Opioid-related lawsuits are expected to generate more than $50 billion in settlement funds. This money is designated for states and localities to remediate the catastrophic consequences of the opioid crisis. So far, the distribution of funds has focused on reducing opioid-related deaths and other harms, as well as improving treatment for substance use disorders.
A new RAND paper explores a missing piece of the strategy: directing some settlement funds upstream, primarily by expanding access to nonopioid alternatives for pain management. This is a vital part of stemming the tide of the opioid crisis, as two-thirds of adults who misuse opioid prescriptions report that their motivation for opioid use is to relieve physical pain.
U.S. President Joe Biden, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida held a historic trilateral summit at Camp David earlier this month. RAND's Bruce Bennett breaks down the primary reason for this summit: growing nuclear threats from Russia, China, and North Korea. The Cold War–era approach to dealing with such threats is insufficient today, Bennett says. The United States and its allies and partners need a new, more-advanced doctrine—and now is the time to prepare. Read more »
Hurricane Idalia made landfall this week, causing severe flooding in Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas. Elsewhere in the country, flooding remains a growing, costly problem. In the Mid-Atlantic region, for example, extreme precipitation has led to flooding nearly every season since 2018. And this problem will likely worsen as a consequence of climate change. A new RAND paper outlines key information to help Mid-Atlantic stormwater managers and civil engineers, who are generally not trained climate scientists, better protect their communities from flooding. Read more »
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