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June 23, 2022
Synthetic Opioids Are an 'Everything Problem'
Between June 2020 and May 2021, more than 100,000 Americans died from a drug overdose. This is more than twice the number of deaths from motor vehicle accidents or gun violence during the same period. About two-thirds of those fatal overdoses involved illegally produced synthetic opioids - primarily fentanyl, which is easy to produce, highly potent, and often laced into heroin and other substances without users' knowledge.
As the world prepares to recognize the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking this Sunday, we're highlighting a unique effort to counter the illegal flow of synthetic opioids into the United States: the congressional Commission on Combating Synthetic Opioid Trafficking. RAND's David Luckey and Bryce Pardo served on the staff, supporting the commission's research, analysis, and report writing.
In the end, the commission came up with 78 recommendations to reduce both the supply of and the demand for synthetic opioids. They range from cracking down on money laundering by criminal organizations to exploring ways to help people struggling with substance use. A comprehensive approach is key, because synthetic opioids aren't just a public health problem, a homeland security problem, or a supply chain problem - they're an everything problem.
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Unblocking the Black Sea for Ukrainian Grain
Ukraine is a leading grain exporter - the world's fourth largest before the war. But because of Russian blockades around Odesa, Ukraine's grain exports are on the decline, and some 22 million tons could rot if not exported soon. To avert famine in poor countries, RAND experts say that navies of willing nations could escort grain shipments out of Odesa. Such a mission could be completed without Russian cooperation, at what might be an acceptable cost and risk.
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The Link Between Poor Sleep and Dementia
Compared with white Americans, Black Americans have higher rates of sleep problems, as well as higher rates and earlier onset of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. A new RAND study finds that, among a group of low-income African American adults, more fragmented sleep and longer periods of wakefulness after bedtime were associated with lower cognitive function. These findings add to a growing body of evidence suggesting that improving sleep health may address the disproportionate burden of dementias that falls on Black Americans and socioeconomically disadvantaged people.
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How Available and Accessible Are Mental Health Services in NYC?
Use of mental health services in the United States is low and is not equitably distributed. Non-Hispanic white people are more likely to use such services than non-Hispanic Black people or Hispanic people. In the nation's largest city, these inequities are especially difficult to overcome given the size of the population and its diversity in income, culture, ethnicity, and language. A new RAND report looks at the availability of mental health services in New York City, and what makes them harder or easier for people to use.
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Assessing California's Food Recovery Mandate
Organic waste in landfills emits 20 percent of California's methane, and an estimated 1.1 million tons of potentially donatable food ended up in landfills in 2018. Yet, more than 250,000 households in Los Angeles County experienced food insecurity last year. A new law aims to address these issues by reducing the disposal of organic waste and recovering would-be wasted food for human consumption. RAND researchers assess the challenges related to implementing the law and offer recommendations for improving food recovery efforts.
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What Is the Metaverse?
Metaverse is often used to describe anything that blends augmented reality, virtual reality, digital avatars, and blockchain technologies. But there is no agreed-upon definition of the metaverse. According to Swaptik Chowdhury of the Pardee RAND Graduate School and RAND researcher Timothy Marler, this lack of clarity stifles important discussion about risks and opportunities. "A clear definition might go a long way toward building a decentralized metaverse in which everyone can safely participate," they say.
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