based on same-day (typically) access to buprenorphine; walk-in, non-appointment support with a nurse care manager and care navigator; no…


July 6, 2022

New Article: Intervention to Address Sexual Risk Behavior in SUD Treatment Increases Conversations About Sex Between Counselors & Patients

Two people's hands clasped in front of a rising or setting sun

High-risk sex, like sex with multiple partners, without condoms, or transactional or commercial sex, is a risk factor in people who have substance use disorders (SUDs). Interventions in SUD treatment settings aimed at reducing sexual risk behavior can help, but so far haven’t been consistently effective. This new article in Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment…


June 29, 2022

New Look for StopOverdose.org!

Screenshot from new StopOverdose.org homepage

ADAI and the CEDEER team are excited to launch a new version of our website, StopOverdose.org. Check out the webpage and let us know what you think! Features of the new site include: Improved navigation and organization Better accessibility Translation into 20 different languages (by Google Translate) The redesign work was done by Heather Larson at Day…


June 27, 2022

New Article: Insights into a Recovery Community Center Model: Interviews with Staff from Recovery Café

Front door of the Seattle Recovery Cafe with their sign over the top

Key findings: Participants noted that having a safe, welcoming place was important, as was having access to food, community, and resources. Participants also highlighted that having opportunities to contribute to the Café and areas for growth were essential components. Overview In Spring 2020, focus groups and interviews were done virtually with ten Staff and six…


June 22, 2022

Care Navigation at Harm Reduction Programs: Community-Based “Meds First” Buprenorphine Program Preliminary Data

Hand holding a compass in the middle of the street with title of report across top

ADAI Report by Susan Kingston & Caleb Banta-Green In 2019, the Addictions, Drug & Alcohol Institute (ADAI) at the University of Washington launched the “Meds First” program to provide onsite, low-barrier access to buprenorphine in partnership with six syringe services programs across WA State. A key component of the Meds First service model was the…



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